Is Dance the New Yoga? 5 Conscious Dance Styles You’ll Love

Dance is one of the most joyful ways we can move our bodies. Whether it entails specific guidance or freeform expression there is something truly liberating about dancing, especially when done in a group setting with great music!

And while you’ve probably heard of Zumba as a popular dance fitness style there are many others to choose from, some of which even have a spiritual component that helps nourish your heart and soul as well as your body.

Check out the dance styles below and give them a try, or see what other interesting dance classes are being offered in your area.

Journeydance
Journeydance is a dynamic conscious dance style that combines freestyle and structured movement to help you connect with your body’s intuitive flow. The sequence of the class itself will take you on a “journey” so that you dance through a variety of motions to facilitate true embodiment physically, spiritually, and emotionally. There’s a Shamanic component, visualization, a sense of joyful community, and release.

Nia
Nia combines elements of dance with martial arts and mindfulness to tone the body while also addressing the mind and spirit in a positive and holistic way. Finding your own body’s natural way of moving is encouraged in any of the sequences, and overall the gentle and rhythmic nature of this style lends itself well to just about any body.

5 Rhythms
5 Rhythms is a dynamic dance style that ignites creativity, and connects us to the full potential of movements of the body: slow, fast, sharp, fluid, inner, outer, upper, lower, etc. The style encourages the exploration of emotions, edges, and cycles, and helps connect the dancers to their own complex being as well as the spirit of all things in nature.

Yogadance
Yogadance combines elements of yoga, dance, chakras, positive psychology, breath, and the four elements to create a fusion of the physical and spiritual in a joyful expression of being. It is a funky, sacred, and multidimensional dance that focuses on releasing tension and emotional baggage as the dance evolves from the lower chakras to the upper, and ends in soothing quietude.

Dancing Freedom
Dancing freedom is a somatic and ecstatic dance style that encourages liberation, connection between body and mind, and freeform movement unique to individual bodies. The structure of a class is often tied to the elements and embraces self-care, liberation, emotional clearing, and soul empowerment.

Physical movement is a form of Primary Food and should be both nourishing and enjoyable, so experiment with different movement styles until you find one that works for you.

What other dance styles have you tried and loved? Let us know in the comments!