Research shows different activities have quite specific mental effects – here’s how moving your body could sharpen your ideas. The brain is often described as being “like a muscle”. It’s a comparison that props up the brain training industry and keeps school children hunched over desks. We judge literacy and numeracy exercises as more beneficial for your brain than running, playing and learning on the move.

When it comes to your brain, an oblique approach can be surprisingly effective. In particular, working your body’s muscles can actually benefit your grey matter.

Many years of top level professional ballet experience gives me a very good understanding that ballet enhances body, mind and spirit, but science seems to finally be taking notice. A recent crop of articles reveal the myriad of benefits doing ballet holds for people of all ages and abilities. 

Here’s a look at a variety of ballet-related findings and op-eds. 

If your child is fascinated by the wonderful world of ballet, here are the best ballet books for children to take your young ballerina on a magical and inspiring journey. See more here

In a recent study, ballet dancers and people with no dance experience were compared by measuring their emotional sensitivity when viewing others.

The participants were monitored by putting electrodes on the tips of their fingers and measuring the sweat response triggered by an emotional reaction.

The dancers were able to read emotions better and their body reacted in a stronger way than the ones in the control group.

Here is an explanation why ballet helps you develop more empathetical understanding of others.

We’ve all heard that ballet is the foundation of all dance, that if you want to get nicer lines, posture, fitness, slimmer physique or body alignment, you should be in ballet class. But there are other reasons, too, why everyone should take ballet. Here are to mention just a few.

So many people feel intimidated about trying real ballet despite its wonderful fitness benefits. Here’s what you need to know to let your inner-ballerina shine!

Myth: Ballet is only for people with a natural dancer’s physique.

Truth: You don’t have to be thin, leggy, flexible, or coordinated to do ballet.

Ballet and dance in general is a very popular and highly enjoyable activity, either recreationally or professionally. But how many of you who ever did some ballet or dancing realise the positive effects it is making not just for your body but also for the brain?

Dance, in fact, has such beneficial effects on the brain that it is now being used to treat people with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological movement disorder.

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Source : Harvard Medical School : Neurobiology

While most people think of ballet as a particularly feminine art form, the truth is that ballet was originally developed for and by men — kings in fact!