Brain development through dance

Why is dancing ideal for our brain development? There is no denying that dancing has a positive effect on brain development. As numerous studies have shown, regardless of the type of dance practiced, it is possible to achieve maximum brain performance.

This occurs through the blending and learning of thought processes, which are linked to muscle memory and proprioception taking place in the cerebellum. Every person who dances has the opportunity to increase their brain function, all thanks to regular aerobic training, which can be found in practically most styles. It is important that the training takes place at least once a week. Then every dancing person will have the opportunity to increase their brain function.

Answer the question honestly when was the last time you danced? In my case, it unfortunately took place a very long time ago. To tell you the truth, I can't recall a specific date. Many people who were around me at the time did not pay attention to how they were dancing or what they were doing - they just decided to move and give vent to their emotions. It didn't matter to them what others would think of them, they just started moving to the beat of the music. Such dancing also had a positive effect on their brains.

While compiling this article, I decided to stop at old footage of Michael Jackson. There is no denying that in addition to his voice, he also had a talent for dancing. There is no doubt that his show-stopping moves, which were and still are a huge inspiration for millions of people who want to associate their future with dance, are worth watching. You can draw your attention to the spins he performed, during which he did not get the so-called "dizzy spins."

Professional dancers never get dizzy, while many of us have to deal with it practically every day. More than once, getting out of bed too abruptly, I happened to experience this unpleasant condition. Blinking in front of the eyes proves to be a big obstacle especially when exploring the world. Fortunately, recent studies have shown that dancing can also improve balance, which is associated with a reduction in the frequency of dizziness. Some time ago, i.e. in September 2013, researchers from Imperial College London informed humanity of a difference occurring in the brain structure of ballet dancers, which is helpful in avoiding dizziness, especially when they perform numerous pirouettes. Of course, you don't have to become a professional dancer to enjoy the benefits of dance.

As the study suggests, years of training allow dancers to suppress signals of possible loss of balance, which takes place in the inner part of the ear, which is linked to the cerebellum. The discovery made was published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, where a thesis was presented that dancing may allow treatment of patients with chronic vertigo. Virtually ¼ of people experience dizziness at some point in their lives. In addition to being fun and enjoyable, dancing is also effective and avoids the so-called traumatic brain damage that can occur due to the fear of falling and losing balance.

Researchers at Imperial College London gathered two groups of willing women for their study: in one, 29 ballet dancers were tested, and in the other, 20 female rowers. Of course, all the women were of similar age and fitness level. Interestingly, more of the aerobic exercises used movements found specifically in rowing. The female volunteers in the study were rotated in the dark on a chair after which they were asked to open the handle as soon as the chair stopped. During this study, the researchers decided to pay attention not only to the structure of the brain, which they checked using an MRI scanner, but also to the eyes, or more specifically, the reflections caused by the sudden appearance of a light source.

Normally, the feeling of dizziness stems from the vestibular organs found in the inner part of the ear. The fluid-filled chambers felt the rotation of the head thanks to thin hairs that felt the fluid set in motion. Despite stopping the person a moment sooner being spun at a fairly fast pace, the fluid continues to move, so the person feels as if they are still spinning. In the case of the dancers, both the reflexes and the spinning sensation lasted much shorter than in the case of the rowers. There is no denying that in the case of dancers, especially ballerinas, dizziness or loss of balance would be particularly disadvantageous and could even prevent them from performing.

In addition to eliminating dizziness, dancing, or rather visualizing the steps, helps improve muscle memory. This is because it turns out that dancers are able to improve their movements. All they have to do is go through them very slowly, so that the brain and muscles remember specific movements. Researcher Edward Warburton, who was also a professional ballet dancer in the past, decided to take an interest with his colleagues in how thinking relates to dancing. The published finding suggests that slowly imagining movements can alleviate the conflict that arises between cognition and the physical aspects of dance. As a result, dancers perform the steps much more fluidly.

Ballet dancers seem to move across the stage with virtually no effort at all. However, it is worth considering that learning the steps requires both physical and mental commitment. It has been shown that dancers who picture themselves moving relieve their mental strain, and perfect execution of movements is much more common. It is assumed that a huge amount of energy can be saved by such actions, and as is well known, learning new movements requires concentration, strength and willingness.

Researchers conclude that speed exercises do not allow dancers to improve their memory, much less to combine them into sequences. By performing speed training, dancers only strain their performance. Visualization of movements is used to maximize performance not only in dance, but also in other areas of life. Whether visualization of steps/movements will also have such a tremendous impact on dancers of other types of dance than ballet remains to be seen - it is likely.