Yesterday morning at 10 a.m., I clicked on a link that my sister Julie forwarded to me that she got from a friend. It was a Zoom meeting called "Dancing Through the Decades" with an international community of dancers. Sponsored by Daybreaker — a morning dance community of 500,000-plus members in 28 cities in 12 countries and five continents — and AARP, the massive global virtual dance party was SO MUCH FUN!
Hosted by Radha Agrawal— the founder of Daybreaker — it started off with a 35-minute dance class by Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe award-winning Debbie Allen, dance teacher Lydia Grant on the musical drama TV series Fame. According to Wikipedia, she produced and directed 83 episodes of the NBC comedy series A Different World, played the lead role in the NBC sitcom In the House and played Dr. Catherine Avery in the ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. Because Allen had recent foot surgery, she kneeled with one leg on a scooter and had a young man in her studio also displaying the dance moves. In the chat, someone commented that Allen did a lot more than she did — and with only one leg!
Next, American rock band Jefferson Starship from San Francisco performed Somebody to Love. According to Wikipedia, they produced gold and multiple platinum albums. In 1978 Marty Balin and Grace Slick left the band which was originally Jefferson Airplane. In 2012, longtime guitarist Slick Aguilar departed the band due to falling ill with hepatitis C and was replaced by Jude Gold. Another member of the band, Paul Kantner, died in 2016 from multiple organ failure and septic shock at the age of 74. Following Kantner's death, the band received the approval of both Kantner's family and Grace Slick to keep performing.
DJ John “Jellybean” Benitez followed, playing wonderful popular songs from various decades. Benitez is an American drummer, guitarist, songwriter, DJ, remixer and music producer of Puerto Rican descent. He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and the Pointer Sisters. He remixed songs for many other artists including Stine, Hall & Oates, George Benson, Shalamar, Jocelyn Brown, Patti Austin, Bobby O, Sheena Easton, Talking Heads, James Ingram, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, Lindsey Buckingham, John Waite, Debbie Harry, Huey Lewis and the News and Paul McCartney. In December 2016, Billboard magazine ranked him as the 99th most successful dance artist of all-time. On September 19, 2005, Benitez was inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame.
Since it was a Zoom meeting, periodically you could see people dancing in their homes all over the world. Some wore costumes like bell-bottom pants, peasant blouses or shiny sequined shifts depicting certain decades. Others had signs with their ages and locations written on them. There was more than one pair of 30-something daughters dancing with their 60-something mothers. There were people from Sao Paulo, Brazil; Melbourne, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; London, England; and many more. It was incredible! The producers of the Zoom meeting were watching all these households and picked out the best or most unique dancers to share with everyone else. Most of the backgrounds on the screen were people’s homes, but some had psychedelic backgrounds to go along with the music. I happened to have a background I had taken of some blue overhead lights in New Orleans that I used. And, I noticed no one was doing “the swim,” so I did it and got chosen! The host Radha commented about me doing the swim!
The Village People performed “YMCA.” It is an American disco group known for their on-stage costumes, catchy tunes and suggestive lyrics. The group was originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali, Jenri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis following the release of the debut album “Village People,” which targeted disco's large gay audience. The group's name refers to New York City's Greenwich Village, at the time known for its large gay population. The characters were a symbolic group of American masculinity and macho gay-fantasy personas. The 1978 hit single “Macho Man" catapulted the group into the mainstream, and their follow-up single "Y.M.C.A." became one of the most popular hits of the 1970s. Describing it as "an American phenomenon," in March 2020 the U.S. Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry, which preserves audio recordings considered to be "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
In 1979, the U.S. Navy considered using their single "In the Navy" in a television and radio recruiting campaign. Belolo offered them permission if the Navy would help film a music video for it. The Navy provided them access to the San Diego Navy base, where the USS Reasoner, several aircraft and the crew of the ship would be used. This song was also performed on the TV series “The Love Boat” and in the 1995 Navy comedy movie “Down Periscope.”
Gloria Gaynor performed “I Will Survive.” At MGM Records she had a hit album Never Can Say Goodbye. The first side of the album consisted of three songs — "Honey Bee," "Never Can Say Goodbye” and “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” — with no break between the songs. This 19-minute dance marathon proved to be enormously popular, especially at dance clubs. All three songs were released as singles via radio edits and all of them became hits. The album was instrumental in introducing disco music to the public, "Never Can Say Goodbye" becoming the first song to top Billboard magazine's dance chart. In late 1978, with the release of her album Love Tracks, she climbed the pop charts again with her smash hit single “I Will Survive.” The lyrics of this song are written from the point of view of a woman, recently dumped, telling her former lover that she can cope without him and does not want anything more to do with him. The song has become something of an anthem of female emancipation. The song received a Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording in 1980, the only year that award was given. It is ranked No. 492 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time," and ranked at No. 97 on Billboard magazine's "All-Time Hot 100." In 2000, the song was ranked No. 1 in VH1's list of the “100 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time” and remains there to this day.
It was really a spectacular experience. Plus I had already walked 6 miles that morning, so by the time it was over I had over 19,000 steps! According to Healthline’s article “8 Benefits of Dance,” they are listed below.
Physical
Dance is exercise, so the physical benefits of dancing will be similar to that of other cardio activities.
1. Improves cardiovascular health
The heart-pumping health benefits of dance are right in line with the Department of Health and Human Services’ physical activity guidelines for adults. It states for health benefits, adults should do:
- At least 150 minutes to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, or
- 75 minutes to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
Professional ballroom dancer and certified personal trainer Leon Turetsky said that all styles of dance make for great cardio workouts since your heart rate gets challenged from executing the different moves.
2. Improves balance and strength
Professional dancer Jonathan Tylicki, the director of education for AKT, a boutique fitness concept rooted in dance, said one of the reasons dance is such a great form of physical fitness is because it incorporates movements on all planes of motion and from all directions.
“Movements that we typically do in our daily life, like walking, taking the stairs and common workouts like treadmills and cycling, occur in the sagittal plane, but dance works your body from all planes — including lateral and rotational — which turns on and conditions all muscles, meaning no muscle is left behind,” he said.
This type of movement not only increases strength, it also improves balance.
3. Gentle on your body
Many forms of dancing — such as ballroom — are appropriate for people with limited mobility or chronic health issues.
If you have concerns about the intensity of a class, talk with your doctor and the instructor before starting the class. They can help you with any modifications, if needed.
Mental
4. Boosts cognitive performance
If you need a reason to get moving, consider this: A lot of research shows how dancing can maintain and even boost your ability to think as you age.
But how does this happen? Well, according to some studies, scientists have found that the areas of the brain that control memory and skills — such as planning and organizing — improve with exercise like dance.
Plus, unlike other forms of exercise, dance has the additional benefits of improving balance through rhythm and music.
5. Challenges your brain
If you’ve ever tried tap dancing, then you know exactly what we mean by dance challenging your brain.
Tylicki points out that the brain power you need to access for dance, specifically, requires you to focus on both the constant changing of movement and recalling moves and patterns.
This is an excellent form of mental exercise for your mind, regardless of your age.
Emotional
6. Is inclusive
One of the greatest things about dance is that anyone can participate. If you’re able to move, even if it’s only your upper body, you can dance.
This equalizer is what makes dance so popular with people who typically shy away from other forms of exercise.
7. Can be a social activity
While you may prefer to bust a move when no one is watching, there’s something incredible about dancing with others.
Whether you join a ballroom or belly dancing class, dance with friends or get shaking with your kids or grandkids, being around other people while dancing is good for your social and emotional health.
8. Helps boost your mood
“Movement and dance are extremely expressive, which can allow you to escape and let loose,” Tylicki said. It’s this “letting loose” that helps improve your mental and emotional health by reducing stress, decreasing the symptoms of anxiety and depression and boosting your self-esteem.
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