Learning to Dance Can Help Your Marriage

From time-to-time, do you find yourself in a relationship slump? Do you feel like you and your partner are no longer "connecting" as deeply as you once were? Just as there may be many root causes for this sense of isolation, there are also many ways to get out of this slump. A tried and true measure in my relationship has been learning how to dance with my partner.

Dancing. Really? Dancing? Yes, dancing.

Relationships tend to fray a bit because couples discuss missing three things. They bemoan the decrease in intimacy, the cite the lack of fun that used to be present in the relationship and they also state that "together time" has diminished over the years.

INCREASES TOGETHER TIME
Together time is an important aspect of being in a relationship. Family time is important, but one-on-one together time with your loved one is also crucial. All this recent discussions about "date nights" is with merit. Learning how to dance, taking lessons together, or cutting up the rug once you have taught yourself could provide an excellent reason for a date!

Dancing will take some time (it may be two date nights over the course of the week). And it will take some hard work. Both of you should be committed to the process of dancing. It replaces the partnership and puts the two of you working towards a common goal.

INCREASE IN FUN
Learning something with your husband and wife is always fun! Think of the goofy missteps or the accidental kick there. Are you smiling already? Couples need to explore new areas and have new types of fun together. New experiences also keep negative feelings about the other person away. Learning to dance together should be a night full of fun. Allow the other person to revert to their teenage years. Don't criticize. No discussion of bills or babysitters. Enjoy the fun and sense of wonderment.

INCREASES INTIMACY
Most importantly, learning how to dance increases intimacy. From the salsa to the samba and nearly every single style in between, dancing is all about touching and sensing the movement of the other person. What is more intimate than that? Many times and for many people dancing is a fun, prolonged act of foreplay. Being in the arms of your husband or wife all night can do nothing but re-ignite that spark that has been out for some time.

So, with your other half tonight, talk about this idea. Figure out which style of dance would suit the two of you. Focus on a style that is popular in your town or city so you can actually put your dancing skills to the test. Or, more accurately, so you can show them off!

Take the initiative. Find a dance studio. Order some tapes. Find a way to introduce dancing into your life. Find a way to increase the activity with your parter. Learning how to dance is an excellent way to attempt to get out of a current slump or a sure fire way to avoid one!