If you’re a parent or guardian, you’re probably always looking for healthy activities to foster your family’s development ― especially during the early years.

You’ll be happy to know that dancing supercharges your loved ones’ holistic growth in ways that few other activities can.

Let’s explore how dance enriches your mind, body, and spirit.

Mind (Mental Development)

Dancing isn’t just physically healthy; it nourishes our mental health, too. It’s fundamental to our growth ― as in it’s fun, but it also supplements da-mental. 😉

Dancing builds confidence. Dance offers growing minds an outlet to push past their comfort zones and learn what they are capable of. Imagine how powerful it is for a young person to think, “Wow, if I can learn this, what else can I learn? What else can I achieve?” Instilling this growth mindset in your loved ones early on teaches them that they can accomplish new and difficult things, inspiring confidence and self-trust.

Dancing promotes critical thinking. The cognitive benefits of dance are extremely well-researched. Learning new moves makes young minds forge new ways of thinking and problem-solving. A step this way that you’ve never tried before. A new position for your arms and shoulders. Dance literally creates new neural pathways and fortifies the parts of your brain that are responsible for learning and memory. 

Dancing trains your presence & resilience. Dance not only allows us to shake out our nerves; it also improves our emotional resilience. Similar to yoga and meditation ― dance trains us to be more acutely aware of our mind-body connection. Life is all about living in the moment, isn’t it?

Dancing just feels good. Self-love requires doing healthy activities that make us feel great. Whether you’re 6 years old or 65, we can all improve our mental health by dancing just a bit more.

Body (Physical Development)

Modern schools of thought are continually telling us that nurturing your mental, emotional, and spiritual health all comes back to the body. So, what better way to support your family’s comprehensive development than encouraging a creative, physical pursuit that gets them into their bodies?

Dancing develops motor skills. Nobody comes out of the womb knowing how to tie their shoes or run on a track. We cultivate these capabilities throughout childhood so that we can move and explore the world around us in a safe, efficient way. Learning how to move properly even benefits cognitive, speech, and sensory development.

Dance is one of the most powerful ways in which we build motor skills. Whether your loved one is learning a two-step or maneuvering around a basketball court, it all comes back to the same basic mind-body principles.

Dancing strengthens body awareness. Learning to groove allows us to develop a fuller awareness of our physical state. By keeping us in tune with our bodies, dance helps us prevent injury, manage pain, and notice when something feels off so that we can address it. It even helps us recover more quickly from physical stress by keeping us flexible!

Dancing is great for overall fitness. In the US, 73% of adults and 35% of children are overweight or obese. And in our post-pandemic world, most people are moving less, not more. It’s no exaggeration to call this a genuine health crisis. Exercise benefits just about every part of our physical wellness, including improving energy levels, reducing chronic disease risk, and supporting organ function. 

When we dance, we burn just as many or more calories than we would on a light run or swim. Not to mention, we’re also much more likely to exercise when we actually enjoy what we’re doing.

So, building healthy habits early on by providing a fun way to exercise can create lasting positive outcomes for the rest of your family members’ lives. Give them the tools to elevate their quality of life by having them dance the health risks away.

Spirit (Connection to Self and Others)

Dancing is a spiritual activity. It helps us connect to our innermost selves as well as the energy of those around us. 

Dance is a tool for self-discovery. Dance offers a sandbox for young minds to experiment through expression. Through creative play, they discover who they are. This self-exploration helps them develop their unique perspective and style of expression. It isn’t just important for identity-building ― it helps them let out and cope with their feelings freely and safely. Dance allows them to dive in and make something their own. It’s deeper than physical activity; dancing nurtures your whole spirit.

Dance is perfect for building bonds. Synchronized dancing in particular (e.g. doing a STEEZY Dance Along with your family!) has been shown to foster closeness and strengthen social ties. Grooving with others literally causes your brain to release happiness-inducing endorphins that help us create bonds. It’s no wonder tribal cultures build community around synchronized dances and music ― these are the elements that help us connect and thrive together.

It takes a village to raise a human being, but it takes connection to form a village in the first place.

Dancing creates real happiness. Everybody can benefit from creative expression. But dance uniquely allows you to express your truest self and experience childlike joy while engaging in healthy physical activity. In a UCLA research study, 98% of respondents reported that dancing improved their mood. It’s literally been scientifically proven that dancing really does nourish your mind, body, and spirit ― and that’s how we truly flourish in this world. 

The happiest people alive don’t just mindlessly consume ― they derive fulfillment from creating in their own unique ways. And at the end of the day, isn’t happiness what it’s all about?

Takeaway

Dance transcends simply being physically or mentally healthy. It wholeheartedly enriches your mind, body, and spirit. So as a parent or guardian, consider how you might nurture the innate dancers within your loved ones. 

Some may feel too shy to join a dance class outright, or you may feel reservations around budget, time, and safety. Whether or not they want to try out in-person classes, dancing at home with your family in a safe, free-flowing environment can be a great way to start.

We might just release some family-friendly content on the STEEZY platform very soon, so keep an eye out for updates. 👀

Our goal is always to inspire the next generation of dancers while making the world happier and healthier through dance. 

We hope you and your loved ones have an amazing time dancing together.

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