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Beyond Fitness: How Dance Builds Confidence, Strength and Self-Expression

French Consul Beyond Fitness: How Dance Builds Confidence, Strength and Self-Expression

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There comes a time in life when movement starts to mean something more. Not just calories burned or steps tracked — but freedom, joy, self-expression. For many women, dance has become the way back into their bodies. A reclamation. A quiet revolution.

Whether you danced as a child or never set foot in a studio, there’s something undeniably magnetic about dance in midlife. It’s not about performing or pleasing — it’s about feeling more alive, more at home in your own skin, and more connected to a version of yourself that might’ve been set aside along the way.

A Mind-Body Reset

Physically, the benefits of dance are well established: improved cardiovascular health, better posture and balance, stronger muscles and bones (especially important), and increased flexibility. Research shows that dance ranks among the top three most beneficial forms of exercise for older women — offering not only low-impact strength and conditioning, but also long-term cognitive benefits.

But dance also activates something more intangible: presence. You can’t scroll your phone or make a to-do list while moving through a salsa step or finding your centre in a plié. Dance asks you to be fully in your body — and that kind of embodied awareness can be transformative.

Emotional Strength & Mental Clarity

Dance is one of the few activities that engages the body, mind, and emotion all at once. The connection between music and movement activates the brain’s reward centres and reduces stress hormones. Dancing in a room with others — moving to rhythm, sharing space — has been linked to lowered rates of anxiety and depression, and a boost in overall wellbeing.

For many women, dance also becomes a form of creative expression. It’s where you can be soft and powerful, structured and spontaneous — all in one hour. It doesn’t matter how you look. What matters is how it makes you feel.

Confidence & Connection

One of the most unexpected benefits of dance in adulthood is the community it creates. Whether it’s the familiar faces in your weekly class, the solidarity of moving together, or the routines and shared goals of a performance class, the connection is real and lasting.

In my case, I’ve found all of this through Physical Culture, or Physie — a uniquely Australian dance sport that blends ballet, contemporary, jazz, yoga and pilates into a single strength-and-grace based discipline. It’s inclusive, uplifting, and designed to celebrate women of all ages and abilities. Through Physie, I’ve not just found fitness, but purpose, long-lost self expression, and a beautiful sense of belonging.

Karen Miles French Consul BJP Physie Teams
At the annual BJP Ladies Teams competition for North Shore Physie

Which Dance Style Is Right for You?

The beauty of dance is that there’s no one way to do it. Here are just some of the styles available across Australia — each with their own spirit, technique, and rhythm:

  • Ballet – For grace, posture, strength, and quiet discipline
  • Jazz – Upbeat, expressive, and full of dynamic energy
  • Contemporary – A creative, flowing style often driven by emotion
  • Latin (Salsa, Rumba, Cha Cha) – For rhythm, hips, and celebration
  • Hip Hop – Powerful, energising, and surprisingly freeing
  • Heels – Empowering, sassy, and confidence-boosting
  • Belly Dancing – Beautiful for core strength, femininity, and joy
  • Tap – Musical, playful, and satisfying
  • Swing – Social, upbeat and joyful
  • Pole Fitness – Strength-building and body-positive
  • Physie – An Australian blend of strength, conditioning and elegance
  • Scottish Dancing – Traditional, social, and full of joyful precision
  • Line Dancing – Rhythmic, and a fun way to move in unison

I’ve not only found fitness, but purpose, ritual, and a beautiful sense of belonging.

Where to Start

Many dance studios now offer adult beginner classes or “open level” programs designed specifically for women re-entering dance later in life. Look for inclusive environments, teachers who understand older bodies, and spaces that prioritise joy.

You’ll find adult dance classes in nearly every state and territory — from boutique ballet studios in Melbourne, to Physie clubs in Brisbane, to Latin socials in Perth, and community dance halls in regional towns.

If you’re hesitant, start small. Take a trial class or just walk into a studio and watch, to see if it’s for you.

Final Thought

Dance isn’t about becoming something new — it’s about returning to who you already are, underneath the noise. Strong, expressive, grounded. Whether it’s a slow stretch, a bold leap, or a simple sway to the music, you deserve the chance to feel fully alive in your body again.

 

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3 Comments:
August 22, 2021

As a new Interior Design student, I find your tips to be incredibly helpful, interesting, and inspirational. Keep up the great work! Thanks so much for your work both in the blog and on your YouTube channel.

August 22, 2021

I’ve just discovered your Youtube channel, and I love it! Thanks for sharing your content and the day and life of a designer! Great tips!

August 22, 2021

Great tips! I’ve just discovered your Youtube channel, and I love it! Thanks for sharing your content and the day and life of a designer.

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