Benefits of Dance

Being a dancer and part of a Dance Team is more than dancing on the sidelines, supporting your school or performing on the competition stage, hoping to impress the judges and fans. You may not realize it at the time, but the benefits of dance can help you navigate life in a unique and incredible way.

Aside from the physical skills it takes to leap, jump and turn, being a dancer teaches you practical life skills like discipline, teamwork and goal setting, all while building confidence. Dancing is so much more than the practices, games and competitions that fill up your schedule – it’s about developing to your fullest potential and becoming the very best version of yourself.

Here are 11 benefits of dance:

1. Sportsmanship
Both success and defeat present important learning opportunities. Dance Team teaches athletes to be proud of their successes, accept defeat gracefully, and maintain respect for fellow competitors, no matter the final score. Does your team have outstanding sportsmanship? Share your story with us here!

2. Discipline
Dancing requires time, preparation and focus. Dance Team can help you learn discipline in a supportive, encouraging environment and will help you appreciate the direct correlation between preparation, practice and success.

3. Hard Work
Hard work can make all the difference when it comes to being a successful athlete and team member. Dance team teaches young people how to work hard to improve their skills and reach their full potential.

4. Teamwork
The ability to be a team player is valuable in every stage of life. Through dance, athletes learn to work together to set short–term and long-term goals and build strategies to accomplish them. Dance team offers a great model to learn the basics of collaboration, cooperation and compromise.

5. Physical Fitness
There are infinite reasons to take an active approach to maintaining and improving health and fitness. Dance team involves a balance of cardio, strength, flexibility and endurance training.

6. Mental Strength
Mental strength goes further than powering through a workout. The mental strength learned through cheerleading lasts a lifetime, as mental toughness can be applied to everyday situations where the desire to give up is tempting. Check out Varsity Brand’s Believe In You Student Empowerment Program today.

7. Community Outreach
Dancers participate in numerous activities both off the field and out of the studio to spread spirit at schools and within their communities. As ambassadors, dancers have several opportunities to build character and leadership skills through community outreach.

8. Leadership
Dance team athletes often emerge as leaders within their schools and communities. The leadership abilities gained from dance team are hugely beneficial when it comes to school projects, the workplace, and among peers.

9. Confidence & Self-Esteem
Standing on a stage or in front of a full stadium is no easy feat. From performing for a crowd, to serving as ambassadors at community events, to practicing a skill over and over to get it right, dancers build confidence and self-esteem that will carry them through life.

10. Social Skills
Dance team opens the door to making new friends from outside your normal circle. Traveling to events means getting to experience new places and new people. Dance team also develops social skills like empathy, conflict resolution, showing respect for others, and keeping your cool, all of which are transferable to other aspects of life.

11. Perseverance & Dedication
Dance Team is often a year-round commitment. When joining a team, athletes quickly learn that many people depend on them. As a dancer, these individuals are making a commitment, through the good times and the hard times, not only to their teams, but to their schools or studio.

Now that you know some of the benefits of dance, check out the benefits of cheer here!

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