Calories Burned While Ballroom Dancing!

Hello future Dancers!  No joke- We get actual doctor referrals quite often, for people to start Ballroom dancing!  It's one of the healthiest activities a person can do- physically, mentally, and socially!  We've all heard the saying, "Use it or lose it!"  It's true.

I hear people walk by our studio, Tropical Ballroom and say, "can't do it, had my knees replaced."  Ha!  Well, here it goes- Use them!  That's why your new knees are stiff- you're baby-ing them!  You paid to get new knees, now have fun with them!

Another common referral we get is for people with early or current signs of Parkinson's Disease.  Here's a story- I had a lovely, middle-aged couple come in and she was seriously getting bad- shaking, slow to respond, and could hardly even speak anymore.  She was too young for going through this disease, let me tell you.  Her very patient and sweet husband explained to me that their doctor literally sent them straight over here and said "get her learning to ballroom dance."  She needs her brain to think and process, and send that message down to her feet.  They came for lessons and my husband and I both worked with them starting with a very basic "box step" so she would not have to move too fast, or around the dance floor backwards.

I have other touching situations, but I'll give you the Fun Facts that people love reading instead- Calories Burned per Minute!

For a 150 lb person:

Foxtrot (ssqq) 120 BPM = 3.2

Tango 128 BPM = 3.2

Foxtrot (sqq) = 120 BPM = 3.6

Waltz 30 MPM = 3.6

Rumba 136 BPM = 4

Merengue 120 BPM = 4.8

Quickstep 200 BPM = 5.7

Mambo 196 BPM = 5.9

Cha-Cha 120 BPM = 6

Samba 204 BPM = 6.1

West Coast Swing 120 BPM = 6.4

Viennese Waltz 54 MPM = 6.5

Polka 240 BPM = 7.2

East Coast Swing 140 BPM = 7.5