I’ve been always a dancer since I was a kid, from family reunions to presentations at school, dancing was my way of connecting deeply with my essence, it brought out the best of me and made me feel so good that I couldn’t hide the smile from cheek to cheek, plus the after feeling of having worked all my body is amazing.

Later on my life, I found yoga or better said yoga found me. I could feel everything in the first class, the physical benefits and the deeper mental and spiritual benefits, it made me be aware of my body as I never was before, it made me feel each muscle, as I held a posture I could sense all the work that was happening within myself.

It amazed me how much yoga and dance have in common and how both were the perfect couple for the body and spirit, not only your body gets fit, but your soul is doing the workout as well getting results much faster than any other sport.

I want to break through the myth that fro doing yoga you need to be flexible and strong, and the most popular one that says that for dancing you have to start at a young age. I will show you why these statements are not only false but are getting on your way of having a fun way to get your soul and body fit which can give you many benefits in all areas of your life.

 

How to start doing Yoga?

There are so many options nowadays to attend to a yoga class, start by making a quick search of classes around your area and see which one is offering yoga for beginners which is the one that helps you understand better the foundations of yoga practice before you jump into the more challenging classes.

It is of major importance that you commit to yourself to attend at least two or three times per week to improve in your understanding of this practice and also to start getting your body used to it. If you are consistent you will see results within the first week, the benefits are incredibly great.

Yoga Benefits:

• improves flexibility and strength in the body.
• It releases chronic pain accumulated in the life process.
• Creates a connection between mind and body.
•  It builds discipline in all areas of your life.

Don’t be shy and jump into the experience! There is nothing that can go wrong, seriously, you got this. And remember: This is a process, keep positive and honor your body, and most important of all: have fun and enjoy the ride!  

Why Yoga and Dance are the best partners?

When my contemporary dance teacher taught me how to do relevé, every instruction before getting up on my toes was like if I were at a yoga class paying attention to which parts of the body I need to activate in order to maintain balance. When you start dancing you need to completely focus on your center and the activation of your muscles. Without realizing you are working tons of your muscles and burning a lot of calories. The day after a dancing class you will feel it from the tip of your toes to the top of your head and you will get a wonderful feeling of motivation. I would say that the main thing that both practices have in common is that you get to know and recognize your body and beyond that, you start falling in love with it, and for then you care more about it and get in the best shape that you could ever imagine.

I heard lots of people say to me that they don’t know how to dance, or that they are embarrassed or afraid of making a “scene” in the class. But let me tell you something : We all start by the first step, by the beginning, and this is not about competition, is about exploration, is getting your body to move and feel the sensations until you can’t imagine yourself without dancing, the most amazing thing is that this result comes naturally and effortlessly because you are actually enjoying it.

What type of Dance should I  start with?

When you go to a party, or when you are cooking at your kitchen with the music all loud, what’s the rhythm that makes your heart jump and immediately gets your feet to start moving and spinning around the space and you are so happy that you didn’t check that your eyes were closed. ? Either that is Salsa, Contemporary music, Reggae, Rock or Electronic, if you are contemplating which style you should start, this is a good way to find a good option. The rhythm that you enjoy is gonna make you pay attention to the whole class and you will feel it more easily than if you enroll in an unknown style and get frustrated because you are not familiar with anything, and of course we don’t want that.

If you are a natural-born dancer like me you will probably have fun in all different styles of dancing.

So start by typing in your searcher for a dance studio close by your home or work, and start considering dancing more at the parties! You will enjoy yourself and work your body at the same time, who said working out should be boring and serious?

Integrating and Nailing it in both Practices

Open your schedule and start making your weekly routine where you attend yoga and dance classes. If you can't afford to go to both, Don't worry! You can always start with one and start practicing the other at your house, there are a lot of good tutorial videos of Dancing and Yoga for beginners that can help you to start and taste the results that you will be getting on the way. Record yourself, journal your experiences within your practice to keep you motivated and to cheer your improvement with time! And why to wait? Today is a great day to start.