5 ways salsa dancing can improve your life

The popularity of salsa dancing shouldn't be a surprise. Not only is it fun, but it also has fringe benefits. Here are five ways that salsa improves your life.

Dancing is a great way to meet new people and it's nearly impossible not to make friends when you go week after week. If you're single, it's also a great way to meet a potential partner.

The physical activity of salsa dancing is a great way to release toxins and reduce stress, while also allowing you to express your emotions through the music.

Nothing improves confidence and self-esteem like learning a new skill. Sharing that skill with others in a social setting may seem intimidating at first, but you will very quickly forget that as you get involved, have fun and enjoy your newly-acquired moves.

Studies show that any activity that requires you to make quick decisions will pump up your brain power, but salsa quadruples that benefit because you have to memorize steps, master dance sequences, quickly make on-the-fly decisions and learn how to move with a variety of dance partners.

There are numerous health benefits to dancing:

• It's a great way to burn calories. In fact, studies show that salsa dancing burns more calories per hour than many other activities, including biking, swimming or even swing dancing.

• Like any type of cardiovascular activity, salsa dancing increases your heart rate over time when you dance consistently and vigorously a few of times per week.

• Dancing of any kind, including salsa dancing, strengthens your bones, especially your legs and hip bones, while also helping to maintain flexibility.

• Salsa dancing is especially good for adding muscle tone to your legs, core and more. It also increases your strength and coordination.

Salsa dancing may not magically whirl away any of life's problems, but it will help you feel happier, make new friends, expand your social life, improve your health and super-charge your brain.

All of these benefits may also give you the positive thinking and endurance you need to better deal with whatever comes your way.