Is There Life After "Chair Bopping?"

Most of us have been there...

It's been a typical Monday, and you're on your way home, stuck in traffic, tired and cranky. You don't think anything could improve your mood when, suddenly, "that" song comes on the radio, and it's like the outside world just disappears. The rhythm grabs you and, within seconds, you're drumming happily on the steering wheel, bouncing with the tempo, nodding along to the beat. You, my friend, are "chair bopping."

By the time you get home, you're feeling a little better about life, no longer so heavily burdened by the hardships and misfortunes of a typical Monday, and all because of a song.

Rhythm is a part of who we are.

You've probably chair bopped in places besides your car - maybe sitting at your favorite night spot, enjoying a lovely adult beverage, while some local band plays a familiar, upbeat tune. Perhaps you've stepped in time to a song in your supermarket, one hand casually guiding your shopping basket as you hum along with the music and price compare laundry detergents. This is sometimes referred to as "cart bopping."

Whether seated or standing, the rhythm is there, and you feel it just as well as you can feel your own heartbeat. Maybe salsa makes you swing your hips, or hearing a tango really gets your blood pumping. You may not realize it, but you're only a few movements away from actual dancing.

"Oh, I can't dance!" you protest. "I have two left feet, I'm out of shape, and besides, I don't have anyone to dance with."

Well, that's just crazy talk. It might surprise you to learn that your coordination can be developed, dance partners can be found (or provided), and experts have been going on at length lately about the health benefits of ballroom dancing. In a recent interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Dancing With the Stars" pro Val Chmerkovskiy says, "Dancing can help anyone become healthier and is much more fun than spending time on a treadmill."

Remember, the rhythm is already in you. Learning ballroom dancing can be a fun, exciting way to get in shape, improve your balance and coordination, and probably make some new friends while you're at it. If the rhythm has got you wondering what lies beyond chair bopping, contact us today.