            As someone who danced as a young child and then again since middle school, I have experienced many highs and lows from dance and the competition/convention world. Although my experience wasn’t what was portrayed in shows like Dance Moms, competition dance instructors can be strict and harsh, and dance teams have their fair share of drama. Dancing and training for competitions was physically and emotionally tolling at times, but in college I continue to train, dance, and perform because of the many benefits dance has to offer. Dance is for everyone, whether you have formal training or not, as it has many opportunities for emotional, psychological, and social growth and development.Â
            Dance is one of the most complex and difficult sports to categorize, as it is both a sport and an expression of art. Many people believe that dance is not a sport, but the strenuous hours of training, weekend-long competitions, and challenging technical skills beg to differ. Dancers are elite athletes, and dance has been ranked the most physically demanding job in the United States. Maybe you love dancing, or maybe you think you can’t dance at all, but I’m here to tell you why you should do it anyways.Â
            Similar to other exercise, dance boosts the release of serotonin and endorphins, which help improve mood and attitude and fight depression. Dance has also been linked to helping individuals build empathy and be more intuitive to what others are feeling. Through movement, dancers use body language to communicate and tell stories non-verbally, which is why individuals who dance can be more in tune with others.Â
            I always joke that dance is a form of therapy because I find it to be a helpful way to express and release pent-up emotions. Dance is a form of healthy self-expression, where individuals can let themselves feel emotions and release them through movement that truly has the feeling of “letting go”. It can help individuals to process and work through emotions like stress, pain, grief, and being overwhelmed, and can also be a response to feelings like joy, comfort, and contentment. When you express yourself through movement, others can feel and share emotions with you. If you watch a dance with a sad storyline, you may be moved to tears feeling the emotions portrayed through movement. In contrast, if a song that you love plays, you may find yourself rocking out with friends, and the happiness displayed through this form of dance is infectious. Dance helps individuals to build community by sharing in emotions, whether happy or sad, and empathizing with feelings expressed in the movement.
            Dance is also a form of art and is one of the only ways individuals can create without any materials. You don’t need a pen and paper, paintbrush and canvas, or instruments to create movement. All you need is your body. Whether you have music or not, you can move, express, and emote, celebrating what your body can create through the process. There is no such thing as a wrong way to move your body in dance, so let loose! Dance on your own, with friends in the kitchen, or for social events like line-dancing, and you’ll experience these positive effects immediately. No matter how you do it, look for ways to incorporate dance into your life, and you’ll find that your self-confidence and your mood can improve as you get to express yourself however you want.