Are you interested in an activity that is
drug and alcohol free and generally conducted in a smoke free environment. Where you can make many new friends and at the
same time have fun, forget your troubles and get some exercise?
Modern
Western Square Dancing may be just the activity you have been missing.
According to a 1994 Mayo Clinic Health Letter "dancing can burn as many
calories as walking, swimming or riding a bicycle. During a half-hour of
dancing you can burn between 200 and 400 calories. One factor that determines
how many calories you’ll expend is the distance you travel. In, one study,
researchers attached pedometers to square dancers and found that each person
covered five miles in a single evening. Regular exercise can lead to a slower
heart rate, lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol profile. Experts
typically recommend 30 - 40 minutes of continuous activity three or four times
a week. Dancing may not provide all the conditioning you need, but it can help.
The degree of cardiovascular conditioning depends on how vigorously you dance,
how long you dance continuously, and how regularly you do it. The side to side
movements of many dances strengthens your weight bearing bones (tibia, fibula
and femur) and can help prevent or slow loss of bone mass (osteoporosis). If
you’re recovering from heart or knee surgery, movement may be part of your
rehabilitation. Dancing is a positive alternative to aerobic dancing or
jogging. And finally, Square Dancing contains a social component that solitary
fitness endeavors don’t. It gives you an opportunity to develop strong social
ties that contribute to self-esteem and a positive outlook.
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If your
doctor has advised you to start an aerobic exercise program, Square Dancing
can be a fun part of it. Square Dancing enhances blood flow and gets
your heart and lungs working. Just be sure to get your doctor's
permission if you have a medical condition. |
This pastime is a perfect way to forget your troubles, because it is virtually
impossible to think of anything else while you square dance. This is because of
the mental requirements of this activity. I feel sure you agree that keeping
your mind sharp is essential in today's world.
So what are these mental requirements?
Let's
take a quick look.
Modern
Western Square Dancing consists of layers, or levels of dance. At the bottom,
where we all start, is Basic & Mainstream. There are 71 different
movements at this level. I'll try to define a movement later. Some dancers
never advance beyond this level. The next level is called Plus and consists of
29 additional moves. That puts us at 100 movements some having nuances. Most
Square Dancers achieve and dance at this level.
Before continuing up the ladder let me try
defining what I call a move. It is simply a combination of arm, hand and or
foot movement, and is known as a call. Foot movements are basically walking,
preferably with a shuffling or sliding step. Each step normally takes one beat
of music. A call can take anywhere from one beat to 32 beats or even more. The
tough part requires that you execute any call without stopping to think how to
do it. Occasionally, you may have to "stack" several calls in your
mind and remember the order in which to execute them. Of course you are not
dancing alone, seven other people are in your square and all must remember what
to do.
Some clubs dance "APD" or all
position. This makes it a little more difficult since the male and
female requirements differ.
The
next level up is Advanced. While there are two
levels, A-1(46 calls) & A-2 (37calls), Advanced
is usually considered to be one level APD.
If you want to go still higher there is Challenge
level. You will learn more about that level just as soon as you master the 183
calls at any position.
If
you can walk you can probably learn to Square Dance. It does take time and
practice however. Of course it's all called Square Dancing and whether its a dance, a workshop or class
it provides some excellent mental and physical exercise.
Square Dancing will add ten years to your life, a surprising new
study shows.
Dr.
Arron Blackburn states "It’s clear that square
dancing is the perfect exercise. It combines all positive aspects of intense
physical exercise with none of the negative elements." Dr. Blackburn said
square dancing is a low impact activity requiring constant movement and quick
directional changes that help keep the body in shape. The study was based on
their physical examination which indicated that both female and male square
dancers could expect to live well into their 80's. Square dance movements raise
heart rates like many good aerobic exercises should. All the quick changes of
direction loosen and tone up the muscles--but not so severally as to cause
injury. In square dancing, when you’re not moving, you’re clapping hands and
tapping your feet, which all contributes to long term fitness. "You don’t
see a lot of 55 year old basketball players, but that’s just the age when
square dancers are hitting their peak", Dr. Blackburn said
If you have read this far and you are not a Square Dancer, I hope I have peaked
your interest. If so find a club near you and get started. If you're from West
Virginia click here to find a
Western Square Dance Club near you and contact them.
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