‘On with the dance; let joy be unconfined’ is my motto, whether there’s any dance to dance or any joy to unconfine. —Mark Twain, Colonel Mulberry Sellers

There are so many people who insist that they don’t dance or can’t dance but it is never difficult to fill a wedding reception dance floor. I have read several articles recently citing studies showing numerous health benefits of dancing, both physical and mental. I have recently begun taking dance lessons (salsa!) and am really enjoying the instruction, the dance, the health benefits, and the opportunity to literally connect with people. If you are one of the few people who actually need a reason to dance, I’ve written about my top four.

1. Mental

Dancing is one of the best activities for improving mental capabilities. Several recent published studies, including Dr. Joe Verghese’s article on Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia, show that dancing can help decrease the risk of developing dementia. The unique combination of both physical and mental exercise, inherently involving social communication and several cognitive functions make it one of the top activities to maintain brain health. The physical aspect is associated with increased blood flow to the brain which stimulates brain growth and new connections in the brain. Mental benefits observed in aging patients who dance regularly include decreased reaction times, increased motor performance, greater attention, and improved cognition.

2. Physical

What more could you want from an exercise: dance helps to develop and improve muscle control, coordination, kinesthetic awareness, cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, strength, endurance, posture, and balance.

3. Social

I’ve never met so many people so quickly as on the dance floor. You are absolutely forced to mingle. You have about three minutes to introduce yourself, meet your partner, and then the next song starts and you get a new partner. How many times have you limited your social interactions at a meet and greet because you just talked to the people you already knew. With the added focus on what your feet are doing, the conversation pressure is much lower making it much easier to make new friends.

4. It’s Fun

I know a lot people will argue and say they don’t like to dance. However, when the band stops playing at a wedding, I usually hear complaints about having to stop and if the band kept playing, the dance floor would most definitely stay full. Tell me, how many times have you worked out for three hours at the health club and then complained that management turned the lights off at midnight so you couldn’t run on the treadmill for another two hours? Face it, once you let your inhibitions go and you get on the dance floor, it is fun.

I have one more great reason for dancing, but I can’t share that yet. I’ll be writing about it in early May, so stay tuned for that exciting announcement.

Question: When was the last time you danced? Share your answer on Facebook, or Twitter