Start the year off by kicking up your heels and twirling into 2021 with a new hobby that will improve your health and boost your mood.
Making a resolution for the new year is a rite of passage for many adults. Approximately 74 percent of United States adults were planning to make a resolution to celebrate the end of 2020, according to a survey of 1,790 people conducted by Finder.com, an online resource. Typically people start the new year by resolving to revive their gym membership, committing to the latest fad diet, or finding a new career. While getting healthy is important, at least 80 percent of people fail to accomplish their new year’s resolutions, according to U.S News & World Report. Rather than make a resolution that is destined to disappoint, Fred Astaire Dance Studios encourages people to celebrate the new year and National Hobby Month by resolving to give ballroom dancing a whirl.
National Hobby Month is celebrated every January and is a time for Americans to celebrate their cherished pastimes, or add a new hobby to their lineup. The word “hobby” is derived from the term “hobby horse,” a popular children’s ride-on toy. A hobby is any type of regular activity done in your spare time. The top hobbies in the United States are music, cooking, and reading, according to a survey of 25,110 Americans conducted by Statista in November 2020. Outdoor pursuits like gardening, photography, and playing sports are popular pastimes as well. At least 12 percent of survey participants counted dancing as one of their hobbies, Statista reported.
Ballroom dancing is a great hobby because it is for people of all ages and stages of their lives. It provides an opportunity to meet new people while improving your physical and mental health. Dancing the rumba, swing, or foxtrot can help increase flexibility, boost your metabolism, and burn fat. It can also increase muscle strength and improve endurance. Dancing is a great way to improve your mood and sharpen your mind.
Ballroom dancing might initially seem daunting to a newbie. The certified dance instructors at Fred Astaire Dance Studios rely on a progressive system of instruction, combined with a trophy system, designed to make it easy to learn to dance. Regular lessons and periodic practice will make learning a breeze.
Check out the wide variety of folks having fun tripping the light fantastic in these short clips.
Ten-year-olds, Lexie and Christopher, tear up the dance floor to “Dear Future Husband” on “Britain’s Got Talent,” a popular variety show.
In this clip, Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko masterfully perform the complicated steps of a Latin dance several years ago at the Fred Astaire Cup Professional Latin competition in Florida.
Austrian dance sensations Nellia and Dietmar Ehrentraut hit the dance floor to perform the boogie-woogie to “Rockabilly Jive” at the Rock That Swing Festival in Germany last year.
If you are ready to get your feet tapping and try a new hobby, contact your local Fred Astaire Dance Studios location to schedule a lesson, or visit the chain’s Online Lesson Platform to stream a lesson in your home.
