By a show of hands, how many of you out there enjoy dancing? Let’s now separate the question: Ladies first: How many of you enjoy dancing? My guess is much more than 50% of the hands have been raised. Now, to my male counterparts: How many? Hmmm…I see much less than 50%.
Dancing is one of the exercising activities that is probably much more fun than routine/more boring expenditures of calories such as treadmill or elliptical workouts. Dancing allows for a social environment, good music, dressing up nicely etc.
How many calories are burned off during dancing? This of course depends on the level of “dance intensity”. Below are the caloric expenditures in one hour of dancing for a 200 pound person. Please remember that the less someone weighs, the less the caloric burn-off and conversely, adjust the numbers higher if the weight is greater than 200 pounds.
| Type of Activity | MET | Calories Burned |
| Ballroom, slow | 3 | 285 |
| Caribbean dance | 3.5 | 332 |
| Ethnic or cultural dancing | 4.5 | 427 |
| Tap | 4.8 | 456 |
| Ballet, modern, or jazz, general, rehearsal or class | 5 | 475 |
| Aerobic, low impact | 5 | 475 |
| Aerobic, step, with 4-inch step | 5.5 | 522 |
| Ballroom, fast | 5.5 | 522 |
| Anishinaabe Jingle Dancing | 5.5 | 522 |
| Ballet, modern, or jazz, performance, vigorous effort | 6.8 | 646 |
| Aerobic, general | 7.3 | 693 |
| Aerobic, high impact | 7.3 | 693 |
| Aerobic, step, with 6 – 8 inch step | 7.5 | 712 |
| General dancing | 7.8 | 741 |
| Bench step class, general | 8.5 | 807 |
| Aerobic, step, with 10 – 12 inch step | 9.5 | 902 |
| Aerobic dance wearing 10-15 lb weights | 10 | 950 |
| Ballroom dancing, competitive, general | 11.3 |
107
|
If you loathe traditional exercise such as running or stationary gym equipment, consider dancing as a potential adjunct to your dietary efforts.
Concerning your doctor: Back in the 70’s with my longer hair and bell bottom jeans I could give John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever a run for his money. Now, slow dancing to Frank Sinatra tunes!
And….Our Dancing With The Stars Performer, Nataliya performing with Donna, our PA several years ago…enjoy!!!