Cultural Dance, does it matter? - Chimezie Henry Mmaduako

Culture is defined as our way of life

The tradition and norms which is important in every culture

can be represented in a way of dancing and this is what we called cultural dance.A graceful dance, colorful props and costumes, slow movements and fast that catches the attention of every people. Cultural dancers are story tellers, tells the story in every movements and sequence of their dance.

Every Cultural dance has a story that need to match in the theme of their dance.This dance is different from other forms of dances, you cannot make a cultural dance without a story. It has a story behind the dance for the purpose that one culture can share or tell their culture from one another.The art and appreciation of Cultural Dance. Is it really matter in this generation? Some people didn’t really appreciate the Cultural dance because of the instrumet,are you familiar with this instrument like agong, gandingan, kulintang, barel, tam tam, these are the example. Why don’t you try to dance, it is good and make you fell happy. Some of them today prefer the hip hop dance because of it’s music that make you move and dance

Cultural Dance is really important, this is our way to tell other people on the things that they need to know about our culture. It is also the way that other people could have respect, knowledge and give importance to our traditions and norms. Let other culture tell the story behind our dance.

BENEFITS OF CULTURAL DANCE

1.  INCREASED PHYSICAL STRENGTH

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of dancing is increased physical strength.  Dancing can be an enjoyable way to get your body moving and keep your heart racing.  Dancing is one of the few activities that offers a full body workout.  Dancing allows you to work your legs, core, and arms all at the same time.  Dancing provides a high-intensity, low-impact workout without the monotony of counting reps or doing sets.

 2.  INCREASED FLEXIBILITY

Another great physical benefit of dance is improved flexibility.  Dance enables you to move your body in ways that may not be typical in your day to day life.  This allows you to build your range of motion and give your muscles a good stretch.  Even if your dance program doesn’t start with a warm up stretch, you’ll most likely find that after a few classes you’re a little more limber than you were before.

3.  IMPROVED HEART AND LUNG HEALTH

Dance also improves your heart health and lung capacity.  Your heart rate and breathing rate both increase while dancing.  There are many long term health benefits to getting an extra cardiovascular workout.  Keeping your body active can help to keep yourself young and fight the aging process.

4.  IMPROVED BALANCE AND SPACIAL AWARENESS

Improved balance and spacial awareness can also be a byproduct of dancing.  Dancing requires a bodily awareness that helps to improve these skills.  Being more aware of our bodies can make us more aware of the ways our bodies move within a space.  The focus on good posture and core strengthening in dance can improve your balance.

5.  STRONGER BONES AND REDUCED RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Dancing is one of the best ways you can prevent and even treat osteoporosis.  Weight bearing exercises, or forms of exercise that force your body to fight against gravity, have been shown to be effective ways of strengthening your bones.  The increase in strength and balance can also help to prevent falls and broken bones.

6.  IMPROVED MEMORY

The benefits of dance aren’t just physical.  Dancers also get a mental workout.  Remembering dance steps and patterns gives dancers a memory boost.  Focusing on different parts of the body simultaneously also gives dancers a mental challenge.  This mental workout helps the mind to stay sharp.

7.  INCREASED CONFIDENCE

One of the biggest benefits of dance is increased confidence.  Learning and mastering a new skill, in general, is great for your confidence.  It can give you a sense of accomplishment and pride.  Dance also has the added bonus of learning to move your body in beautiful new ways ways.

8.  REDUCED STRESS

Dancing can be a great stress reliever.  It reduces the levels of cortisol, also known as  the stress hormone, in your body while giving you an endorphin boost.  Many people leave dance class feeling almost elated.  Attending an evening dance class can be a great creative outlet and leave you feeling refreshed and ready for work the next day.

9.  SOCIAL CONNECTION

Another wonderful benefit of dance is an increased social connection.  Both solo and partner dance can be a great way to meet new people.  It can establish connections if you just moved or relocated.  Even if you’ve lived in the same place a while, dance can be a great way to meet people outside of your social circle.

10.  HIGHER RATES OF SUCCESS FOR GETTING IN SHAPE

Many people who join a dance class with the intent of getting in shape find that they have higher success rates than those who just hit the gym.  Part of this may be the network of other dancers you connect with when you dance, and another part could just be pure fun.

Chimezie Henry Mmaduako 

(Fantastic Henry)