Originally published 2017-02-11.
Regular dancing is one of the better-studied hobbies when it comes to brain health. The best-known evidence comes from a 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, which found that older adults who danced often were less likely to develop dementia over the following years. Dancing combines exercise, memory, rhythm, coordination and social contact, which is why researchers think it may help the brain in more than one way. It is not a guaranteed shield against dementia, though, and it will not raise your IQ overnight.
Below is what the research actually found, the likely reasons behind it, where popular articles overstate the case, and how to make dancing a realistic habit.
The 2003 study behind the headlines
The study most often quoted was led by neurologist Joe Verghese and colleagues at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. It followed 469 people aged 75 and over who did not have dementia at the start. Participants reported how often they took part in a range of leisure activities, both mental ones (reading, writing, crossword puzzles, board games, playing a musical instrument, group discussions) and physical ones (dancing, walking, swimming, cycling, team sports, housework and others).
Over a median of 5.1 years of follow-up, 124 participants developed dementia, mostly Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia. The researchers then compared who developed it with how active each person had been.
The results were striking. Frequent reading, board games and playing a musical instrument were linked to a lower risk. Among the physical activities, dancing stood out as the one clearly associated with lower risk; the others, taken together, were not. The frequently repeated figure of a 76 percent lower risk for frequent dancers comes from this paper.
What that number does and does not mean
Some popular articles describe the study as lasting "more than two decades." In fact the analysis covered about five years of follow-up, drawn from a longer-running ageing study. More importantly, this was an observational study. It shows that dancers were less likely to develop dementia, not that dancing caused the difference. People who still dance in their late seventies may already be healthier, more sociable or more mobile. The number of frequent dancers was also fairly small, so the 76 percent figure comes with a wide margin of uncertainty. The authors themselves called for controlled trials to test whether such activities truly protect the brain.
Why dancing might be good for the brain
Scientists cannot yet say exactly why dancing is linked to better brain health, but several explanations fit what is known.
It works the brain's ability to adapt
Neuroplasticity is the brain's capacity to form and strengthen connections between nerve cells throughout life. Learning anything new, from a language to a set of dance steps, gives that system work to do. Dancing is unusual because it demands so many skills at once: remembering a sequence, matching movement to music, keeping balance and adjusting to a partner.
It may build "cognitive reserve"
Cognitive reserve is the idea that a brain with a rich network of connections can cope with some damage before symptoms appear. Dementia researcher Robert Katzman, who studied this idea, is often quoted as saying that varied mental activity helps build more of those alternative routes. A widely shared essay by Stanford social dance teacher Richard Powers popularised this explanation for dancing in particular.
It is exercise, too
Aerobic activity improves blood flow, supports heart health and helps control blood pressure and blood sugar, all of which matter for the brain. Dancing gets people moving without feeling like a workout.
It is social
Loneliness and social isolation are considered risk factors for cognitive decline in later life. Classes, partner dances and group styles give people regular contact with others, which may be part of the benefit.
Can dancing make you more intelligent?
This is where many popular articles go too far. Intelligence is a broad and slippery concept, and there is no good evidence that dancing raises IQ in a general way.
What dancing clearly does train is split-second decision-making. In social dances such as salsa, tango or swing, the follower reads small signals and responds in real time, while the leader plans the next move and adapts to the music and the floor. That kind of practice can make you quicker and more confident at dancing, and it keeps attention, memory and coordination busy.
A more accurate way to put it: dancing is a mentally demanding activity, and staying mentally engaged is linked to healthier ageing. Whether skills learned on the dance floor carry over to unrelated tasks is still an open research question.
What newer research suggests
Since 2003, researchers have run a number of small trials in which older adults take dance classes for several months. Some have reported modest improvements in measures such as memory, attention, balance and walking speed compared with people who did not dance. A small German study published in 2017, for example, reported changes in the hippocampus, a brain region important for memory, among older volunteers who took a dance programme.
These studies are encouraging, but they tend to be short and to involve few participants, and results vary. The fair summary is that dancing looks like a promising, enjoyable way to stay physically and mentally active, not a proven treatment for preventing or reversing dementia.
Common myths about dancing and the brain
- "Dancing cuts dementia risk by 76 percent." That was one association in one observational study of people over 75. It is a reason for interest, not a guarantee.
- "Any physical exercise has the same effect." In the 2003 study, dancing stood out among the physical activities. Exercise in general is still good for health, but the mental demands of learning steps may be part of what makes dancing different.
- "You have to be good at it." Nothing suggests that skill level matters. The challenge of learning seems more important than performing well.
- "It's too late to start." The study's participants were 75 and older. Many beginner and seated dance classes are aimed at older adults.
How to make dancing part of your routine
If you want to try it, these points help:
- Keep learning. Once a routine becomes automatic, add new steps or try a new style. Novelty is what keeps the brain working.
- Choose something social. Partner dances and group classes add conversation and connection.
- Go regularly. The study measured how often people danced; a weekly class is a sensible starting point.
- Practise at home. Repeating a short sequence between classes, and noticing when it gets easier, is a simple way to track progress.
- Mind your body. If you have heart, joint or balance problems, talk to a doctor before starting and pick a pace that suits you.
Above all, choose music and a style you enjoy. The best brain habit is one you will keep doing for years, and dancing has the advantage of being fun.
Sources: Verghese J. et al., "Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly", New England Journal of Medicine, 2003; I Heart Intelligence: dancing benefits your brain.
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