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Daniela Zaragoza Reyna

Professor Oscar E. Martinez II

ENGL 1302-217

30 March 2024

The Benefits of Dancing to the Mind and Body

Dancing has been a part of human history throughout the centuries. During this time

dance was used for several things, first as a form of entertainment to a way to pass the time since

people thought it had no meaning nor benefits. Nowadays recent studies and research have

shown that dance has some benefits like therapeutic potential. Dancing has been proven to have

hidden therapeutic potential to enhance one's mental and physical condition, improving one's life

quality and well-being. Because of this doctors should advocate dancing as a form of physical

and emotional therapy to patients more often because dancing is shown to positively influence

one's quality of life, when used as a form of therapy, by decreasing stress and anxiety, improving

social aspects, and giving medical relief.

Relieving Stress and Anxiety

Around the world, individuals suffer from negative emotions such as stress and anxiety

without having a way to relieve those feelings which can cause a heavy amount of mental health

problems if they are not dealt with. Luckily dancing has been studied and concluded to provide

calming effects to stress and anxiety. A study from Zhang, et al, wrote the article, “Effects of

Fitness Dance and Funny Running on Anxiety of Female Ph.D. Candidates”. In the article, it

was conveyed that dancing could offer therapeutic values to decrease the negative emotions of

stress and anxiety in one's well-being to improve their quality of life. “Funny running has the

functions of eliminating negative emotions, improving psychological adaptability, and promoting

the development of psychological quality” (Zhang, et al 2). Zhang also highlights in his studies

that fitness dance and funny running dance can alleviate stress and anxiety. “[F]itness dance and

funny running are healthy behaviors, which can help Chinese female […] dissociate from anxiety

and stress situations and develop a healthy lifestyle” (Zhang, et al 9). This offers a path for

individuals to emotional well-being and a higher quality of life which frees oneself from stress

and anxiety. In addition, researcher Liu Datian, et al, wrote the article, “Fitness Dance

Counteracts Female Ph.D. Candidates’ Stress by Affecting Emotion Regulation” which also

makes it known that dancing can decrease stress. In the article, it has been made aware how

fitness dance decreases stress in stressed individuals, “[I]t has been pointed out that for stressed

individuals, moderate-intensity physical activity of more than 30 min three times a week can

help alleviate stress” (Liu, et al 2). They also explain how other dances like aerobic dance can

decrease stress and anxiety. “Studies pointed out that aerobic dance is popular among

middle-aged women because it can help reduce stress, [...] and anxiety” (Liu, et al 9). Dancing

like fitness dance, funny running, and aerobic dance can be very beneficial to one's state of mind.

Dancing helps ease the mind by easing stress and anxiety in oneself. Because of this, dancing

should be advocated because of its calming effects on stress and anxiety.

Improvements in Social Aspects

It takes a lot for a community to come together and change one's self-perspective during a

global pandemic called Coronavirus Disease 2019 also known as COVID-19. Secondly, Rugh, et

al, wrote the article called “Healing Minds, Moving Bodies: Measuring the Mental Health

Effects of Online Dance during the COVID-19 Pandemic”. In the article, it was revealed how

dancing can help individuals reach community connectedness during a global pandemic. Rugh

conducted this study during COVID-19 to investigate if dance can alleviate or reverse the effects
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it has on community connections. “[M]ental health issues emerging as a result of the COVID-19

crisis, we explored whether offering a single session of online dance education to both rural and

urban communities [...] could improve mental health outcomes and a sense of community

connectedness” (Rugh, et al 3). They also concluded dance was able to be beneficial to social

connectivity, especially during a global pandemic to create healthy relationships in adults. “Our

findings suggest that online dance [..] and increase community connectedness in healthy adults”

(Rugh, et al 1). Continuing, Pfeiffer, et al, wrote the article “Effects of Pole Dance on Mental

Wellbeing and the Sexual Self-Concept—a Pilot Randomized-Controlled Trial”. In the article

Pfeiffer concluded that pole-dancing is beneficial to those who have low sexual self-esteem to

give them that boost they need. “Pole dancing may have broad psychological effects on both

overall mental well-being and important domains of the sexual self-concept” (Pfeiffer, et al 1).

They also talks about how it benefits more than just sexual self-esteem, “[A]s well as sexual

motivation, sexual consciousness, body appreciation, and sexual self-esteem” (Pfeiffer, et al 2).

During a global pandemic, dancing can offer community connectedness bringing and making

connections. Dancing can also offer a change of perspective making oneself look at oneself in a

different light since dancing can boost one’s self-esteem. Dancing changes a person and a

community in multiple ways because of this doctors need to advocate for dance as a therapeutic

form of social aspects relief.

Medical Relief

Individuals are affected physically greatly by medical diseases. Dances can bring benefits

to be able to change individuals’ perspectives on how helpful dance can be when it comes to

medical diseases. Firstly, It has been found that dance can also be beneficial to those who have

illnesses like pulmonary diseases. Niranjan, et al, wrote the article “Dancing for Health and
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Wellbeing: A Feasibility Study of Examining Health Impacts of Online Dancing among

Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients”. In the article, the authors make the audience aware that dancing

can be a form of physical therapy for those who are suffering from physical health. “Dance is

one such form of PA which is meaningful, valuable, enjoyable and has demonstrated positive

physical [...] effects” (Dance for Health and Wellbeing 1). They also bring up how dance can be

a form of physical therapy for those who have Pulmonary Fibrosis problems and can give them

multiple benefits to impact their well-being. “A recent systematic review measuring the impact

of dance interventions among patients with chronic pulmonary diseases mentioned that dance

classes had positive and significant benefits on walking distance, balance and dyspnoea levels as

well as quality of life” (Dance for Health and Wellbeing 11). Lastly, in another study, Niranjan,

et al, the article called “The Impact of Dance Interventions on Patients with Noninfectious

Pulmonary Diseases: A Systematic Review” describes how dance, being a form of physical

activity, can greatly improve the elderly’s quality of life who struggle with medical illnesses.

“Recent research evidence has shown that dance interventions can improve physical […]

well-being among the elderly and patients with various medical conditions” (The Impact of

Dance Interventions 2). With these studies proving dance should be recommended more as a

form of therapy to benefit one’s well-being and quality of life.

Counter Argument

On the other hand, Juliet McMain's article called “Fostering a Culture of Consent in

Social Dance Communities” talks about how there are negative aspects of social pressure in the

dance world. In the article, McMain wrote, “In addition, when someone says “yes” to a dance out

of social pressure rather than genuine desire to dance” (258). Because of this pressure of needing

to say yes to the other, it makes dance less enjoyable because the other party might be someone
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who preys on dancers for sexual desires. “[C]ommunity members—such as women privately

warning each other of predatory dance partners (Ogar 2020)” (McMain 257). One of the few

reasons why people in the dance community do not speak out when they are uncomfortable with

something is because they do not feel supported by their dance community. “Perceived lack of

support from community/ organizers” (McMain 259). Lastly, Moola Fiona, and Krahn Alexandra

in their article “A Dance with Many Secrets: The Experience of Emotional Harm from the

Perspective of Past Professional Female Ballet Dancers in Canada” argue that dance

specifically ballet dancing can be very harmful to one's physical health. It has been made aware

how dancing can damage one's physical health. Moola conveys that ballet dance has a rich

history but raises concerns about harmful practices within the world of professional ballet to

reach excellence in the ballet world. Highlighting “[T]he dancers normalized harmful [...] and

chronic injury (Gvion, 2008). They also described experiences of neglect—and feeling

replaceable—after the onset of injury” (Moola 1). This passage shows how it is normalized for

dancers to push through their performance to the point where they ignore their physical pain can

contribute to physical health damage within ballet cultures. “[C]ompany directors and teachers

often insist that the “show must go on” in spite of injury” (Moola 257). This conditioned way of

thinking that was engraved in a dancer's mind, might make them reluctant to rest when they are

injured. “This might not only instill a reluctance to rest when injured among dancers but

contribute toward dancers training and performing when injured.” (Moola 258). This can bring

multiple consequences in the long run. “Consequently, some dancers live with chronic pain

(Wainwright & Turner, 2004)” (Moola 258). However, ballet has a bad rap in its name for

ignoring physical injury by perfecting a dance to have a chance to perform to avoid replacement.

This generally all could be avoided if people collectively try to reverse the stigmatized way of
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thinking of ignoring your pain during performance or practice. Including advocating more for

physical health during injury to not push themselves for the stigmatization of injury on the topic

of “the show must go on”. The dancers who do not speak out should start advocating for

themselves to bring change and give out more support in their community because of the

stigmatized way of dance and continue to think of creating a safe place in their community.

Pushing for the community can amplify support to avoid the feeling of being unseen, and put

boundaries when it comes to what we do not want by saying “no”.

Conclusion

In essence, dance has evolved to be extremely beneficial to ones well being with its

therapeutic potential. Doctors should therefore advocate dance as a form of therapy more, as it

has been demonstrated in multiple studies to positively impact one's life by reducing stress and

anxiety positively impacting one's quality of life. It has also been proven to relieve individuals'

medical conditions and positively impact and enrich their lives—lastly, dancing boosts/changes

personal points of view. Dance can make an individual’s life healthier and happier by reducing

stress and anxiety, relieving medical diseases, and improving social aspects.
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Works Cited

Liu, Datian, et al. “Fitness Dance Counteracts Female Ph.D. Candidates’ Stress by Affecting

Emotion Regulation.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public

Health, vol. 19, no. 22, 2022, pp. 1-13, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214627

McMains, Juliet. “Fostering a Culture of Consent in Social Dance Communities.” Journal of

Dance Education, vol. 22, no. 4, Jan. 2021, pp. 256–64,

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/15290824.2020.1851693?needAccess=tru

Moola, Fiona, and Alixandra Krahn. “A Dance With Many Secrets: The Experience of

Emotional Harm From the Perspective of Past Professional Female Ballet Dancers in

Canada.” Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma (Print), vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 1-19,

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/10926771.2017.1410747?needAccess=tru

Niranjan, Vikram, et al. “Dancing for Health and Wellbeing: A Feasibility Study of Examining

Health Impacts of Online Dancing among Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients.” International

Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 20, 2022, pp. 1-14,

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013510

Niranjan, Vikram, et al. “The Impact of Dance Interventions on Patients with Noninfectious

Pulmonary Diseases: A Systematic Review.” International Journal of Environmental

Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 17, 2022, pp. 1-14,

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191711115
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Pfeiffer, Jalda Lena, et al. “Effects of Pole Dance on Mental Wellbeing and the Sexual

Self-Concept—a Pilot Randomized-Controlled Trial.” BMC Psychology, vol. 11, no. 1,

2023, pp. 1–7, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01322-z

Rugh, Rachel, et al. “Healing Minds, Moving Bodies: Measuring the Mental Health Effects of

Online Dance during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Research in Dance Education, vol.

ahead-of-print, no. ahead-of-print, 2022, pp. 1–21,

https://doi.org/10.1080/14647893.2022.2078297

Zhang, Nannan, et al. “Effects of Fitness Dance and Funny Running on Anxiety of Female Ph.D.

Candidates.” Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), vol. 15, no. 2, 2023, pp. 1-11,

https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021118