Dancing for Fitness: Benefits, Calories, and Techniques

Dance is a powerful full-body workout that can burn over 500 calories per hour while improving coordination and hip flexibility. Discover the physics behind dance movements and learn conditioning exercises to build strong, lean muscles like a ballerina.

Types of Aerobic Dance

Types of Aerobic Dance

Breathe new life into your cardio routine with a dance workout that burns calories and tones muscles.

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Group of active people of different ages dancing

Basic Aerobic Dance Steps

Know the lingo before you head to aerobics dance class. You'll get more out of the workout if you know how to move your feet.

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Woman dancing

Physics of Dance Movements

At its best, dancing appears fluid and effortless. To an observer, it may seem that the dancer is simply leaping, turning and floating through space. The skilled dancer understands the mechanics involved and how those can be used to influence performance results.

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Low Section View of a Line of Female Ballet Dancers Practicing in the Dance Studio

How Does Dance Affect the Body?

Dancers are known for being flexible and in good shape, and it is true that dancing offers a great workout and many health benefits. Not only does it work all major muscle groups, but it also requires coordination, flexibility and strength.

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Energetic teenager

The Calories Burned in One Hour of Moderate Dancing

The number of calories burned in an hour of dancing varies from one person to the next. What you’re burning during your dance is often much different than your partner. This is largely due to your body composition. The larger you are, the more calories you tend to expend during any physical activity.

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Dancer Portrait

How Long Should I Dance to Burn 500 Calories?

You may not ever qualify as a contest on "So You Think You Can Dance", but if you let your inner dancing diva out to play, you can burn some serious calories. Dance is an excellent form of aerobic conditioning and enjoyable enough for some people that they don't consider it exercise.

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The close-up feet of young ballerina in old pointe

The Ballerina Secret to Big Calves

The ballerina secret to strong calves is hard work. Former dancer for the New York City Ballet Mary Helen Bowers explains in an article for "The New York Times" that ballet dancers can train 10 to 12 hours a day.

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When You Dance, How Long Does It Take to Lose Weight?

Most types of dancing raise your heart rate, making them an aerobic exercise. The amount of calories you burn while dancing depends upon your level of fitness, the type of dancing you do and the intensity of your dance workout. In addition, your current weight affects how many calories you burn while dancing.

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people having dancing class

Ballroom Dance Conditioning Exercises

Ballroom dancing may not be considered a sport, such as soccer, tennis or basketball, but it definitely places a lot of demands on your body while providing many health benefits.

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How Many Calories Does Hip Hop Dancing Burn?

Hip hop dance is a style of dance that has its roots deep in urban culture. Hip hop is typically danced to upbeat hip-hop music and incorporates full-body movements that require significant amounts of muscle strength, stamina and endurance.

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The Benefits of Dance for Kids

If you have kids, you may be wondering what is the best way to channel their seemingly boundless energy. While traditional team sports are a good way to get your kids physically active, they may not be right for younger children.

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Portrait of girls in ballet class

What Are the Benefits of Ballet for Kids?

If your child has expressed an interest in dance and longs for her own satin slippers and pink tutu, consider enrolling her in a beginning ballet class. Ballet promotes physical strength and agility, can boost concentration, develops an understanding of music and rhythm and generates a love of movement.

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Conditioning Exercises for Ballet Dancers

When training as a ballet dancer, many hours are spent in the studio working on set exercises or choreography. While ballet training may offer a type of fitness regime, in the December 2005 issue of "Dance Magazine,"

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