Photo credit: Rainer Ridao
We live in a global society. The ease of travel, smartphones, and international commerce makes traveling for business more productive and traveling for pleasure more enjoyable. However, traveling can be stressful. Your body gets used to a particular routine. Even if it is a hectic routine, it is still a routine. Traveling can throw a wrench into your routine. That affects your eating, sleeping, and anxiety levels. But, these problems are easily corrected.
When a person is at home, they usually participate in some form of exercise. If you need to blow off some steam or unwind for a better nights sleep, you may run or jog for a few miles. You may hit the gym, or take your mountain bike to some trails. The exercise will help you get a better nights sleep. You will probably take inventory of the foods you are consuming. In a busy lifestyle, it is easy to consume excess sugar, salt, and fats from foods that are processed for convenience. These food types make your body sluggish and edgy. Finally, we drink more water to keep the body hydrated and to avoid the symptoms that come with dehydration. But how does this work when you are traveling?
Photo credit: Pavan Gupta
Dance
Every culture has their own type of dance. Dancing is a global activity defined by a country’s custom instruments and way of life. You can learn a lot about a country by participating in their dances. But, dance does a lot more than that.
Benefits of dancing while travel
Traveling can be lonely. Even in a room full of people, you can feel all alone. If there is no one you can connect to on a personal level they are nothing but props. When you participate in a couples dances, you glow returns. You are part of the team. Human interaction pushed back stress and ignites unity.
Photo credit: David Hoffmann
Destinations and Favorites
As we explained, every culture has their own dances, music, and sometimes instruments. Consequently, over time, countries have come to be known for dances that originated with their culture. As you travel, diversity is unavoidable. So, why not get to know some of the people who live in the land? You get to meet locals and other travelers. You break the monotony of your business trip by experiencing the true culture of the land.
Portugal
Portugal is a land of beauty. It is the oldest country in Europe. The favorite dance in this country is the Vira. This folk dance is somewhat similar to the Waltz but it is much faster. A second dance that is very popular and much like the Vira is the Chula. This dance is like the Vira with the addition of stomping feet and clicking hands. These dances are not difficult to learn and they are very fun. If you’re planning to travel to Portugal, make sure you prepare for your trip in advance – there are lots of beautiful sights to be seen!
Spain
No matter what country you live in, chances are when someone speaks of dancing in Spain you will think of the Flamenco. In its truest sense, it is a dance with exact and clean moves which originated in the South of Spain. This dance is said to be a dance of passion which hails gypsies.
Spain is most famous for the Fandango. This is a lively and fun dance which is performed to folkloric music. You are missing a lot if you do not embrace these two dances while traveling in Spain.
Italy
Most people in Italy perform Latin dances. It is difficult to find dances that are original to Italy. If you are partial to Puglia, you will find a unique dance called the Tarantella. This folk dance is face-paced. In fact, many say the moves are frantic.
Germany (Bavaria)
You cannot think of Germany without thinking of festivals and original dances. The Schuhplattler is the dance where the dancers are wearing Lederhosen and stand in a line or circle. Throughout the dance, the dancers continually slap the soles of their shoes, their thighs, and their knees. The Schuhplattler is perhaps the oldest dance to the region. It dates back to 3000 B.C.
Photo credit: Ardian Lumi
United States
The United States is home to many cultures and a diverse population. For that reason, many of the dances performed in the United States come from other countries. However, the United States can take credit for the Charleston, the Foxtrot (ballroom dance), and the Country & Western Two-Step. If you are traveling to the United States, you will find any kind of dance you want to try.
As you can see, everyone loves dance. There is no better way to connect, exercise, and learn something new to show your family and friends at home. Before you get on a plane and head for a city far away, turn on your computer and see what types of dances are taught in that location. Check out this link for beautiful costumes for any region, https://www.alexandracostumes.com/
Don’t be afraid to try something new. After all, dancing is supposed to be fun.
