Laughing at least 10 times a day keeps macrocytes high enough to prevent a person from catching most viruses and
infections. Many square dancers claim they laugh at least
10 times at any two-hour square dance.
Touch is healthy. Premature babies thrive
more if given a gentle massage a few times a week. In Florida
retired people, who have been trained and give the premies massages,
have been found to decrease their own blood pressures and need
less antihypertensives. Autistic children who are held or touched
the most have less behavior problems. I haven't found a
10-minute square dance tip where you are either touching or being
touched less than 40 times. Alamande left, grand right and left,
and meet your partner is six times.
More Americans are overweight today than were
20 years ago. Dancing burns 200-400 calories in 30 minutes
according to Mayo's Cardiovascular Health Clinic. According to
an article in American Square Dance Magazine, an average 150-pound
person burns 102 calories while square dancing 15 minutes. Most
square dances have snacks including fresh vegetables.
Most dancing is associated with alcohol and
smoking. Square dancing is rarely held where alcohol or
smoking is permitted in the building.
Stress increases diseases. It is impossible
for the average human to be completing one call, listening for
the next call, and worrying about problems.
Many parents wish to spend much of their fun
time with their children. Dancers are usually between age
8 and 85.
Aerobic exercise is known to be healthy for circulation, respiration, energy, and extremities. It increases good cholesterol and often lowers total cholesterol. Square
dancing speed varies from very fast in clubs catering to teenagers to relaxed pace in senior clubs. The most common is a speed in between using arms and legs in a walking speed. The square dancing on T.V. is usually clogging or square tapping, a special variation.
Married people have a longer life expectancy
than single people. Many couples have met at single or family
square dance clubs.
Some exercise plans are limited to certain
situations. My husband and I have danced to a legally blind
caller. We have danced with a man after he had bilateral hip replacements.
We frequently dance with people who have had bypass surgery or
pacemaker implantation. We have watched a wheelchair club where
wheelchair-restricted and their nonrestricted partners in wheelchairs
have danced together. There are clubs for the retarded. We have
seen an exhibition club where we could not tell which one child
was blind and which one child was deaf in squares of mostly unchallenged
children. Many asthmatics and diabetics claim better disease control
after dancing a few months.
There is a theory that Alzheimer's progression
is slowed and onset is prolonged in people who keep the central
nervous-neuro muscular pathways active. Square dancing keeps
all the senses and neuro pathways moving.
Some exercise plans are hard to find when
you travel. Every country that teaches square dancing teaches
it with the calls in English. Links to square dance clubs worldwide
can also be found on the internet at
http://www.dosado.com/clubsorgs.
Most large cities have square dance something listed in their
phone books. Most are glad to help you find the closest or most
appropriate club.
Hope - Certified Rehabilitation R.N.
Links to other sites on the Web
Fox Valley Mixers Square Dance Club, St.
Charles, Illinois
Square
Dance Lesson Information, St. Charles, Illinois
Square
and Round Dance Links
Chicagoland
Square Dance Information
© July 21, 1999. Full permission to reprint is granted to promote square dancing.
Last updated July 7, 2006.