How dance in fitness can help change your life

Question

My career is advancing and I’m working longer, more demanding hours. Health is becoming a concern and I know I need to work out but I hate to exercise. Recently someone suggested dance classes and I’m intrigued by this because I actually like to dance even though I can’t do it very well. However, is dance a suitable workout activity for the busy professional woman?

Dancing Diana

Dear Dancing Diana,

Let me begin by telling you that you are not alone in your predicament. There are many women who, busy with work, neglect to pay attention to their health and their exercise regime. It’s a step in the right direction that you are consciously thinking of and researching ways to introduce exercise into your life. In order to continue your career development to the best of your ability, your health needs to become a priority and you have to make the time to eat properly and workout. The most important factor of any exercise activity that you chose to do is consistency. The wonderful news is that the suggestion you received – dance classes – may be ideal for you and would be a holistic approach to addressing your health concerns as the activity benefits your mind, body and soul. The fact that you like to dance and would be developing a skill should be the motivation for you to continue attending the classes which is key to achieving the benefits.

Dancing is a form of exercise with all the physical benefits that you find in most workouts including:

• Increased aerobic fitness

• Increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness

• Better flexibility, co-ordination and agility

• Weight management

In addition to the physical benefits, there are many other benefits that the busy career woman can use in her everyday life. These benefits include:

• Greater self-confidence and self-esteem

• Improved general and psychological well-being

• Better social skills

• Increased physical confidence

As a matter of fact, in my profession I have met many women who have used dance as a means to getting healthy and have experienced holistic, healthy results. The following are real examples of these benefits that professional women experienced from using dance classes as a means of fitness (real names were not used):

Joanne is a 33-year-old manager at an auditing firm with a low self-esteem because of negative things said to her by a close relative over a prolonged period of time. This low self-esteem was known to all her co-workers because she walked with her head down and did not speak up at meetings. One day a co-worker commented that Joanne was now actually walking with her head uplifted and wondered what created the change. Joanne smiled to herself because her secret weapon was her dance classes which made her feel more comfortable moving her body and forgetting the negative messages in her past.

Gillian is a 43 year old mother, head of department at a large tertiary institution and is the lead consultant on numerous projects. With her hectic schedule she is already under immense pressure when an extremely trying personal situation occurs and her stress levels feels like it is going through the roof. Some days Gillian feels as if the only thing keeping her sanity and ability to deal with everything is the weekly dance classes that she is determined to make the time to attend because they provide her with brief “me time,” pleasure and fun.

Simone is an accounting assistant in the public service. One of Simone’s co-workers mentioned that she’s noticed that Simone has not been her usual easy-going, team-player self within the last couple weeks and knowingly asks if she has been skipping her dance classes. They both laugh because it is true. She got preoccupied with other things and missed two weeks of dance sessions which showed in the way she started treating others at work.

I can continue giving you many more examples but I am sure that you understand where this is going. Yes, yes, yes! Go sign up for dance sessions this week. Try different styles, find the ones that can fit into your schedule and that you enjoy. You have much to gain. Remember, as legendary rock star Peter Townshend once said, “Dance enables you to find yourself and lose yourself at the same time.”

We also encourage you and your colleagues to join AFETT at 5.30 pm today at Orientation Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Port of Spain as we discuss the issue of women and health. Join the conversation.

Bust the moves

AFETT.

AFETT is a not-for-profit organisation formed in 2002 with the goal of bringing together professional women and engaging in networking opportunities, professional training and business ideas. Ask AFETT is a column meant to address issues and concerns of professionals seeking advice to assist in progressing in their careers. Today's response was written by AFETT associate, Joella Corneille, owner of SHE Casa – a ladies’ social club and the creator of SHEflex – an innovative dance fitness workout encouraging women to be “she” – sexy, healthy, energetic. Learn more about AFETT at www.afett.com, search for AFETT Events on Facebook, follow us @AFETTEXECS on Twitter or contact us at (868) 343-2160. Email us your career-related questions at admin.afett@gmail.com.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors, meant strictly as advice and guidance, based upon their experience and expertise. In no way are they meant to be legally binding upon AFETT and or its members, servants nor agents.