Hi everyone, Marielle here. As I sit here and write this week's blog post, I think about all the times that dance has been a source of healing, decompression, and stress relief for me. In the darkest of times, I have accessed dance to comfort me and allow me to connect with an audience. Aside from my personal experience, however, numerous resources and data prove these practices' psychological and biological benefits.
One case study that is relevant to this course of research is Conscious Dance: Perceived Benefits and Psychological Well-being of Participants, written and constructed by Dr. Kelsey T. Baird, Dr. Ineke Vergeer, Dr. Sarah E. Hennelly, and Dr. Prabha Siddarth. The framework of this study examines 1000 dancers across the world who participated in "conscious dance" (defined as "a form of un-choreographed, nonevaluative mindful movement.")
This study and its findings can lead us to make fascinating conclusions about the correlation between dance and mental states. The results reveal that conscious dancers with greater dance experience had a better sense of mindfulness and were more satisfied in life than those who danced for less time.
These findings are not unusual. Dance has been proven to increase endorphins, hormones that one's body releases when exercising. Endorphins help to inhibit the effects of stress and pain, improving one's sense of well-being and happiness. Dance is unlike normal types of exercise. Take it from me—once the music starts playing and no one is watching, I am able to fully let go and find unconditional joy.
Other than its scientific benefits, dance is also said to act as a social activity, connecting dancers with a community who share common interests. Whether it be locker room talks or barre chats, I can fully attest to this social aspect of dance.
So, the next time you feel stressed, isolated, or alone, turn on your favorite music and DANCE IT OUT!
Love,
Marielle Paradise
Author links open overlay panelKelsey T. Laird a b et al. "Conscious Dance: Perceived Benefits and Psychological Well-Being of Participants." Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Churchill Livingstone, 5 July 2021, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388121001390?via%3Dihub.
Reaves, Stephanie. "The Benefits of Dance on Mental Well-being." Mental Health Association in Delaware, 10 July 2023, www.mhainde.org/the-benefits-of-dance-on-mental-wellbeing/.
Sundick, Elena. "Dance Is Therapy-but Dancers Need Better Mental Health Care." Dance Spirit, 1 Feb. 2022, dancespirit.com/dancer-mental-health-care/#gsc.tab=0.
Uclahealth. "'Free Moving' Dance Has Healing Benefits for Mental Health." UCLA Health, UCLA, 22 July 2021, www.uclahealth.org/news/article/free-moving-dance-has-healing-benefits-for-people-with-mental-health-concerns.
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