Dancing will make you better at everything
But you will have to work very hard for it.
I was introduced to dancing was when I was in kindergarten. I was a chubby four year old who really wanted to dance ballet. I don’t remember it clearly, but I am pretty sure I was not the best. Not even second best.
Later, it was considered ‘cool’ to join dance classes in elementary school. Again, a chubby pre-teen dancing to ‘Let’s get loud’ by J.Lo. And again — not close to being the best. I just remember it made me happy.
After that, I was too busy being an obnoxious teenager, but when I was 20, I got interested in belly dancing. And that’s when I started learning about the magical properties of dancing:
- You have to see yourself
Really see yourself. Under the (often) neon lights of the dance studio, in tights and a shirt, possibly crop top so you can see your hip movement better. Mirrors are everywhere. And then, you have to see yourself learn the steps and coordinate your legs with your brain. Whatever you do, your movements look weird. You look like a deaf potato moving to music. Your posture is not good and even simple walking steps look like there’s something wrong with your legs.
But you come to the next class. And the next one. And the one after that, when you didn’t have time to do your hair and it looks like a complete mess. You promise yourself you will never again come to class with messy hair.
2. You have to accept yourself
When you break the ice, you learn that looks matter. And not in the ‘I have to look like a Kardashian — lose 10 kilos — wear a lot of make-up — fix my nose’ kind of way. No, you very simply learn that being the version of yourself you like to see in the mirror makes you not only a better dancer, but affects your mood and confidence. You accept yourself.
One day, you will stand in front of that mirror and see the beauty in your reflexion. It’s the posture, the happiness, the feeling of achievement. Strangely, this starts showing in other things you do. You will likely get compliments that you seem more confident at school or work.
3. You have to learn how to work with others
After my belly dancing stage, I got interested in salsa and bachata. It was very popular at the time, and a good way to meet people. Having had some experience with other kinds of dance, it was easy enough to pick up. Once again, I did not turn into a salsa champion, but I was good. It was also the first partner dance I ever tried. And let me tell you — it’s difficult.
At a party, you will dance with different people. Each one of them will have a style of their own, maybe their movements will be too rigid, or they won’t know where to look.. or they will try to make you feel comfortable, so they will smile (which somehow makes it worse, if not done properly). But what you learn is such an important and transferable skill. If you can communicate what you want at a loud party, to a person you just met, you will learn to manage all sorts of real life situations a lot better.
4. You have to be disconnected
When you dance, nothing else exists. Although you have to remember a lot of steps, once you relax, your brain doesn’t do much. It’s the feeling of a plane taking off and you knowing there is nothing you need to do for the next X hours, except sit down and enjoy the flight.
But the interesting thing after an hour or two of airplane mode is that problems seem smaller. Life gets easier and less scary.
And while you are enjoying in airplane mode, your brain actually benefits. Numerous studies have shown that certain cognitive skills improve as a result of dancing, as well as dancers’ general mood. It is also known to improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
5. You are art
Baudelaire famously said that dancing is poetry with arms and legs. I would argue it’s even more than that. Dancing puts you in contact with parts of your soul you didn’t know exist.
During the last lockdown in the UK, I expanded my dancing portfolio with online kizomba ‘lady-style’ classes. With an incredible group of women and an awesome teacher, we have been learning choreographies for different songs each month. The same old feeling of looking like a deaf potato kicked in again, but this time not in the mirror, but on Zoom.
But as soon as I put on the dancing shoes, hear the beats of the song and look at the video of ten wonderful women from around the world, dancing the same steps, to the same music, at the same time, in the middle of the world pandemic.. I know we are creating something special.
Some practical tips
- Learn the steps, but know that’s not everything
I was criticised that I never committed enough to dancing to become excellent at it or to compete. But for me, that was never the point.
When I go to salsa parties, I never enjoy dancing with those who treat the dance as it is some sort of counting competition with complicated figures. I don’t like show-offs, I love the music, it really fills my soul with new emotions.
The best dance I ever danced was probably with an old Cuban man at a salsa party in Berlin. He loved the song the DJ was playing so much, that although we danced only the basic step throughout the song, you could tell it touched his heart.
2. Stick with it
This is plain and simple — even if you look like a blind and deaf potato, stick with the classes. The feeling of achievement is indescribable! Plus, remember all the benefits. And in addition to that, it’s a good work-out and much more fun that sweating at the gym.
3. Experiment
If you don’t feel like you can commit to classes, put on some music you like next time you are cleaning the house and invent some steps. After that, try to repeat them. You don’t have to be a professional, just enjoy!
