Feeling insecure, self-conscious, or awkward is pretty common for most people. Whether it’s at a party, grocery store, friend’s house, club, bar etc. it’s normal to feel out of place at times and it can greatly affect our choices and decisions. We can be fearful of new experiences or of not knowing how to handle a situation. Having the confidence in yourself to face anyone and anything can take a lifetime to achieve. And while many of us KNOW we need more confidence, few know HOW to actually work on gaining that self-assurance. Let’s talk about how ballroom dancing has been used as a tool for changing the lives and mentalities of people for decades. It may surprise you just how incredible learning to dance can be for your self-esteem.
Posture… or “Fake it till you make it” As a dance student you learn how to connect to your partner and strongly present yourself on the floor. From a technical viewpoint, this includes standing straighter, lifting your chest, holding your head high, good eye-contact, having an assertive presence and strong movements across the dance floor. This gives students an immediate physical improvement that can be used to change how they appear to others even off the dance floor. Standing taller, head up and keeping eye contact with those around you instantly gives you an appearance of confidence and self-assuredness in any room. Even if you don’t truly feel confident inside, there are countless studies on how changing your physical state can actually change your mental state. “Fake it til you make it” is where most of us start when working on self-confidence; this is completely normal and an important first step to gaining the real thing.
Be more social Back in the day, dancing was considered a social skill and you were looked at differently if you did NOT know how to dance. While we live in a very different age today, there is still much value in the act of dancing with others that sets one apart. Learning to dance can teach some vital social skills that will affect your success and even happiness for the rest of your life. Learning to dance with a partner teaches you respect, conversation skills, kindness, awareness of other’s space, etc. If you’re someone that struggles with social anxiety, then taking dance lessons, participating in group classes and party nights will give you the perfect environment to gain confidence and comfortability in social settings.
Put in the work and watch… Our favorite aspect of learning to dance is how it truly changes you forever. If you put in the work and time, the benefits are endless. From personal experience and helping every single one of our students, learning to dance changes things. The act of dedicating yourself to something, working hard, practicing, failing, growing and slowly improving… there is nothing like the real thing. Your body changes, becomes stronger and healthier. You gain stamina. You become more graceful. You FEEL different when you look into a mirror, because you ARE different. As you observe yourself getting better at steps, feeling smoother with the music, and moving better than ever on the dance floor — that changes you internally. You start to perceive yourself differently. You gain a pride and determination you didn’t have before. Because you’ve proved yourself — to yourself. And that, is confidence.
At E&A dance our goal is to improve each of our students, from the inside out. We know personally just how important it is to feel empowered and truly confident in oneself. Contact us and let’s begin dancing to a better, more confident you today.
