Rhythm is a universal language. We feel it and experience it every day. It’s embedded within us and the world around us. The changing seasons, day turning to night, ocean tides, the cycles of the moon: these are some of the greater rhythms of the Earth.
Then there are the rhythms within our own bodies. Our heartbeat, our breath, our digestion, the renewal of our cells. Our bodies are built upon and depend on these rhythms. Without them, we literally cease to exist. Our life force is intrinsically connected to rhythm. Perhaps that’s part of why rhythm speaks to us, why we’re drawn to it in music and feel compelled to move with it.
Our ancestors may have moved together to shared rhythms long before language took the form we know today. Prehistoric images have clearly depicted group dancing, providing compelling evidence that dance has long been interwoven within our social behavior. We can’t know exactly when dance began, but the impulse to respond to rhythm appears early in life: even infants move spontaneously when they hear music and gentle rhythmic rocking from a parent is well known to help soothe a crying baby.
Research is also beginning to show, in tangible ways, how rhythmic movement can support physical and emotional well being and how moving in sync with others can help us feel more connected. The physical benefits are obvious, the cardio output, calorie burning and strength building, the lymphatic drainage from bouncing and shaking, the endorphin high after a sweaty dance session.
But let’s touch upon the cognitive, social, and emotional benefits because, to me, that’s the really juicy part.
Dance asks our brains to do several things at once. We listen, respond, make choices, coordinate our bodies, and sometimes learn new patterns or adapt to another person. Studies with older adults show that dancing can support aspects of cognitive function including memory and balance, while other research has found that dance helps ease symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. And when we move in sync with other people, even people we’ve only just met, we often come away feeling closer to them.
I love that something so playful can also be so meaningful. But you don’t need to memorize choreography or move perfectly on the beat to experience rhythm. You can find it in the pace of your walk, the rise and fall of your breath, or the way your body wants to sway when a song comes on.
So when someone tells me, “I have no rhythm,” my response is always: you are rhythm. Your body has been keeping time your entire life.
Finding your rhythm isn’t necessarily about looking cool or confident on a dance floor (though that can be a fun side effect). It’s about getting curious enough to listen to how your body naturally wants to express itself. You might start by noticing your breath, tapping a foot, a head bob or letting one small movement repeat and seeing how you can let it grow and develop. Follow what feels good. Let it change. The more you practice paying attention and responding, the more familiar that current within you can become.
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