“Dance can save the world.”
I know that sounds crazy – but there’s some real truth there. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be diving in to some of the amazing benefits found from regular participation in dance lessons.
If you want a world where kids are better educated, more physically fit and more mentally healthy, you just may need to look no further than a good dance studio.
The benefits of dance have been the subject of much research in the past 20 years, and that research has unveiled a wealth of benefits: intellectual, social, physical, mental, and emotional. If you’re looking to boost your child’s confidence, fitness level and mental well-being (and possibly to save the world), consider what this research has shown.
Dance improves academic performance – specifically science and math scores
Research from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies show that “Arts participation and SAT scores co-vary—that is, they tend to increase linearly: the more arts classes, the higher the scores.”
According to the National Endowment for the Arts, students who regularly participate in dance classes:
- Earn higher GPAs overall (and especially in math) over their nonparticipating peers
- Are more likely to complete calculus in high school
- Receive higher test scores on SATs and particularly in science and writing
- Perform better in math and science competitions
- Enroll in 4-year colleges, earn mostly A’s in college, and complete bachelor degrees
The other day, in my Dance & Discover 3 class, my students moved their spots from two lines to a huge circle covering the room with no help from myself and only a little help from my assistant. I asked them, “Where did you become so smart?!” and one dancer responded: “In dance class!”
(learn more about the NEA and their work with dance, and studies here)
In the coming weeks, we’ll share some more research about how dance influences:
- Physical Fitness
- Social and Mental Development & Well-Being
Maybe looking to dance as one way to “save the world” isn’t so crazy after all.