Day of Dance 2013: Bigger and Better than Ever! | Arts & Culture

Ninth annual event aims to get the Pine Belt moving toward better health – one heart at a time!

Pine Belt residents are invited to get moving toward better heart health at the 9th Annual Day of Dance, hosted by Forrest General’s Spirit of Women. Each year, this FREE interactive community event brings the Pine Belt together for an educational celebration of the benefits of dance and exercise for the prevention of heart disease. This year’s Day of Dance will include FREE health screenings and assessments, consumer education on heart disease, dance instruction, entertainment, door prizes, vendor booths and more!

Day of Dance will be held on Feb. 16 at the Lake Terrace Convention Center from 9 a.m. until noon. During the day’s interactive dance sessions, attendees are invited to dance at their seat or get on stage with instructors as they demonstrate the steps to line dances, exercise dances and more. The sixth annual “Celebrity Dancing with the Stars” contest – a highlight of the day – will feature local celebrities including WDAM TV’s Rex Thompson, paired with professional dance partners. More than 230 talented performers from 17 dance groups entertained the crowd with various types of dance in 2012, showing attendees that it doesn’t matter what kind of dance you do – it’s all heart healthy!

Dance – It’s Good For Your Heart!

Whether it’s ballroom dancing, belly dancing or aerobic dancing, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) says that dancing can lower your risk of coronary heart disease, decrease blood pressure, help manage your weight and increase muscle tone and coordination. Dancing is a unique form of exercise because it yields heart healthy benefits while allowing you to engage in social activity. Just like any other exercise, the benefits you reap will depend on the type of dancing you’re doing, how strenuous it is, the duration and your skill level. Dancing is considered a “moderate activity,” and according to USDA physical activity guidelines, adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily.  For example, if a 150-pound person engages in belly dancing for an hour, he/she can burn up to 380 calories!

For more information on Day of Dance or Forrest General’s Heart and Vascular and other services, call FGH OnCall at 1-800-844-4445 or visit forrestgeneral.com.