dancing the night away at the Hamptons
For many in our community, especially those who are aged 60+, Hamptons is synonymous with Marconi and both are synonymous with dancing. Did you know that the dance floor in the main hall is probably the largest sprung dance floor in Essex?
Several regular dance activities at Hamptons are organised by Hamptons staff. The Tea Dances have been running for at least 20 years; the Thursday night Modern Ballroom classes have been running even longer - from at least the 1960s - as have the monthly Saturday dances.
In addition to these activities there are at least four dance classes offered by clubs that hire the various halls - modern jive, salsa, Dance 21, line dancing and Bam Bam Boogies dance.
All forms of dance are a wonderful way to exercise! The British Heart Foundation tells us that dancing offers a great cardio workout.
Good for your heart
Why dancing is a great way to keep you active
URL: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/activity/dancing
6 reasons to dance your way back to health
Good for your brain
This article from the Neuroscience Institute at Harvard University discusses how dancing has a positive impact on brain function.
Dancing and the brain
Great for older people
The Centre for Policy on Aging has published a report which reviews the international evidence for the health benefits of dancing for older people. Exercise programmes for older people commonly experience high drop-outrates. Dance, on the other hand, is an enjoyable and sociable form of exercise where participants report very high levels of motivation.
Dance is also increasingly catching the public imagination. In December 2019 the BBC reported that over 11.3 million viewers tuned in to watch the final of Strictly Come Dancing. This increased interest in dance provides an opportunity to offer dance sessions for older people in community centres, carehomes, village halls and hospitals across the country.
Shall we dance?
http://www.cpa.org.uk/information/reviews/shall-we-dance-report.pdf
In a nutshell, dancing is sociable, enjoyable, offers a good cardio workout and gets the brain cells jumping. No wonder it’s a major attraction at Hamptons.
MC