Fitness and Exercise: Dance for Health and Wellbeing

Over the 10 weeks we will develop a new dance together as well as learning sequences and dances from different cultures. The emphasis will be on enjoyment and wellbeing. Each class will be made up of active warm ups, setting up rhythm, moving to ryhthm, follow instructions, raising heart rate. Warming up the joints, in readiness for dancing, alignment and breathing exercise, for posture, alignment and stregth. Swing/weight release exercises for strength alignment and balance. Feet and pliers, for strengthening and correct use of feet and knees. Dance sequences - begin to learn a short sequence of steps, helping memory and co-ordination. Introducing creative ideas, and improvisation. BBC's Michael Mosley's ('Just One Thing' podcasts) reported .... "dance is linked to reduced risk of stroke or heart attack, .... dancing can also have an impact on opur mental health, when scientists looked at 40 studies, involving dance movement therapy, they found that dance reduces anxiety, depression and improves quality of life and improves cognitive skills..."