Dance and health

Dance and health has been subject of a number of research studies.

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Being a physical activity, it brings well known benefits, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, weight control and other ones, commonly asociated with physical fitness. In addition, a considerable effect of dancing on psychological well-being is noted. However, as Arts Council England noted in its 2004 address to British House of Commons,^[1] most of evidence in support of these claims is of anecdotal character, and the Arts Council argued that "more needs to be done to demonstrate the specific and special benefits, and extend the delivery, of dance in a range of health contexts."

An Italian study in 2006 has shown that dance is a very good exercise for heart patients compared to other aerobic exercises like cycling. This may be partly because the patients enjoyed it much more.^[2][3]

A study in New York in 2003 has shown that cognitive activities like crosswords help ward off dementia but, except for ballroom dancing, most physical acivties do not.^{[4] [5]}

Dance pads have proven useful in tackling obesity in young people and are welcomed in many schools for that reason.^[6]

Dance can be very demanding - risks of classical ballet outlines various problems which affect young dancers and professionals. Even for social dance the use of a sprung floor is recommended.^[7]

Dance therapy or dance movement therapy is a form of expressive therapy, the psychotherapeutic use of movement (and dance) for treating emotional, cognitive, social, behavioural and physical conditions.

See also

• Sports medicine

References

1. ^ Memorandum submitted by Arts Council England to the House of Commons Committee on Culture, Media and Sport
2. ^ America Heart Association Heart failure patients can waltz their way to healthier hearts
3. ^ Heart Care -February 2007 Waltzing Your Way to a Stronger Heart
4. ^ New England Jounal of Medicine Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly
5. ^ [http://www.bupa.co.uk/health_information/html/health_news/300603dance.html BUPA investigative news] How to reduce dementia risk
6. ^ Games on Deck Games For Health 2006: Dance Dance… Revolution in Fitness!
7. ^ Harkness Centre for Dance Injuries Common Dance Injuries

• Edel Quin, Emma Redding and Lucy Frazer, The effects of an eight-week creative dance programme on the physiological and psychological status of 11-14 year old adolescents: An experimental study
• Joe Verghese, M.D., Richard B. Lipton, M.D., Mindy J. Katz, M.P.H., Charles B. Hall, Ph.D., Carol A. Derby, Ph.D., Gail Kuslansky, Ph.D., Anne F. Ambrose, M.D., Martin Sliwinski, Ph.D., and Herman Buschke, M.D. "Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly", The New England Journal of Medicine, 2003, Volume 348, No. 25, 2508-2516
• Alessandro Arcangeli, "Dance and Health: The Renaissance Physicians' View", Dance Research: The Journal of the Society for Dance Research, Vol. 18, No. 1 (2000), pp. 3-30 doi:10.2307/1291009