Can Dance Help Students Study?

Besides acting as a good cardio workout and the obvious stress relief.

Dance can actually be used as a way to improve focus and strengthen certain areas of the brain.

As a self-taught dancer and graduate student, I find it difficult to just completely focus on my studies for a very long period of time. My mind would usually drift off which makes my work less productive. The idea of breaks comes to mind. A break can be anything from going for a walk to even dancing. For a "dance break," you just need to get up and imagine moves with/without music. It can be difficult at first but this will stimulate the right brain, which takes on motor and creative functions for our body, to become activated and reshape/add new neurons to the brain's morphology.

I recently did some research online where studies showed that practicing one dance move multiple times not only creates a muscle memory to that ability but also reshapes the structure of the brain. Reshaping the brain is a positive aspect in this context because you are improving not only your coordination and movements but also your balance. The best part is that the more you practice the better you'll get. Sounds familiar? Studying has the same sort of trick, when you study a piece of material for a spaced amount of time and repetitions it becomes easy. Although dance and studying in school create different connections, the result is still the same to recreate or mimic a move that was imagined in our minds. Dance not only stimulates creativity but also focus. Remarkable changes in eye movements and balance are two big improvements.

I once read an article that said people become easily unhappy if they sit for a very prolonged period of time compared to someone who is standing up, walking, or as mentioned dancing. An important skill I have been experimenting with developing is coordinating what I learn in school to certain dance moves. It adds a muscle cue in case I forget something and in the end it reminds my body to remember cool dance moves. It's technically a win/win situation because you're taking a break from studying to take care of your body's physical needs and you're priming your brain to rest and transition to a different mode of studying after.

I found my mood improve when I started dancing or even making small moves with my upper body while sitting down at my desk. Finals week had recently passed and I found myself dancing around my room the moment I came home from long hours of sitting at the library. If we don't capitalize on our interests and curiosities, we will lose them so don't be afraid to branch out and do something different, get out of your comfort zone.

When I reach a certain flow state while studying or taking an exam, I noticed music would play in the background. Victory music? Who knows but there's definitely something there. I realized that this music got me energized to either make it through that study session or finish that exam on time in the time limit given. All of this was all part of the process, it turned out this was all a way of my brain making difficult tasks easier. I take on these challenges head on now without fear and I realized how important dance has been to this process because when I hear that "Victory music" I know that I will eventually get into the groove. Keep learning!