Why Dance is Great for Making Friends
Stick with any hobby long enough, and you’ll find it’s full of high moments and low, successes and failures. It’s a journey, blah, blah, blah… But what I love in particular about dancing is that it makes making friends effortless, by throwing all of us together in a grand melting-pot.
Think of it – What other activity draws such a wide range of upbringings? Over my years of teaching, I’ve taught millionaires with multiple houses and blue-collar workers on minimum wage; I’ve danced with women – and men – of all shapes, sizes, and colours.
Making friends becomes a lot easier when your common goal to make something awesome together. Whether it’s your partner, or your team, dance ties your personal enjoyment – and yes, how good you look – to how well you look after each other.
It’s easy for us to get “stuck in a rut”, where the only people we hang out with aren’t interested in doing anything more than what they’re already doing. By making friends through dance, we are introduced to a wealth of new perspectives and passions for every aspect of life. And that can inspire us to see and act in new and exciting ways.
Even if making friends isn’t your goal, dancing can lead to opportunities for the bottom line as well: I’ve interviewed numerous people for my website, all of which I met through dance. One woman helped life-coach me through some difficult moments, while another gave me a new approach that combined dance with fitness.
Often by making friends, you build a new support group. Most dance styles encourage a certain level of vulnerability, and even if they don’t, the frustrations that accompany progress have a way of bringing it out of you. But all of that becomes a LOT more bearable when you have someone you can clink a glass with, or a shoulder to cry on.
Ultimately, you never know who you’re going to meet – you just know you’re going to meet a lot of people. People who share your love for getting fit, expressing themselves to fabulous music, and yes, making friends. How many amazing people have YOU met through dancing?
About the Author
Ian Crewe has been dancing ballroom for over 18 years, and has a Licentiate in American smooth and rhythm. His passion for dance eventually led him to blogging and the World Wide Web. Ian currently teaches at the Joy of Dance Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.