Fitness for Couples: Dancing
If you and your partner are looking for a way to get fit and spend more time together, you can kill two birds with one stone by signing up for a dance class. It may sound a bit corny, but dance classes are enjoyable for many reasons, and the healthy side effects can give a fantastic boost both to your physical condition and to your relationship.
Choosing a dance class can be a lot of fun. If you have a specific style in mind that you both want to learn, like salsa or ballroom dancing, then it’s just a matter of finding a studio you like and signing up. If you’re unsure about what you want to do, or disagree on the best style to tackle, you might do better with actually visiting a studio and seeing what the classes are like. If you are not set on one particular type of dance, many studios offer mixed classes that teach a basic amount of different styles, on different days. The teacher might work on the tango for a while and then switch to something else once the class has gotten the hang of it and is ready to move on.
Dancing can help build strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness, especially if you are experimenting with a variety of styles, which makes it an excellent all-around exercise. It may look effortless when you watch someone else do it, but that is often the result of many months of practice and hard work to achieve that polished performance. When you wake up the morning after your first dance class, the soreness in your muscles may surprise you, but that’s just your body reacting to working a different set of muscles than it’s used to. Your endurance and stamina will build over time as you become stronger and more comfortable with the moves.
Dancing can also increase your confidence in your body, and make you appreciate how you and your partner look together. Almost all dance studios have a wall of mirrors, and there’s nothing more exciting than catching a glimpse of a sexy couple twirling around the dance floor, and realizing that couple is you. With a bit of training, even the most awkward beginners can learn to loosen up and explore the elasticity and fluidity of movement brought on by dancing. Don’t be shocked if you catch yourself inadvertently practicing your footwork as you walk down the halls of your office, or while you’re preparing dinner in the kitchen. Dancing can be addictive that way.
All this interacting and touching can work wonders for your relationship. It is possible that you will learn as much about your partner’s body as you will about your own. Learning to anticipate moves based on signals from body language can connect the two of you in a way that goes above and beyond traditional conversation. It’s an intimate, passionate connection. Also, working on a common project gives you something to talk about, and a bonding point that is shared only between the two of you.
The stuff that passes for dancing in modern clubs may resemble bouncing around randomly more than anything else, but you might have noticed that when dancers with real skills come along, people tend to clear a spot on the floor and watch with admiration. Dancing is not only a way to get fit, it can raise your self-confidence and give you a more positive body image. Dancing with your partner can make you feel connected and more in tune with each other’s bodies, as well, making it a perfect way to get closer in more ways than one.
