Midlife: Single, Lonely & Depressed? Try Dancing! by Susan Dunn, MA, Midlife Dating Coach

It’s no wonder so many people of all ages are turning to dancing. It kills two birds with one stone: it’s a great way to meet members of the opposite sex and new friends, and it offers exercise, one of the antidotes to depression with or without therapy, with or without medication.

If you know you should be exercising more and just can’t drag yourself out of bed an hour earlier in the morning to go jogging in the freezing cold, or can’t find tennis and racquetball partners, dancing’s an option you need to consider. It requires no partner, no special equipment, costs little, happens after work hours, and you probably have something appropriate to wear already in your closet.

Many dance halls now offer free or nearly-free group dance lessons and there are dancing studios cropping up all over the country where you can get individual and group lessons.

Typically the dance teacher in the private school tries to balance the ratio of men to women (arguably the hardest part of the job), and encourages changing partners, partly to increase your leading and following skills, and partly so you can develop the social skills of dancing – where to look, what to say, how to invite someone to dance with you, and how to decline politely.

They also may fill in with dance assistants who are learning how to teach and want the practice. “You don’t need to have a partner,” they advertise. Singles are welcome, often outnumbering the partnered, and there’s likely to be a wide age range, skewed slightly on the older side. How sweet it that?

The private dance studio may also offer social outings and field trips to other dance halls which will extend your knowledge of what’s available and also bring you new acquaintances and dance partners.

And a nod to the future? Many schools offer training for your first wedding dance. It’s a big moment when the bride and groom take the floor, and they will teach you how to make it look and feel good.

If you’re a man, you can also use this training to allow you to become a Gentleman Dance Host on cruise ships, including the coveted Cunard line. These gentleman, who are older and have good social and dance skills, are on duty every night in the various lounges of the ship dancing with women in need of dancing partners, as part of their working vacation. For more information on this, see my ebook, “Presenting on a Cruise.”

Country and Western dance halls, Salsa Clubs and Big Band Ballrooms are filling empty nights (weeknights and Sundays) by offering group lessons you can take advantage of. They usually have a male and a female teacher, so you can see what it looks like when you actually dance with someone.

You can learn the Triple Two Step, Salsa, Merengue, West Coast Swing and the new line dances, as well as the traditional ballroom dances like the waltz and polka. My dance school is having a Polka Party this Sunday afternoon. 2 hours of instruction followed by open dancing. Can you imagine the exercise?

Go to Page 2

BIO:

©Susan Dunn, MA, Midlife Dating and Relationship Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . Offering coaching for men and women in dating, transitions, retirement and other midlife issues. Newly divorced or widowed? Let me make it easier for you. Susan is the author of “Midlife Dating Survival Manual for Women,” available at www.webstrategies.cc/ebooklibrary.html . Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc .

Some Aditional Articles you may enjoy

"How is Your Water?" by Keith Varnum

This Could Be Better Than A Flu Shot! by Lawrence Stepanowicz, ND

Low-Carb: The Role of Insulin by Beverley Brooke

SUICIDE VACCINE by James Sorrell

rX My Heart and Hope to Die by Phyllis Staff

Click a Number to go to an article index page
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39