I moved to Cornwall a year ago and on deciding to set up my own business and teach full time I was faced with the decision of ‘what to teach?’. I have a variety of teaching qualifications that I have gained over the years and I looked at the Cornish community and I thought yes, I could teach yoga, HIIT,  personal training, aerobics, a variety of classic fitness classes – things that are trendy and popular. And don’t get me wrong, I love yoga and fitness training too. I could have full classes every week and make more money doing it that way. Dance would be much harder to convert people, to build a business, to make some pennies, to fill my classes. Regardless, I chose dance. Why? Because I believe in it.

From a personal point of view, dance has been my life. I don’t know what I am without it. It’s the only class I can go to, despite years of training in yoga and meditation, that quietens my busy mind and keeps me 100% present. It’s the only class where I can leave dripping with sweat and aching from head to toe despite never thinking ‘I am doing a workout’ here. It’s the only thing that I don’t ever get bored of (and for those who know me, this is a near-impossible task). I have taught yoga and other fitness and conditioning classes and never seen results in posture improvement like I have teaching students ballet. The same goes for building strength and flexibility – the most rapid changes I see are in my ballet and dance classes. For those adults who take the ‘brave step’ of returning to dance (or starting it!) after many years without doing it, I see the sense of achievement and self-pride it brings like no other activity does. For the kids I teach I see a sense of discipline, self-motivation and team work build over the years they attend dance class. I have taught dance as a mental and physical therapy and witnessed the dramatic benefits it has bought to the sick, vulnerable and elderly. It’s not just a workout, it becomes a way of life and you can start it at anytime.

So, I will continue my mission to bring dance to more people’s lives, so they can experience the ‘dance buzz’ that people are slowly turning to.

Lisa x

Read more about the benefits of dance here.

Or why it’s okay to start dancing as an adult.