Deanna Jacobson
Social Dance I (HLAC 1720)
4/26/13
HLAC- Lifelong Wellness Application
What did you learn about “lifelong wellness” from taking this activity class?
I have learned many things pertaining to lifelong wellness through my participation in Social Dance 1. Not only have I learned new social dancing skills, I have learned to step outside of my comfort zone and use those skills through my participation with others. I understand lifelong wellness is a process; a process of learning and trying out new activities. In order to continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle, I have learned that is important to find activities which I enjoy doing. Through this class I have found that I enjoy social dancing as an activity for promoting lifelong wellness.
How would you apply this information to your life?
I would apply the information I have learned from this course to my goal of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Before this class I had no previous dance experience in the Foxtrot or Cha-Cha. It was hard for me to learn some of the steps and keep with the beat. I understand that if I do not succeed in getting something right the first time, I can always try again. Eventually I may come to enjoy a new activity. Through trial and error, I have come to appreciate social dancing and hope to expand my social dancing skills.
What is your intention to continue to exercise in your life and why?
My intention to continue to exercise in my life is to participate in a variety of healthy activities. I hope to be able to continue and venture out and try activities that I normally would not participate in, such as social dancing. Exercising is a positive experience when exercise is promoted through wellness activities I enjoy participating in. If I like activities that promote exercise I am more likely to continue to exercise throughout the rest of my life.
General ideas for improving this course:
I greatly enjoyed this class and the instructor. Through my active participation in class, I was able to learn and practice new dance skills with others. My only recommendation for this course would be to incorporate more forms of dance into the curriculum. As a student I only wish I could have learned more forms of dance. However in such a short amount of time, I learned four different social dances including: Cha- Cha, Foxtrot, Swing, and Waltz. Each has broadened my understanding of social dance techniques and dance rhythm.
Dancing Participation
As part of this course, it was required that each student attend a dancing event where they could use their newly learned dancing skills. In order to fulfill this requirement, I attended a dancing event at the Redwood Institute building. I was able to use some of my dancing skills with others who attended the dance. I enjoyed myself as I was able to use my skills in a waltz and a swing dance. It was a positive experience for me to dance with a variety partners who knew how to lead and were able to teach me other dancing moves aside from the ones I learned in class. It gave me confidence knowing that I could use basic dancing skills at a local dance. The best part was knowing that I didn’t have to be a great dancer to participate. All I had to do was go out and have fun!
