Dance classes are a fun way to stay active and feel good. It helps improve your fitness, boosts your mood, and helps prevent or manage long-term health conditions. Dancing is also great for reducing stress and supporting your overall wellbeing.
There are many styles to choose from, so you can pick one that suits you best. You can dance at home first then join a class, or dance with friends. You don’t need an expensive or fancy kit to get started — just some music and space to move!
Dancing helps your heart stay strong and can improve conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. It’s good for your bones, too, helping to lower the risk of osteoporosis (where bones become weaker).
Dancing also builds coordination, balance, and flexibility. And it’s good for your brain, helping with memory, focus, and boosting mental health. Whether you’re moving gently or going all out, dancing is great for your body and mind.
Dance is fantastic for cardio fitness. It gently increases your heart rate and then keeps it up there for a bit. Because you are concentrating on the dance, it often feels easier too.
Dance is good for leg, arm and core strength. If you dance a lot, it would be worth considering building in some specific strength exercises to your week to support your dancing.
All types of dance are great for balance. The movements and changes of direction really work on your balance system.
If you feel unsteady, start with chair-based dancing. You can even try it at home with an online video. Go at your own pace, and ask a friend or family member to join you for support if it helps.
Everyone starts somewhere, so you’re not alone. Try beginner classes or online sessions made just for people starting out. Focus on the joy of moving and the benefits it brings. You could even dance at home first to build confidence.
It can be hard to know where to start when trying to move more. Everyone begins at a different point, depending on how active they are, how easily they move, and how strong they feel.
To get started, choose the option that best matches what you usually do on an average day in each column below. Look at your daily activities, mobility, and strength to find a sensible place to begin. Then click on the ‘see results’ button to reveal where you should start.
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Start gently with bed or chair-based dance. Just listening to music and moving as much as you feel able can help your mood, body, and breathing. No need to worry about balance or falling.
Try a beginner dance class, either in person or online. Warm up gently and wear comfy clothes and shoes. Clear your space so you don’t trip, and enjoy moving to music at your own pace. Dancing for longer or more energetically will help build your strength and fitness.
Once you feel ready, you might enjoy trying a more active dance class or exploring different styles.
If you’re confident, try more technical or energetic classes. You might learn routines or even join a performance group! You can also do other exercises to support your dancing, like building endurance or strength.
If you’re confident, try more technical or energetic classes. You might learn routines or even join a performance group! You can also do other exercises to support your dancing, like building endurance or strength.
Yes, lots! Many organisations support inclusive dance activities. Here are some great places to explore:
Ready to dance? Here are some great places to get started!
Enjoy free, fun, and inclusive online dance sessions for all ages and abilities — from gentle seated routines to energetic styles, all from the comfort of your home.
Get moving and have fun with Age UK’s Come Dancing! — a lively initiative promoting dance, fitness, and social connection for older adults of all abilities.
Magpie Dance is the UK’s leading dance charity for people with learning disabilities, empowering participants through inclusive dance to build confidence, communication, and wellbeing.
Let’s Dance is a national campaign to inspire everyone in the UK to embrace dance as a way to improve their health, connect with others, and have fun.
This site has been put together by specialists in exercise medicine and supported and funded by Nuffield Health Charity. In collaboration with academic experts, specialists in behavioural change, medics across a wide spectrum of specialties, physiotherapists, nurses and most importantly, people living with the symptoms of long term conditions. Through our rigorous academic process we have carefully ensured that all the information on this website is trustworthy and evidence based.
The following organisations have contributed to and endorsed the content of this website.
