Improving
health and wellbeing through dance
The
benefits of physical activity for our health and wellbeing are well documented,
described by some as the ‘wonder-drug’.[1] The Government has
recommended that we do at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise five times
per week.[2] A staggering percentage of
the population, however, fall short of this target. According to recent
research, 80% of adults surveyed did not achieve the recommended level of
physical activity.[3]
The level of inactivity amongst children and older people is similarly concerning;
research suggests that around 49% of children do not achieve the recommended
target for their age group.[4] This figure rises to an overwhelming
92.5% for people over the age of seventy-five.[5]
As a
society, we are leading increasingly sedentary lives, with much of our time
spent sat down at a desk, in a car or in front of the television. This is a significant
contributing factor in the soaring rates of obesity across all age groups, as
well as the increasing prevalence of conditions such as type-2 diabetes and
cancer[6]. People experience a
variety of barriers to physical exercise, such as a lack of local sports
facilities, financial constraints, feeling self-conscience or having a lack of
enjoyment in sporting activities. It is vital that individuals have access to
physical activities that help to overcome some of these barriers; dance may be
one such option.
Dance
offers an inclusivity rarely found with other forms of physical exercise. The
almost endless list of dance styles, from street and hip-hop to ballroom and
jazz, can all be easily adapted to suit different age groups, cultural
backgrounds or level of ability. The ‘Dance for Lifelong Wellbeing’ project run
by the Royal Academy of Dance catered for their older participants, the oldest
of whom was 102, by adapting the classes for chair or frame based dancing[7]. Whilst other forms of
physical exercise may suffer from high drop-out rates, the level of enjoyment
and motivation amongst dancing participants remains high.[8] A survey conducted in 2011
found that amongst young people, dancing is now the second most popular
physical activity in the United Kingdom, second only to football.[9]
Dancing
can be a highly sociable activity, focusing less on competition and more on the
freedom of self-expression and in the case of styles such as Syrtos or Tango, a
celebration of cultural heritage. For
these reasons, evidence indicates that participation in dance can be hugely
beneficial for mental health and wellbeing, helping to reduce feelings of
social isolation, stress, anxiety and depression. Dancing can also increase
feelings of confidence and self-esteem and provide a coping strategy for the
stresses of daily life.[10] Youth Dance England emphasises that dance can
also be beneficial for the development of social skills in younger people and
can be instrumental in encouraging positive attitudes more generally to health
and wellbeing, changing views on issues such as drug and alcohol abuse[11]. A study conducted in Sweden, focusing on
teenage girls suffering from mental health issues such as stress, found that
those who participated in dance classes twice per week reported significant
improvements in self-rated health, an effect which lasted for up to a year
after the classes ended.[12]
Moreover,
there is a wealth of research demonstrating the substantial benefits of dance
for physical health. Dance is an enjoyable method of maintaining a healthy
weight, thus reducing the risk of largely avoidable conditions such as heart
disease and stroke. The movements involved in dancing have also been proven to
increase flexibility, balance and co-ordination, which can reduce an
individual’s risk of suffering from osteoarthritis and is particularly
significant for older people; studies have shown that for older people
participation in dance can reduce the risk of suffering a fall[13]. Dancing also offers
considerable cognitive benefits, such as improving memory, as it requires the
utilisation of several skills at once, such as memorising steps, listening to
the rhythm of the music and physical movement. According to one study conducted
over a 21 year period, dancing can reduce the risk of developing dementia by
approximately 76%.[14] These benefits are the
motivation behind programmes such as the English National Ballet’s ‘Dance for
Parkinsons’ and ‘Dance for Dementia’ classes and also, the dance classes
provided as part of Age UK’s ‘Fit as a Fiddle’ initiative.
Government
cuts to funding for the arts is an enduring concern for arts organisations in
this country. Since 2010, Arts Council England has seen their grant-in-aid
funding cut by around a third[15], resulting in severe cuts
for many groups, including those focusing on dance. A growing body of
literature, however, demonstrates the hugely positive impact dance could have
on avoidable illness, which is currently placing a huge financial burden on the
NHS, welfare system and the economy. With the widespread appeal of dance and
the wide-ranging benefits it offers, dancing is a vital tool for health
improvement initiatives.
The RSPH has now opened submissions for the Arts and Health
Awards 2014. This
year the awards will focus on the value of creative arts for older people with
long term conditions in the community or within health and social care
settings. More information can be found here.
[1]
The Guardian. Physical Activity the
Underrated Wonder-Drug. Available online at: http://www.theguardian.com/living-with-cancer-macmillan-partner-zone/physical-activity-the-underrated-wonder-drug
(Last accessed 1st April 2014)
[2]
NHS Choices. Physical Activity Guidelines
for Adults. Available online at: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx (Last accessed 1st April 2014)
[3]
The Independent. 80% of Adults in England
‘don’t exercise enough’. Available online at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/80-of-adults-in-england-dont-exercise-enough-8741988.html
(Last accessed 1st April 2014)
[4]
British Broadcasting Corporation. Children
need more Exercise – especially Girls, Study says. Available online at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23778945
(Last accessed 1st April 2014)
[5]
BUPA. Keep Dancing...The Health and
Wellbeing Benefits on Dance for Older People. London: BUPA, 2011. Available
online at: http://www.cpa.org.uk/information/reviews/shall-we-dance-report.pdf
(Last accessed 1st April 2014)
[6] British Broadcasting Corporation. Inactivity ‘killing as many as smoking’. Available online at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-18876880 (Last accessed 15th April 2014)
[7]
Baber M. Dance and lifelong well being. Available
online at: http://www.agewatch.org.uk/fitness/dance-and-lifelong-well-being/ (Last accessed 15th April 2014)
[8]
ibid
[9]
Arts Council England. Dance and Health –
The Benefits for People of all Ages. London: Arts Council England. Available
online at: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/documents/publications/phpN0GNFD.pdf
(Last accessed 1st April 2014)
[10]
Burkhardt J, Rhodes J. Commissioning
Dance for Health and Wellbeing – Guidance and Resources for Commissioners. Available
online at: http://www.obesitywm.org.uk/resources/Dance_Active_-_Commissioning_Doc_Jan_Burkhardt_V6Final1V3_2.pdf
(2012, last accessed 1st April 2014)
[11] Youth Dance England. Dance and Health. Available online at: http://www.yde.org.uk/main.cfm?type=HEALTH (last accessed 15th April 2014)
[12]
Duberg A, Hagberg L, Sunvisson H, Moller M.
Influencing
Self-rated Health Among Adolescent Girls With Dance Intervention A Randomized
Controlled Trial. Archives of Paediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine 2012;
167: 27 - 31
[13]
BUPA, 2011.
[15] Financial Times. Arts
funding ‘flashpoint’ is local authority spending cuts. Available
online at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d3983bce-9d7a-11e3-83c5-00144feab7de.html#axzz2yxqOFViJ (Last accessed 15th April 2014)
No comments:
Post a Comment