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The joy of movement: how dancing could be the key to a healthy brain and sharp memory

A West Texas class tailored to adults with neurological challenges or physical difficulties demonstrates how dance keeps both the brain and body in shape.

SAN ANGELO, Texas — When you think of preserving your mind and your memory - you might think of puzzles, reading or crossword puzzles.

However, in a study done at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, researchers discovered that out of 11 leisure activities studied, only one of the activities studied - dance - lowered participants’ risk of dementia. 

That's why Erin Lane and Susan Kinney brought Joy of Movement - a dance class tailored to those with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological challenges - to the Concho Valley.

"Cognitively, it's incredibly beneficial. I feel it in every class. Whether you are fighting a neurological challenge or not, it challenges you," Susan Kinney said.

Dancing challenges and improves your memory by forcing you to think ahead and remember repetitive motions and routines. The activity stimulates the hippocampus, which is the part of your brain associated with memory, according to a study by Harvard Medical School. 

Romey Ray, who has been attending the classes for two years, says the classes undoubtedly challenge her cognitive thinking skills.

"You think about what you're going to do next, what you're going to move... Sometimes its a leg and a hand, or the other leg and the other hand, so you're there trying to coordinate both," she said.

In 2012, researchers at North Dakota’s Minot State University found that Zumba (a dance-exercise class) improves mood and cognitive skills, such as visual recognition and decision-making. The activity also helps reduce stress, increases levels of serotonin ('the feel-good hormone'), and helps develop new neural connections, especially in regions involved in executive function, long-term memory, and spatial recognition.

At Kinney's Joy of Movement class, however, she and the participants don't discuss their difficulties or test their cognitive skills. At Kinney's class, the focus is on the fun. 

"It's inspiring, the connection they have with each other. We let ourselves enjoy dance and fully immerse ourselves in it. We don't' worry about right or left, we just have a blast. We laugh a lot. We always say laughing helps our technique," Kinney said.

The Joy of Movement class takes place from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the San Angelo Ballet, 82 Gillis St.. The class is free and open to the public.

There's also an option to stream the class online via the website, for those who cannot attend the classes.

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