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Photo: Courtesy of zap2it.com
With a global health kick in full force, many couples are on the search for a healthy and romantic way to celebrate Valentines Day with their loved one. Most people question this new idea, because Valentines Day is often associated with five star dining, chocolate covered strawberries, and endless wine. This year, there are several dance studios offering Valentines Day events. DOWNTOWN’S CEO/Publisher and avid dancer, Grace A. Capobianco, says “It’s an incredible sport and a great way to meet new friends and experience the time of your life,” so why wouldn’t you consider it this Valentines Day?
While men tend to resort to heart-shaped boxes of candy, jewelry and flowers, time spent with a significant other is what really matters. Lower Manhattan couples are finding healthy and romantic ways to spend date nights and special occasions. Research shows that the timeless art of ballroom dance strengthens a couple emotionally and physically, making their hearts as healthy as possible.
Dance means romance. Dance is not only the key to communicating love to your partner, it allows for quality time, acts of service, physical touch, and words of affirmation. This art calls for couples to work together, requires intimate physical content, and gives couples many opportunities to complement and appreciate their partner.
While embracing your partner, you can also lead a healthier life. Studies show that dancing continuously for 30 minutes has the same impact on weight loss as walking, swimming, or cycling. At the Lancisi Heart Institute in Ancona, Italy, medical researchers conducted a study that proved that people with heart failure who began to waltz regularly improved their heart, breathing, and quality of life more than those who resorted to cycling, walking, or running. Social dancing is the best medicine for a couple looking to strengthen their relationship and heart.
The Downtown area, as well as NYC as a whole, is home to the best of the best when it comes to dance studios! Some of our favorites are Dance Sport, owned by instructor Paul Pellicoro, Stepping Out, owned by George Qiao, Dance With Me, owned by Dancing With the Stars’ Maksim Chmerkovskiy. So if you are looking for inspiration for this Valentines Day, give the gift of dance!
-by Deirdre McAndrew