Dancing Makes You Smarter

Mary Lee Gowland, our writing instructor, posted a note about getting caught dancing in the grocery store. She didn't even realize she was doing it until another customer pointed it out.

It surprised her, but didn't bother her. "I've never cared if I make a fool of myself, just dance because when I hear music I can't help but move in time to it," she said. "I guess the body knows best what's good for it!"

She didn't realize how right she was. She shared an article from Stanford that cited evidence dancing actually makes us smarter. An excerpt:

"One way to do that is to learn something new.  Not just dancing, but anything new.  Don't worry about the probability that you'll never use it in the future.  Take a class to challenge your mind.  It will stimulate the connectivity of your brain by generating the need for new pathways.  Difficult and even frustrating classes are better for you, as they will create a greater need for new neural pathways."
[For complete article: http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/smarter.htm]

So there. Dance like no one is watching. And - as the article notes - you don't have to dance. Just try anything new.

Club Ed: It's what makes you smarter!