5 Ways Joining our Dance Group Will Improve Your Health
People in North America are lonely, depressed, stressed out, overweight, and over-worked. Swiss Folk Dance Club Alpenrösli is doing its part to help change that. We are a traditional Swiss folk dance group and we are always happy to welcome new members. Take a look below for just some of the benefits you could experience by joining our group.
Club members enjoying delicious food at one of their annual Christmas parties, PaSu Farm, 2017.
1. Banish Loneliness
Are you lonely? If you are, you’re definitely not the only one! Loneliness is now considered one of the greatest threats to a person’s health. The UK has even appointed a minister for loneliness to deal with the problem, and doctors are writing prescriptions for socializing! One of the best things you can do to banish loneliness is to build connections.
Our dance group meets once a week to practice and has social hangouts and weekend trips a few times a year. We spend the first 15 or 20 minutes of practice each week catching up and chatting. We work together as a group to learn and finesse new dances—building relationships and trust. If you join our group, you are taking a small step towards connection and community.
2. Improve your Mood
Recreational dancing has been found to improve a person’s mood. In a depressed, busy, stressed-out society, how could that not be a good thing!? You will have fun dancing, chatting, making mistakes, and laughing with the ladies in the dance group. The warm personalities and deep connections in the group are sure to cheer you up and give you a positive outlook on life.
Club members happily practicing a dance outside in the summertime, 2017.
3. Enhance Your Memory
With all of the steps, holds, and other components involved in a traditional folk dance, it’s no surprise that it helps with your memory! Dancing has been found to improve the connections in your brain and as a result improve your information retention. We could all use a boost in our memory to hold onto what’s important and live fulfilling lives.
Club members Irmi and Silvia link arms, facing opposite directions during a performance at the Yodel Club Heimattreu’s 40th Anniversary Gala Concert, 2016.
Dance directors Barbara and Daniela hold hands at shoulder level, facing the same direction during a performance at the Yodel Club Heimattreu’s 40th Anniversary Gala Concert, 2016.
Club members Irmi and Daniela hold hands at hip level, facing each other during a performance at the Yodel Club Heimattreu’s 40th Anniversary Gala Concert, 2016.
4. Increase Your Physical Activity
We all know that physical activity is good for us. Usually our biggest problem is finding the time and motivation to get moving. Making a commitment to a group and having a community that relies on you and keeps you accountable is a great way to ensure you are getting the physical activity that you need to stay healthy.
Traditional Swiss folk dancing may not sound like a great workout, but with the many hops, jumps, spins, and complicated steps involved, you’ll be surprised at how quickly your heart starts pumping and how hard your legs have to work to keep up!
Swiss dancing is done in partners, and in the majority of dances, the group forms a circle. Without enough dancers, a Swiss dance cannot be performed. Your partner and the rest of the group rely on you to show up to practice so that everyone can dance.
That’s pretty good motivation to get moving!
Club members spin in pairs, forming a circle as a whole group during a performance at the Yodel Club Heimattreu’s 40th Anniversary Gala Concert, 2016.
Club members Becky and Daniela perform a complicated step during a performance at the Yodel Club Heimattreu’s 40th Anniversary Gala Concert, 2016.
5. Strengthen Your Balance and Coordination
Dancing improves your balance and coordination. Often when Swiss dancing, you will lift one leg, shift to one side, or turn in a circle. All of these movements require balance. Each Swiss folk dance is made up of an intricate combination of steps. Your coordination will improve with each new step and dance that you learn.
If you don’t already have great balance and coordination, the ladies in the group will happily guide you and give you tips to help you improve. As the months pass, you will start to see your balance and coordination improving and it will get easier to learn new steps and dances because of the ones you already know.
We hope that you will join us for the fun and rewarding practice of Swiss folk dancing. Click here for more information about the club and how to join.