Unmask your creativity and lift your wellbeing at Dance Yourself Happy.

Lindsay Upton from Manukau East Council of Social Services (MECOSS)

Dancing is a form of expression that has evolved from one generation to another. European Medieval dances as depicted in Nicolas Poussin's (1634) painting, Dance to the Music of Life, were once popular among common and wealthy classes.

As time went by, during the Renaissance, a lot of new dances were created. The waltz started in the mid-19th century and became very popular. The English Queen Victoria fell in-love with waltz and it has been loved in the UK since her era.

Ballet originated in the Italian Renaissance Courts and was widely funded by the wife of King Henry II of France. Later on, ballet became popular in France. Ballet and its popularity continued to spread around the world and it was eventually loved in Russia in the nineteenth century. Popular ballet acts such as The Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty were all created in Russia.

Tango is deep rooted and was first danced in Europe before the First World War. Often, you can see the symbol of a cat stalking its prey as a signature move in tango. Today, tango sits a throne in ballroom dance rooms and people adore it!

Rumba is associated with fun and parties. Rumba's first big influence can be tracked back in the 16th century. This type of dance is loved for its vigorous, expressive movements along with the lively tune from drums, maracas and other percussion.

Enter the 1970s, the time when hip hop began to move its groove. Sometimes called street dancing, hip hop has become an evolving culture with various styles like breaking, popping and locking. The modern world, specifically youth, have continued to adopt hip hop.

The history of dance is surely more than what ancient books or cave walls can depict. Whatever or wherever the first dance was on Earth, it since has come a long way. Whoever it was to have created the very first dance -- that is something we may never know. There is something about great dancers that will fascinate you. They are disciplined and perfectionists. With their routines, they are on their peaked motor fitness, have strong endurance and outstanding muscular strength. They are agile, flexible and well-coordinated.

Dance Yourself Happy is not disciplined! Its a body shaking, foot stomping, unstructured disco style event. It's purely for fun! These free sessions especially designed by Mari Pettersson for the community, offer a lot of health benefits as well - from weight management to cognitive improvements and even in building better social skills.

A Dance Yourself Happy session helps to strengthen the heart and lungs and building stronger bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. What’s more fascinating is that everyone can dance. Don’t say you can’t dance because everybody can!

See you back in COVID-19 Alert Level 2.

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