BENEFITS AND IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC AND DANCE

It has been said about Music that, "Music is the shorthand of emotion." (Leo Tolstoy) and "Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." (Confucius). Similarly, about Dance it has been said that “Dancers are the messengers of the gods.” (Martha Graham) and “Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances.” (Maya Angelou). Music and Dance are the essential nature of mankind. It is, therefore, rather demeaning to talk of Benefits and Importance of Music and Dance. They are something beyond utilitarian importance. However, people do ask of benefits and importance of music and dance before taking classes.

So, for the benefit of such persons here are a few benefits of Music and Dance:

• 1. Music and dance increase intelligence.
• 2. Music and dance are great stress removers.
• 3. Music improves the ability of higher-level thinking.
• 4. The discipline of music and dance brings discipline to life.
• 5. Music and dance give great self-satisfaction and self confidence.
• 6. Music and dance bring name, fame and riches i.e. success in life.
• 7. Music and dance have social, emotional, and spiritual benefits and give happiness to life.
• 8. Music develops abstract reasoning necessary for academic success and mathematics and science.
• 9. Music and Dance can transport their practitioners and audience to a state of bliss akin to Union with God or Nirvana.
• 10. Dance has great health benefits. Dance builds endurance and stamina, releases toxins through sweating, may lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart rate and also help in weight loss. Dance is better than Gym Exercise because:
   
• i. Gym exercises and other physical fitness routines are monotonous and, therefore, boring. They are like playing football without a ball! While dance moves are interesting and creative.
   
• ii. Dance gives happiness, reduces stress and teaches us a new art of living.
   
• iii. Dance routines help build strong and flexible muscles with graceful body and movements. In fact, some forms of dance, like Zumba, burn more calories than Gym routines.
   
• iv. Dance is a great way of socializing. It gives feeling of brotherhood/sisterhood. In dance one has to synchronize with other participants and it thus gives understanding of each other. Some dances like Waltz and Tango are great for socializing.
   
• v. While Gym routines build specific body parts, dance is good for the whole body.