Health Benefits of Ballroom Dancing

Most people are aware of health benefits of ballroom dancing, but not many know that it can save a life. Our own Lisa Spencer, the owner of Creative Designs and a student at Dance Fever, started dancing because she suffered from poor health. Multiple surgeries had left her overweight and in poor shape. Four years ago Lisa was more than fifty pounds overweight; she was at her very worst. Lisa had always loved dancing and watched her brother and sister-in-law compete as amateurs. After her last surgery, Lisa promised herself that she would start to ballroom dance. When Lisa came into Dance Fever studio, she was very excited. In the beginning, however, Lisa never considered competing and danced to exercise and to enjoy movement.

When Lisa had only been dancing for three weeks, she heard many of our adult students talking about a competition. They encouraged her to try and compete with them. Initially Lisa was hesitant about competing but then she decided to give it a try. Lisa competed in two dances with her teacher, Michael Odikadze. Even though she admitted that she was terrified, she ended up enjoying the experience. After she had performed her dances at the competition, she wished that she had signed up for more. She confessed after the competition, “The bug had bitten me. I was hooked.”

Every week and every month Lisa was feeling better and better. She entered the World Dance Championship in Bahamas and the Vegas Dancesport competition the following year. One day her daughter, Alyssa, a High School student, came to watch Lisa dance and heard the jive music. After watching her mother, Alyssa said, “I want to do that.” Alyssa spent the whole summer at Dance Fever taking lessons with Jean-Phillippe Millot and Michael Odikadze. At the end of the summer Allyssa and Lisa entered the Commonwealth Classic competition together.

At this point Lisa performed at about fourteen competitions. She really felt like she was getting better. Her asthma was ameliorating, while her weight loss was progressing. The sudden diagnosis of diabetes was shocking. Lisa’s primary care physician commented that Lisa had probably suffered from diabetes for several years but dancing kept it under control. According to current research, ballroom dancing helps raise good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol aiding in glucose control. Thus, dancing saved Lisa’s life. Most diabetics have to start exercising to improve their health. Fortunately Lisa had gotten this exercise from dance. Though Lisa’s numbers were high, the doctor said it would have been a lot worse had it not been for her dancing.

Lisa’s plans are to keep dancing, work hard, improve, and have fun. As of today Lisa lost more than 40 pounds thanks to dance and healthier eating habits. She hopes that this coming season she will begin dancing Silver level. Her last competition, the Yankee Classic, was very exciting for many reasons. Previously, after every dance she would need to use her inhaler, but at this competition she did not have to use her inhaler even once. She danced twenty-nine dances in two days and she was moving in a way she had never moved before. Bill Morganti, a judge at the competition, came up to her and told her that if he could give an award to the person that had improved the most, he would give it to her.

Ballroom dancing is a rewarding, social and healthy sport. It affects a person on many levels. Ballroom dancing improves mental focus, mood, flexibility, endurance, weight and controls blood glucose levels. Dance Fever offers a variety of group and private lessons. We hope to see you dancing with us.