STEPS NEVER TAKEN MEMORIAL –
Sept, 26, 2025 – The bass hits 128 beats per minute. On a crowded dance floor, bodies ripple in sync. To an outsider, it may seem like a hedonistic party. To a neuroscientist, however, it’s something closer to group therapy. Ttrials involving over 14,000 people revealed that dance was more effective at easing depression symptoms than other forms of exercise. For centuries, communities have turned to dance not only for celebration but for ritual and healing. Long before scientists tracked brain waves or measured neurotransmitters, dancers had an intuitive understanding of the power of moving together.
Now, the research is starting to catch up.
A 2024 meta-analysis published in The BMJ reviewed 218 clinical trials and found that dance reduced symptoms of depression more than walking, yoga, strength training, and even standard antidepressants. While only 15 of the studies focused specifically on dance, the results were enough to grab the attention of researchers.
