Use it or lose it! 

Physical ~ Mental ~ Emotional ~ Spiritual

This Mayo Clinic article “Maintaining Vitality: How to Age Without Getting Old” suggests that exercise, healthy diet, regular doctor visits, brain challenges, social connections and optimistic attitude are the key to keeping your game sharp. 

I didn’t realize it fully until I looked at this article…the things we do at the studio totally support this.

Dance at any level provides new ways for your body to move, get stronger and be more flexible.  Brain challenges abound…. Learning new movements, coordinating layers of movement, remembering sequences, working with frameworks for improvisation, learning music and developing your own creative works.  All of this keeps the brain in action and at a very high level.  The overriding philosophy at the studio of working outside of your comfort zone provides a genuine optimistic attitude toward your own personal growth.  No joke.  I know have some true believers on this.  Of course the fact that we see each other multiple times a week (on purpose!) speaks to the awesome social connections and friendships that have been formed as a result of all of us wanting to dance.  And chocolate is part of a healthy diet, right?  Ok, so the regular doctor visit thing is totally on you….but five out of six isn’t bad.

The one thing that the article doesn’t mention is having something in your life that you are passionate about.  Without my “addiction” to dance and music, none of these particular situations would be a reality.  It’s not like I have to force myself to work these things into my life.  I show up, and it all pretty much takes care of itself.

There is a John Belushi SNL video clip I would love to insert here but can’t seem to find it…its entitled “Because I Dance”.  If you happen to find it, enjoy!