Most people are exposed to ballet, if at all, during the holiday season. A considerable number of people have seen the Nutcracker, perhaps the best known ballet in North America, and elsewhere around the world.
What many people do not appreciate is the various benefits that can be derived from ballet, both physically and emotionally. These benefits exist, whether or not a person ever participates in public performance.
Better Posture
Improved posture enhances a person’s overall health and wellbeing. One area in which ballet can be instrumental in benefiting a person is through improved posture. This type of dance demands that a person maintain proper posture and be aware of the alignment of his or her body. This translates into everyday living, including mindfulness of how a person stands, sits, walks, and carries out other primary activities of daily living.
Stress Release
Ballet fairly frequently is compared to yoga in its ability to lessen a person’s stress level. Students of this type of dance report that they truly loose themselves in the experience. They focus on their bodies and what their bodies are doing in space and time. The world around them is described as dissolving away, quite like with a solid yoga practice.
Mental And Emotional Health
This type of dance permits manifest personal expression. A student of this dance is required to interpret movements in his or her own way. The net effect of doing this includes what experts consider to be highly-therapeutic personal expression. This leaves a participant feeling better about his or her self, as well as more positive about the status of his or her life.
Improved Body Tone
Although improved body tone should not surprise someone contemplating this type of dance, what may be surprising is how fast this can occur. Some individuals spend weeks at the gym, only slowly starting to notice improvement in regard to general body tone. Because of the concentrated demands of the dance, toning occurs at a faster clip for most people.
Flatter Stomach
People from all walks of life can be found complaining about their stomachs. Flat stomachs are the goals of innumerable people. This type of dance provides a sure means of strengthening the back and ab muscles over time. One of the benefits of this process is a flatter stomach.
Enhanced Confidence
Another of the hidden secrets of this type of dance is an enhancement of a participant’s confidence. The process of perfecting different movements associated with this type of dance can be highly challenging. Accomplishing these movements proves not only physically beneficially, but provides a tremendous boost in confidence for many individuals.
Women and men are turning to ballet as a vehicle for life improvement as opposed to performance purposes. This trend is expected to continue apace into the foreseeable future. For more information, Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre is a helpful website with additional resources.
