Yes, we at Fred Astaire Dance Studios believe that Ballroom Dancing is Body Positive! Read this story and we think you’ll agree.
Think of the graceful turn of a Viennese Waltz.
The rise and fall of a Quickstep.
The dramatic lines of a Tango.
With the emphasis on execution and the confidence-building of success, many dancers consider ballroom dancing to be the most body-positive of activities. Add in the supportive atmosphere at Fred Astaire Dance Studios and you’ll have a confidence-boosting atmosphere that’s perfect for anyone and everyone. Now, more and more people are discovering the transformative power of dancing.
A Body Positive Message
Come as You Are is the appropriately-named theme for this year’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 25–March 3, 2019). The week is hosted by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. It’s estimated that 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives. There doesn’t seem to be any one single cause of eating disorders. Instead, there’s a growing consensus suggesting that it is a range of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.
NEDA strongly supports and encourage body positivity — including the appreciation of all the amazing things that your body can do for you, including laughing, breathing, dreaming, and dancing.
Movement as Therapy
The notion of exercising and movement as interventions for eating disorders hasn’t always been supported. The idea of exercise and physical activity were generally discouraged for those in recovery. But some therapists and scholars believe that certain forms of movement therapy might actually help individuals with eating disorders connect to their bodies in a different, more positive way.
Now, many eating disorder treatment centers across the country offer “Dance Movement Therapy” as a treatment option. Ballroom dancing and Dance Movement Therapy may not necessarily be the same thing, but they do both offer some of the same benefits – stress reduction and mood management. They can also help improve both body image and self-esteem.
A Sense of Community – and Some Samba
An atmosphere of kindness, warmth, and inspiration is waiting for you at every Fred Astaire Dance Studio. Our dance community is 100 percent non-judgmental. Our passion is to help our students enrich their lives — physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. We believe that ballroom dancing has the power to transform, and now therapists are putting that power to work to help others.
