Why Dancing Should Be Made Compulsory
Madam Toastmaster, fellow Toastmasters and most welcome guests
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (theme tune from Strictly Come Dancing).
Didn’t that catchy tune make you want to tap your toes, swing into a beat, or at the very least, didn’t it make you smile and feel good? That’s how it makes this theme tune from Strictly Comes Dancing makes me feel, it is one of my favourite programmes and has some of the world’s best dancers. But apologies if my singing made you want to plug your ears with your fingers.
This evening, I am going to explain why I believe dancing should be made compulsory, that it would have enormous health and social benefits for everyone, regardless of their age and fitness level.
Unless you have been living on another planet, you will have heard on the news that the UK has Europe’s largest obese population. Even our young children are obese. The chances are these fat children will become fat adults because of the inactive lives they lead. The government is getting worried about it. Unless these obese people seriously lose weight, they will suffer health problems which will make them a financial burden on our already fully stretched National Health Service. In fact, some hospitals are refusing to operate on patients if they are obese.
What I would suggest is that these obese people start dancing, perhaps a gentle Viennese Waltz to start with, which would help improve their posture as they swirled around the dance floor – breathlessly at first, then, after practice, with grace and with elegance.
I would like to propose that we make tea dances mandatory, that we spend an energetic afternoon doing the Cha Cha Cha, the Jive or Tango. Or perhaps you prefer the Samba, Rumba or Quickstep? I would personally love to dance the Paso Doble with Antonio Banderas, I can imagine his strong, muscular body smouldering with passion as he dances this dramatic Spanish Flamenco-style march, sweeping me, and anyone else in sight, off their feet.
I believe we should start by encouraging our very young who are naturally born to dance. As soon as they can walk and run, they are encouraged to sing and dance to music to improve their co-ordination. They find it fun and quickly pick up the right steps. So why do they stop? Why is a boys’ nifty foot work relegated to the football field when they could use it on the dance floor too? When, and why, do they lose their confidence or desire to dance?
Perhaps they should take up street dancing to use up their excess energy and would great for their street cred too. Let’s encourage our kids to enjoy rap and any other kind of funky, groovy sound. And who knows, we may discover a few more Billy Elliotts in our street, or another Carols Acosta, the Cuban breakdancing principal ballet dancer.
Experts from the world famous Mayo Clinic have discovered that dancing can reduce stress and increase energy, muscle tone and co-ordination. It also lowers your risk of heart disease, reduces blood pressure, strengthens the bones of your legs and hips and helps you lose weight. It is estimated that dance burns between 5 to 10 calories per minute depending on speed and intensity.
Dancing is a unique form of exercise because it provides so many benefits of an aerobic exercise while also allowing you to engage in a social activity that could even lead to romance - anything is possible on the dance floor. It keeps you young at heart, and young on your feet. Look at Bruce Forsythe who hosts Strictly Come Dancing he is almost 80, and I wouldn’t say no to a Tango with Brucie.
In conclusion, I believe dancing should be made compulsory, that there is a dance for everyone to enjoy, whatever their age or fitness level. It will improve their health and well being, as well as their confidence, they will have a great social life and feel happier afterwards, as well as losing weight. It is also inexpensive, and will help the government meet its health targets too.
So what are we waiting for, let’s start now, who will volunteer to be my partner for the first dance?
30 October, 2007
