There is no doubt that maintaining physical fitness is one of the most important ways to keep your mind and body healthy, but for some finding motivation to hit the gym is just another checkbox on a never ending list of to-do’s.
For the team at Project Best Life if getting your body moving must happen one way or another, it might as well be fun, right? Dance can be an exciting way to keep the body grooving right on track, and can even be called a universal language when it comes to connecting with people of all different backgrounds.
For these experts in the field, dance offers a way to gain community and new found confidence in the process. Whether rhythm comes naturally or not, this practice can be for everyone!
As we settle into winter routines, now is the perfect time to break out some dancing shoes and have some fun!
House of Hips
House of Hips has been getting people to move their body’s since its founding in 2018 by Mandy Poreda. The studio teaches a slew of dance styles like hip hop, heels, modern dance, Bollywood, but Poreda’s area of expertise is in belly dancing. This hobby turned passion has led her on a life of teaching people everywhere about self confidence and community.
“I started belly dancing in 2004, and that was the first type of dance style I’d ever done. I’d never taken any dance classes as a kid so I was a beginner and I just fell in love with the dance style,” she said.
This form of dance works not only your ab muscles, but also your arms, legs, and even manages to support better posture. Better yet, anyone of any age can try these moves. Yep, Poreda has had students that range from 18 years old to 68 years old, and everything in between.
“I noticed how much I was able to relieve my back pain just by gaining strength in my abs and improving my own posture. I think people get caught up on the ab work and the hip work and you don’t realize that you’re going to be building your leg muscles, arm muscles, your chest muscles and then on top of that, you find muscles that we need to connect our brain to that you might not have even realized that you had.”
Poreda shared that dance not only gave her strength she never knew she needed, it also uncovered a different kind of strength that was within her all along.
House of Hips
1863 Clinton St., Side Door
Buffalo, NY 14206
716-218-9212
Website | Facebook | Instagram
Miss Barbara’s School of Dance
Miss Barbara started her school of dance in 1966, and the mission of the school has remained the same through the decades: to not only develop dancers but to also develop the mind, body, and spirit of young people to help them realize their full potential.
Miss Barabara has been a member of the dance community since she was just 3 years old, and has grown to share her passions with hundreds of children throughout her lifetime. She is “certified by test” to teach by Dance Masters of America, Inc. She has been a member of Dance Educators of America, Inc. and Professional Dance Teachers Assoc., Inc. and has judged countless dance competitions and pageants including the Miss America Preliminaries. She has been a guest artist and dance consultant for the Buffalo Public Schools, and has choreographed and directed musicals at Kensington High School, McKinley High School and Nardin Academy.
“The benefits of dancing should be thought of as an education, like reading and writing and math, not just something you do with children on Saturday morning,” she said.
Endurance, technique, and learning to overcome a fear of failure are just a few of the things Miss Barabara teaches to her dancers- life lessons that prove valuable to anyone of any age.
For many like Miss Barbara, dance is an unspoken language that crosses any language barriers, and provides connection to people of all different backgrounds.
“Dancing to me is freedom, freedom to move and express myself without using words, I think that every child should have dance lessons. Being a dancer will never end because the lessons you learn in a dance studio will stretch a lifetime’s worth.”
Miss Barbara’s School of Dance
1832 Main Street
Buffalo NY 14208
716-834-1644
Website | Facebook | Instagram
As 2022 comes to a close in just a few short weeks, consider dance as an alternative form of exercise to spice up your life and maybe even unlock a new level of self confidence that you never knew you could have!
This series is sponsored by Project Best Life. Buffalo Rising and Project Best Life have teamed up to produce a series on wellness inspiration and advice to direct readers to the people, places, and experiences in Buffalo and beyond that will help them fulfill their health, nutrition, and wellness goals. For more information on how you can live your best life, subscribe to the Project Best Life newsletter.
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