How has dancing changed your life?

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lindsy721
lindsy721 Posts: 350 Member
I do pole dancing :) I love it. It's become a total addiction. I've put on about 10 pounds of muscle in my 1.5 years of dancing so far. I had to get rid of about 20 pieces of clothing... because they didn't fit my shoulders and chest anymore! Crazy. It's made me stronger and given me an outlet for creativity :)

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  • tlbarg01
    tlbarg01 Posts: 6
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    My husband and I started dancing last October. We love it. It's been good for us individually and great for our relationship. We do ballroom, West Coast Swing, and some latin dancing. It's so good for us and so much fun.
  • richx
    richx Posts: 13
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    I started dancing about three years ago and went on to lose 70# so I could dance better. Wonderful motivation. Back now to keep it in check and stay well after surprise CABG. Dancing is wonderful exercise for the body and the mind. I hope the group grows. Dancers please feel free to add me to your friend list.
  • QueenoftheWillis
    QueenoftheWillis Posts: 16 Member
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    I started ballet when I was really young, I think around two, and then had to stop. I started up again after seven years of not doing any ballet and it just makes me so happy. It has given me a place to be myself. I just feel so carefree and happy when I'm dancing, I forget everything that's going on. I just love dancing
  • daveinlancs
    daveinlancs Posts: 165 Member
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    The answer for us is completely. We began about 7 years ago and it has opened up a completely new social life for us and we have made some amazing friends who we share holidays with.
    We do 2 or 3 classes each week, mainly sequence but one class is entirely Ballroom/Latin. Weekends will usually find us at a social dance with our dancing buddies.
  • Quin_Kirk_K
    Quin_Kirk_K Posts: 6 Member
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    I started two years ago dancing only 2 hours a week, within a few weeks I was dancing 5 to 8 hours a week and it kept going up at one point I was dancing between 20 and 50 hours a week in all styles of Ballroom, Latin, Country, Club and Swing. My main focus became West Coast Swing, which allows for a creative outlet for me and a way for me to express my creativity and emotions. I love the freedom I have in this dance, the ability to paint a picture with movement in order to express the story and emotions of the music or song. I don't have to lie to the dance, I don't have to hide from it, I can be myself and it doesn't judge me or ask anything in return. Dance is for me and its freedoms and joys aren't something that anyone can take away from me.
  • godivajive
    godivajive Posts: 11 Member
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    I was a pro dancer as a child i gave up at 16 years old and loads of weight piled on!
    7 years ago I took up jive and lost about 30lbs. 2 years ago I trained up and now I'm a united kingdom professional dance teacher- my body has got used to the exercise so now I've decided to start weight training & joined this site I still have about 40lbs to lose to get to a healthy weight. I do lots of other dance styles too. The only good thing about being a bigger dancer is it inspires people to dance if I can do it anyone can :wink:
  • rkleine74
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    A few months ago I got a coupon for Argentine Tango lessons, and I thought it might be a fun way to meet new people. It was, but it was so much more! I am extremely shy, so letting someone into my personal space was a big struggle. I feel so much more comfortable with it now, though. Also, letting the man lead was challenging, but I'm getting better! Some of my biggest weaknesses were not allowing someone else to lead me and not allowing anyone to get too close, physically or emotionally...Tango blew that all apart! It is inspiring me to lose weight because of the gorgeous clothes that I could wear if I were thinner--not to mention the men! I all but gave up on romance and love, but I am starting to think that it might still be a possibility for me! And the shoes---oh, the shoes!!!! I just wish I could dance all the time!
  • daveinlancs
    daveinlancs Posts: 165 Member
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    A few months ago I got a coupon for Argentine Tango lessons, and I thought it might be a fun way to meet new people. It was, but it was so much more! I am extremely shy, so letting someone into my personal space was a big struggle. I feel so much more comfortable with it now, though. Also, letting the man lead was challenging, but I'm getting better! Some of my biggest weaknesses were not allowing someone else to lead me and not allowing anyone to get too close, physically or emotionally...Tango blew that all apart! It is inspiring me to lose weight because of the gorgeous clothes that I could wear if I were thinner--not to mention the men! I all but gave up on romance and love, but I am starting to think that it might still be a possibility for me! And the shoes---oh, the shoes!!!! I just wish I could dance all the time!


    Great post, I am glad that dancing is helping to overcome shyness. I have always been shy and awkward but with dancing I can now do something that most people can't and that is great. You are so right about the personal space thing but unless there is plenty of contact a guy cannot lead properly especially in Argentine Tango. Long may you continue to enjoy it.
  • angieblair10
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    I started dancing last April, and my life hasn't been the same since. I used to not care about my weight or fitness because I didn't really have a reason, or a fun way to change it, so I gave up; but, since I started dance, my entire perspective has changed. I started off in a swing dancing class, and I began to really realize a huge part of swing was the tricks and flips. My weight has really inhibited me in that department. My dancing has grown to include Swing (Lindy hop, west coast, east coast, hustle), Latin (Salsa, Chacha, Rhumba), Ballroom (Tango, Waltz), and even some folk, and I've come to realize I want to become a dance teacher. I haven't really lost much weight from dancing, but I've switched out a lot of fat with toned muscle.
    I really look forward to losing more weight and being able to do more of the stunts, and of course to look better while doing them :wink: :laugh:
  • lentigogirl
    lentigogirl Posts: 299 Member
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    I came to dance very late; it's something I always loved but thought I couldn't do (mostly because of a bad ballet experience as a child; the teacher told my mother she was wasting her money!) It has given me grace and balance, more comfort with my body, a link of continuity with a millennias-old tradition, and the company of amazing women.
  • whipdancer
    whipdancer Posts: 21 Member
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    I've been dancing for 25 or so years, almost exclusively whip/push/west coast swing. (I met all my wives dancing :bigsmile: )

    My wife and I teach, compete, and travel extensively in support of this more than a hobby. I figure that if I truly want to make it with the big dogs, I need to do something about my weight.

    The axiom of such a visual medium is that the Champions (the best of the best) are rarely obese, much less fat. Time to do something about my "obese-ness".
  • alab7
    alab7 Posts: 1
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    I started salsa dancing 10+ years ago and it has given me everything I've ever needed in life: friends, adventure, career, and even gave me the outlet that I met my future wife. As I got older, I naturally gained weight and only noticed when I had to dance differently since I wasn't so mobile or fast. Its actually the reason I've dedicated myself to losing weight and changing lifestyle habits to something more healthy.