There are five components of fitness: cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular endurance, body composition, and muscular strength. Rather than isolating those categories, dancing targets all of these AND improves balance, agility, coordination, power, reactivity, and speed.

Q & A with Kristin:

How can dancing be beneficial for physical health?

Kristin: “Dancing provides an incredible health benefit to people of all ages! In addition to its traditional benefits of calorie burning, muscle toning, increased core/overall strength, improved flexibility, and more, it is a form of exercise that also benefits your mental health. When you’re feeling great about your workout, you will continue, and if it’s fun and makes you feel great, then you are more likely to stay with it continuously, therefore further increasing the long-term benefits it provides. We want to make sure your body is not adapting to the movement, making your muscles work harder and work differently as each style challenges new areas of the body.”

If someone has never danced before and is worried they might hurt themselves, how can they ease into dance and modify it?

Kristin: “Most styles of dance are low impact, meaning they are not putting extreme pressure on your joints and are less likely to cause injury. However, as with all forms of exercise, you have to listen to your body. If you feel pain, stop, but a little discomfort as you challenge your body is good as you grow into the movement. Take things slowly, and never be afraid to ask an instructor for modification.”

How long does one have to dance to get a good workout?

Kristin: “At Studio K, our classes are structured in one-hour sessions for the ultimate calorie burn and training time, but you can absolutely benefit from 30 minutes or less of continuous movement. You can also build up more over time, but as long as you’re moving for any amount of time, the health benefits will follow!”

Check out the next editions of this blog series! We’re talking about how dance can benefit mental health and wellbeing, and then showing you all the different ways you can check a dance challenge off of your accomplishments list.

Ready to bust a move and complete Westly’s Dance Challenge?! Click HERE to register and learn the official choreography!