SAVE YOUR BRAIN – BALLROOM DANCE!

SAVE YOUR BRAIN – BALLROOM DANCE! by Archie Hazelwood of usabda.org The Einstein Aging Study, summarized in the June 19, 2003 New England Journal of Medicine, found that ballroom dancing helps prevent dementia. Dementia in the study refers to both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s. The study included participants in six brain-stimulating hobbies – reading, writing for pleasure, doing puzzles, board games or playing cards, group discussions and playing music. The study also included participants in 11 physical activities including team sports, swimming, bicycling and dance. Dance was the only physical activity that benefited the brain. This was attributed to the cerebral rather than the physical aspect of dance. Researchers found that the relationship between the mind- stimulating effects of ballroom dancing, as well as in the above six types of hobbies, and the lowered risk of dementia remained strong even after they allowed for variables such as age, sex and education. Frequency of activity also was important! Subjects with scores in the highest third on the cognitive- activity scale had a risk of dementia that was 63 percent lower than that among subjects in the lowest third. We believe this emphasizes the importance of engaging in a regular program of ballroom dancing. The need to learn and remember numerous dance movements produces a constant and very beneficial challenge to the brain. The social aspects of ballroom dancing, the relaxation it produces and the joy of dancing also is involved. The sense of accomplishment and confidence acquired by successfully completing a dance with a partner are beneficial, as well. Fitness, both mental and physical, often begins with one’s state of mind. Mental acuity comes from mental exercise and if you’re ballroom dancing, you’re not sitting at home watching TV or feeling sorry for yourself. This applies to every one of all ages. Among mind-stimulating activities ballroom dancing is unique in that it also provides beneficial physical exercise. Many people have gotten the message. That’s why we see increasing numbers of people of all ages having the time of their lives on dance floors all over the country. They are receiving a double payoff, mental and physical.

Dancing Seniors Duck Dementia

Better Health: Benefits of Dancing
by Judith Paley, MD
The latest shortcuts to better health include dancing. If you’d sooner sit at Starbucks than go to the gym, read on below.

Dancing seniors duck dementia

New York researchers are decreasing their risk of dementia by puzzling over 21 years of data on the daily activities of elderly residents of the Bronx. Doctors at Albert Einstein School of Medicine have come up with a mathematical equation relating “activity-days” with a decreased risk of losing one’s marbles, assuring researchers and old folks alike that their ongoing mental activity will pay off in extra years with agile brains.

This isn’t the first study that supports the “use it or lose it” theory of successful aging. However, it is the first one to follow the mental condition of the aged over a prolonged period of time. Shorter studies could not answer the question of which came first, the dementia or the inactivity. Scientists wondered if those persons who developed Alzheimer’s following years of decreased leisure time activity might not have suffered from the disease all along, which thus affected their ability to participate in challenging hobbies. Since testing demonstrates that cognitive deficits associated with dementia can be detected seven years before the official diagnosis, this study, conducted over two decades, eliminates the possibility that preclinical Alzheimer’s predated all those sit-and-do-nothing days.

Nearly five hundred old folks in the Bronx dutifully filled out questionnaires on their leisure time activities. These were categorized as cognitive activities (e.g. reading books, doing crossword puzzles, playing board games, or playing musical instruments) or physical activities (such as playing tennis or golf, swimming, dancing, or walking for exercise). One “activity-days per week” point was given for participating in any physical or cognitive activity on one day each week. Participants could earn a maximum score of 42 for daily mental pursuits (6 possible activities times 7 days) and 77 points for exercise activities (11 activities times 7 days). Except for dancing, the physical activities proved good for the heart but no boost to the brain.
On the other hand, a one-point increase in the cognitive-activity score resulted in a directly proportionate decrease in dementia risk. For example, a senior working crossword puzzles four times weekly was 47% less likely to become permanently puzzled compared to a colleague who just completed the puzzle in the Sunday edition.

While the authors agree that there are still more questions than answers on the subject of mental activity and Alzheimer’s protection, an accompanying editorial to the study in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine notes: “Seniors should be encouraged to read, play board games, and go ballroom dancing, because these activities, at the very least, enhance their quality of life, and they just might do more than that.”

Dancing With The Stars Cast

DWTS: Fall 2009 Cast

Just one month until “Dancing With The Stars” returns with its new (and biggest) cast! Until then, I thought I’d give you the list of contestants and their partners, and my pick for the winner – though I reserve the right to change my mind!

Couple: Aaron Carter (pop star) & Karina Smirnoff

Why They’ll Win: I’m going to say they won’t. I think Karina will do a fine job making it appear that Aaron can tango, jive and samba. But there’s just something about this young pop star who hasn’t had much stage time of late (at least not with the kind of crowds this show draws). You can follow Aaron on twitter. You can follow Karina on twitter.

Couple: Natalie Coughlin (Olympic Champion Swimmer) & Alec Mazo

Why They’ll Win: Athletes tend to do well on this show. I think Natalie has the drive to win. Alec hasn’t taken home the disco ball trophy since season one, so I’m sure he wants one of those tacky things to complete the set. Unless Natalie doesn’t show any personality, I can’t imagine her not doing well. Then again, I’ve never seen her dance… You can follow Natalie on twitter.

Couple: Mark Dacascos (”Iron Chef”) & Lacey Schwimmer

Why They’ll Win: This is another couple I don’t expect to see in the contest for too long. A dancing Chef? Have you forgotten Rocco’s “moves?” Lacey’s a good dancer who hasn’t drawn a strong partner – yet. Maybe Mark will surprise me. I think I’d rather have him make me salsa than dance for me. You can follow Mark on twitter. You can follow Lacey on twitter.

Couple: Tom DeLay (former House majority leader) & Cheryl Burke

Why They’ll Win: I think this might be the couple! Not being sarcastic at all! “The Hammer” (as Rep. DeLay was known) says he’s danced before. Cheryl has taken the top prize twice. If anyone can push him, she can. Will he have enough hip action for Len? I don’t know. I’m fascinated by this pairing and a little bit worried. It could be uncomfortable – especially if he performs with an open shirt. No one wants to see a former lawmaker like that.You can follow Tom on twitter.

Couple: Macy Gray (singer) & Jonathan Roberts

Why They’ll Win: No. Not going to happen. Not in a million years. If they survive the first elimination round, I’d be shocked! If she dances like she sings, I imagine it’ll be all over the place and bouncy, which is fine if you’re judging elementary-aged kids at the school talent night. Not so good if it’s “DWTS.” I dare them to prove me wrong. TRIPLE DOG DARE!

Couple: Ashley Hamilton (actor/comedian) & Edyta Sliwinska

Why They’ll Win: Hold on. Ashley is a “comedian?” Does he joke about his dad’s constant orange glow? OK. I’m over the shock of that. I fully expect Ashley to embrace the show’s overwhelming spray tans and sparkles. I think Edyta will do her best to wear next to nothing to distract from her partner’s, um, lack of coordination/talent. I do not expect these two to make it to the finale. You can follow Ashley on twitter.

Couple: Melissa Joan Hart (actress) & Mark Ballas

Why They’ll Win: First of all, Mark has won this puppy twice. Second, Melissa was a witch! She could easily cast a spell on the judges AND the viewers to get their support. I give them a fair chance at surviving the first half of the season. I say that because I don’t want Melissa to turn me into a monkey or something. You can follow Melissa on twitter. You can follow Mark on twitter.

Couple: Kathy Ireland (model/entrepreneur) & Tony Dovolani

Why They’ll Win: Hmmm… Kathy is in pretty good shape and, from what I remember, she’s actually a bit athletic. I think she could do quite well. You can follow Kathy on twitter.

Couple: Michael Irvin (former NFL player) & Anna Demidova

Why They’ll Win: If Michael takes this as seriously as some of his peers, I think he could go all the way to the finals. This is Anna’s first season on the show. She won a competition on last season’s “DWTS” to become a pro on the show. She is incredibly tall and a great dancer. She’ll have to push Michael into dancer mode. If she can do that, they’ll be great. You can follow Michael on twitter. You can follow Anna on twitter.

Couple: Joanna Krupa (model) & Derek Hough

Why They’ll Win: Models always seem to look nice in the little sparkly costumes. As for their dance moves…well, not so much. Derek has won the show once before, so it’s possible he could make Joanna one heck of a dancer. I’m not holding my breath (especially after I just looked at her website – yowza!). You can follow Joanna on twitter. You can follow Derek on twitter.

Couple: Chuck Liddell (Ultimate Fighting Champ) & Anna Trebunskaya

Why They’ll Win: I’m not gonna lie. I’m afraid of Chuck. I’ll say he’s going to win it all!

Couple: Debi Mazar (actress) & Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Why They’ll Win: These two could be interesting. For some reason, I think Debi may be able to dance. If Maks does his signature open shirt during the first few weeks, they might generate enough votes to stick around for a few weeks. You can follow Debi on twitter. You can follow Maks on twitter.

Couple: Mya (singer) & Dmitry Chaplin

Why They’ll Win: This couple might surprise me. Mya has danced a bit in her videos, but those moves are not at all like the ballroom and Latin dances the couples are tasked with here. I’ll set the bar low for this couple so I’ll be easily excited when I see them dance. You can follow Mya on twitter.

Couple: Kelly Osbourne (reality show star) & Louis Van Amstel

Why They’ll Win: Nope. Don’t put any money on this one. Kelly is really shy and I think she’ll have a hard time being comfortable in this environment. I do applaud Kelly (and all the stars) for having the courage to tackle this beast of a show. Not that “DWTS” is hounding me, but I’d NEVER do it. Ever. Still, a chance to see Ozzy on the audience, cheering his daughter – that’ll be fun! You can follow Kelly on twitter. You can follow Louis on twitter.

Couple: Donny Osmond (entertainment icon) & Kym Johnson

Why They’ll Win: Puppy love? No. That’s not why they’ll win. OK. I don’t actually think they’ll win. I think Donny’s big fan base will get him to the finals (a la his sister, Marie), but I don’t think he’ll win. I fear many an awkward performance, which means I’ll watch his dances more than once for my own entertainment. You can follow Donny on twitter. You can follow Kym on twitter.

Couple: Louie Vito (professional snowboarder) & Chelsie Hightower

Why They’ll Win: Hmmm… Chelsie did get bull rider Ty Murray pretty far in the competition, so maybe she can do the same with Louie? I don’t know anything about this guy which could mean he’s either really good – or not. I’ll have low expectations and see if I’m slightly impressed after week one. You can follow Louie on twitter. You can follow Chelsie on twitter.

The show starts September 21. You can get a good look at the contestants and pros here. Let me know what you think in the comments section.

Broken News @ KSAT.com

Social Dancing – Art or Sport?

Social Dancing – Art or Sport? by: Daniel Pittman Recognizing that true objectivity for one’s passion and profession is impossible. I offer here my admittedly biased views on the status of social dancing. The status I refer to is not the amount, quality or style of dancing, but the valuation and classification of dancing in the minds of the public and the establishment. Social dancing (Ballroom, Latin or Country & Western) is variously classified by its proponents as a hobby or pastime, leisure recreation or entertainment, an art form, or a sport. Dancers generally accept that “pastime” (def – any activity that makes time pass agreeably) or “recreation” (def – a means or activity to refresh one’s body or mind) are apt descriptions, but hold firm in the belief that “art” and/or “sport” are more comprehensive and accurate descriptors. “Art” is defined as “the quality, production, expression or realm of what is beautiful – a field, genre, or category of this realm – a branch of study, especially one of the fine arts”. The last phrase introduces the crux of the difficulties for social dancing. I have been in contact with many private and government bodies devoted in whole or in part to the development and support of the arts. Although a staggering number of dollars are essentially donated each year to musicians, painters, sculptors, as well as to ballet, jazz and modern dance troupes, social dancing is not considered eligible, since it is not a “fine art”. I have been told by individuals who do qualify for “assistance” that they deserve funding since they practice arts which cannot support themselves through tuitions and performances. This struck me as equivalent to government funding for a manufacturer of 8-track audio tapes, justified by the lack of public demand for the product. Today there is a strengthening movement by dancers to have social dancing recognized as a sport, but there are significant hurdles to overcome here as well. “Sport” is defined as “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature”. Competitive dancing would certainly seem to fit the bill, but somehow falls short of the requirements of funding bodies as well as journalists and broadcasters. Were it not so ironical, I might find it amusing that rhythmic gymnastics and ice dancing are recognized Olympic competitive sports, while partnership dancing is not. On a brighter note, an international organization called Dancesport 2000 is currently lobbying the Olympic Organizing Committee for acceptance of competitive ballroom dancing as an Olympic demonstration sport – this is the same classification that freestyle skiing originally enjoyed before full recognition. Apparently progress is sporadic and slow, so don’t hold your breath, but it might help to keep your fingers crossed. Most often the acceptance of social dancing under either of the above categories is obtained only in the alternate camp – sport bodies decline dancing because it is an art form, and vice versa. The solution to the matter lies not in sanctioning from some august and obscure committee, but in the perception of dancing in the collective minds of the public. Any normal person readily accepts that golfing requires putting practice, tennis requires volleying practice, and martial arts require exercises and years of study, but dancing seems to be excluded from this philosophy. Many non-dancers are under the impression that one can become a proficient dancer through one or two quick classes. Students who have been taking lessons for 4 or 6 months often shock their friends, who can’t imagine that they haven’t learned how to dance in that time. This is not the case everywhere – in most of Europe everyone is introduced to social dance at an early age, and at least rudimentary dancing skills are taken for granted as much as common table manners. Dance competitions are commonplace and frequent, and thus dancing has gained public acceptance as an art or sport activity. Unfortunately North America has failed to adopt this attitude, especially, it seems, in western Canada. Here dancing is usually overlooked as a standard social grace or pleasurable and worthwhile pursuit, and mainly discounted as a skilled activity. If social dancing is to be recognized by the general public in what we deem an appropriate fashion, then the solution is simple – get it out to them and get them involved. In keeping with this spirit, I feel that the best thing that has happened to social dancing in years is the advent of Country & Western as a popular activity – not since disco has the public been so enthralled by partnership dancing. I further feel that since the establishment of C&W music and culture pre-dates the current fad, then it will avoid the latter’s ignominious end. We must encourage fledgling Two Steppers to fulfill their desires, but we also have the responsibility to help them make the most of the experience. We must try to guide them to learn not only the “coolest moves”, but how to enjoy the dance form to its fullest by endeavoring to seek quality instruction and to apply themselves to the development of sound dance skills. We must also encourage new dancers and even potential dancers to attend or support local dances and local competitions, such as the 90′s Ball, the Calgary Open Dance Competition and the Calgary Country Dance Stampede, since these functions are some of the most attractive and impressive showcases of social dance in our community. I also think that it is time for us all to make a conscious effort to do our part to overcome prejudices within the social dance community, to break down the barriers between the separate disciplines and combine and coordinate our efforts to the common goal – the establishment of social dancing within the collective social consciousness as a desirable and accessible activity, challenging yet rewarding, inexhaustible yet obtainable, and, of course, both an art form and a sport. So do your part – get out there and promote dancing! Read more: http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/social_dancing.htm#ixzz0RWzEVcN0

Snowboarder’s toughest new trick: Dancing with the stars

Posted Friday, Sep. 11, 2009

By CHAREAN WILLIAMS

cjwilliams@star-telegram.com

CHICAGO — Louie Vito has been practicing hard, four to six hours a day. But he’s not getting ready for his day job — snowboarding — but for prime time — Dancing with the Stars.

Vito began working with partner Chelsie Hightower on Aug. 21. The ABC show begins Sept. 21 with 16 contestants vying for the Season 9 title.

“Everything is pretty hard for me,” Vito said Friday, the second day of the U.S. Olympic Summit. “My snowboarding posture is not really great for ballroom dancing. I have to learn to keep my shoulders back, my head up, where in snowboarding my shoulders are forward, and I’m allowed to slouch if I want. Also, in snowboarding, you can do what you want. You can take a trick that everybody does and put your own trick, your own flavor, on it. But there, you have to do it that way. There is a correct way you have to do it. … That’s the hardest thing for me to kind of deal with.”

Vito, 21, is a two-time winner of the USSA Grand Prix Halfpipe Series. He hopes to do as well in the salsa and the fox trot.

“I’m interested to see what they think about me,” Vito said. “I’ve just got to remember that they’re probably going to be pretty harsh, because let’s be honest, I’m not really a ballroom dancing kind of guy. I’m going to try my best. It’ll be entertaining that’s for sure.

“I tell everyone, laugh at me all you want; I just need your vote.”

Why won’t men ask me to dance?

Why won’t men ask me to dance?
by: Tibor Kaldor
This is the foremost question many women ponder sitting bored at a dance event.

“Why do I have to wait for someone to ask me to dance?”

You don’t! Get up out of your chair, cruise the floor, make yourself visible, walk over to a likely man and ask, “May I have a dance.” Admittedly, for a woman, or even a man, this takes a bit of courage. The fact is every person at this event has come to dance. The likelihood is strong that that you won’t be refused. This is the rule: you must dance with someone who requests. You must dance at least one dance; it is simply polite.

However, there are a few polite excuses. Like “I am so sorry, I just refused that other person, and immediately I cannot accept from you. Anyways, I just danced 19 songs in a row, and I have to sit down for a second. Please ask me again later.”

When you receive a “yes, I would love to,” it’s an idea to introduce yourself. You could say “I’m just a beginner, so please be gentle.” Most men are flattered to be asked, and are pleased as punch to give the ladies a hand. On the other hand, most women are flattered to be asked, and are pleased as pansies to give the man a hand.

When you’re done, say thank you, and drag (escort) the lady back to her seat, unless she is grabbed en-route by some other eager man. If your dance with this person was not a particularly satisfying experience, resist offering advice, or if you really want to help, be brief. Try to be pleasant and even upbeat; recall your learning period. Avoid saying “Don’t ask me again, especially until you’ve learned how to step on the floor, not my feet”.

Beginner dancers are shy and embarrassed and therefore deterred from freely asking a stranger for a dance. It may feel comfortable and secure to always dance with your regular partner, but it’s like the blind leading the blind. As with any new experience, beginners must persevere to climb this platform and reach a higher level. Beginners should ask more experienced dancers because here they will find consideration and guidance. More experienced dancers should offer dances to starters in a spirit of mentorship. It builds confidence on both sides.

A dance is a social event. Make new friends, get acquainted, and arrange a rendez-vous. That’s a fancy word for dance practice. You’re not yet being invited to meet the parents. You’re being invited to assist the other person to facilitate the learning process at a workshop or an evening of dance. You will both benefit by being more competent and confident. This applies strongly to couples as well; when you meet another couple, dance with them.

If you are going to ask the other person on a dance “date”, advice for that is whole other subject. Dance patterns for a date event are the same, however tread carefully with the emotion patterns.

See you on the parquet. That’s a fancy word for “Enjoy dancing”.

by Tibor Káldor, Teacher
University of Calgary Ballroom Dance Club
Telephone 403-399-0123