Is there a such thing as being too overweight to dance?

If it makes you happy and it doesn't hurt anyone, do it. **** anyone who thinks differently.

Try zumba!

I think you can. I think one thing you may want to work on is balance and flexibility. Some dance moves are going to move you in ways you are not used to and so a little bit of work on muscles you don't normally use may help. So while Hip Hop Abs and the like don't interest you, if you could stand it at all to use them a little bit, you may go into a regular dance class more comfortable.

Join a Salsa or tap class, ballet, line dancing? Remember most adult dancing classes aren't people at the top of their game. Its just people wanting to have fun & learn routines. Have fun.

Never. When I was active with a country swing organization at my first college, we had ladies of all weights dancing. Could they do some of the lifts that smaller girls were doing? No, but that didn't stop them. There was a lot of just basic movements that anyone could do (and some floor movements such as floor spins that use momentum). And we did a lot of line dances that everyone that was present participated in.

A good organization won't judge you for your weight if you're taking classes. I had an overall positive experience with the group mentioned above. It was a lot of fun, everyone was super welcoming. And a lot of moves we had modifications of. I also attribute my weekly 2-3 hours spent participating as one of the primary ways that I was able to keep off weight my first two years of college.

So, as others have said, if your joints are good to go and you feel like you can do it, then go and do it. Dancing is definitely something I'm planning to get into (serious dancing, as no one where I'm at does country swing). I'm looking into studios in different areas where I might potentially move in the next few months that offer beginning adult dance classes.

I think you could dance just fine. Have you tried contra dance? It is a very fun form of social dance (which is more common in some parts of the US than others, assuming you are in the US) that originated from English country dance but is much more vigorous and fun. It's easy to find on the East and West Coasts, and there are pockets of the country all over where it is popular. I contra dance and there are definitely people of all sizes who are there and do it well.

Thank you everyone! I'm always impressed by this community bringing REAL answers to the table. I wanted to hear about realistic expectations of dancing and from people who had experience or just honest answers in general. I hadn't thought much about joints, but luckily, mine are fair. As for the balance and flexibility, I do at least like yoga, so I'll try to incorporate that more. One concern I do have is cardio, because mine has widdled down a bit. I like jogging occasionally, so while I'm waiting for funds to come in for dance lessons, I can do that.

I don't know. Honestly, I think I was/am slightly still discouraged because not many overweight people I know dance. If anything, there are tons of viral videos making fun of people who are overweight dancing that I HAVE seen.... Which is cruel because that could be the way that person loses weight, yet people are discouraging them from doing it....

/stepsoffofsoapbox

Anyway, I would definitely regret not dancing more than I would giving others a chance to take a shot or two at me. I really hadn't thought of it like that.

I think that many overweight people don't dance because they are afraid they might be judged. This discourages some from taking classes at the gym as well. I am glad you are going to do it.

Do it if it's something you're interested in. Weight should be of little importance when deciding whether or not to dance.

I suffer from White Girl Syndrome so I don't dance unless drinks are involved

One of my Zumba instructors is very very overweight. Probably around 200 lbs and 5'5"..

I love her, her playlist, her choreography, her attitude and the fun she brings to the class.

No one really cares how large she is...

Please dance

I suffer from White Girl Syndrome so I don't dance unless drinks are involved

:laugh:

Last year I started pole dancing for fitness ( I understand that it probably has more gymnastic qualities than dance qualities). I saw some great strength and flexibility gains from pole. One of the girls at my studio was easily over 250 and lost about 60 pounds in 6-8 months. She also gained mega-confidence.

For me, pole got me into wanting to be even more flexible, so I added yoga and that has become a great addition to my fitness regimen. With the strength and muscle tone improvements I saw from pole, and the serious progression I could see in my ability to do tricks, I gained enough confidence to start Crossfit.

So yes, dance!

I have weighed anywhere from 193-175 while I was doing pole. so... I guess I'm close to the very, very overweight Zumba instructor, although my bodyfat is in the healthy range and I wear a size 8/9/10. :laugh:

Provided your knees and ankles can withstand the strain of whatever dancing it is you want to do, no.

Ballroom dancing is a lot of fun. I think that the foxtrot and the Viennese waltz are great workouts, and Latin dancing is too. I loved dancing until I hurt my knees -- not from dancing, from a fall -- and would still do it if I could.

Why wait for funds? Put on some music and get up and dance! BTW, I had ballroom dancing lessons for several years, once a week, by trading with the dancing school's owners. I did massage, and they taught dancing. Good trade. So maybe you could find a dance class that you can pay for by trading?

When I was 30 I weighed 275. I danced all the time. I love to dance and now I am 70. Weight has nothing to do with it. To hell with what others think. I am a very good dancer and I love to dance. My mom won many trophies ball room and swing dancing as a young girl a she never quit dancing almost to the end. She died 2008 at 94. On her 80th birthday we took her dancing and she wore everyone in the family out. She and I cleared the floor with a good jitter bug. Just remember dance like no one is watching and enjoy your life.

Yeah, honestly, it also completely discourages me from trying out a martial art. I'm hoping that dancing could lead to me trying one of those out as well. I just found a salsa class I'm going to sign up for before I can talk myself out of it. Maybe this could serve as an inspiration to others? I dunno'! I'm just hoping it'll be fun.

Kirsty alley did it...you can too