It's a great way to meet people
It's a great alternative to going to the gym
Raise your self confidence
It's fun, easy, and exciting

The Benefits to Your Health

          The following are excerpts from an article called "Checkmating Alzheimer's"  published in the New York Times on June 24, 2003:

       "Can regular games of bridge or chess or playing a musical instrument ward off the onset of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia?"

       "By contrast, most physical activities, like group exercise or team games, had no significant impact. The only exception was ballroom dancing, possibly because of the mental demands of remembering dance steps, responding to music and coordinating with a partner."

The following information comes from http://fadsboston.com/why-dance.asp.

"An hour of moderate, sustained ballroom dance burns 250-300 calories - twice as much as tennis, swimming, walking, or bicycling"

• "Dance contributes to increased personal confidence.
• Olympic athletes often include dance in their training to sharpen their control,agility, speed and balance.
• Dance is considered to be one of the top five physical activities, out of 60 studied. Dance contributes to good posture and body alignment.
• Dancing encourages gentle stretching.
• Dance increases your flexibility and stamina.
• As an aerobic exercise, dance benefits your cardiovascular system as you swing and sway from hips to shoulders.
• Some doctors recommend thirty minutes of dance, three times per week."

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