Endorphins, Social Bonding and Dopamine

Did you know? When you dance your brain releases endorphin hormones which can trigger neurotransmitters that create a feeling of fun, comfort and power. Another hormone which is released during dancing is Dopamine; this provides a natural mood booster and helps us humans to shake off negative thoughts.

The amazing thing about being a ballet teacher is that I get to watch people experiencing the positive effects of endorphins and dopamine almost every day. It’s not something that I step back and think about too much, but this Saturday I tuned into it thanks to the voices of two small dancers. The voice of the first dancer said “I love ballet dancing” and dancer 2 quickly joined in with “ I loved that exercise”. This reaction was towards the end of the class after they had performed high intensity gallops and skips around the room.

Could it be that these dancers were experiencing endorphin and dopamine release? It’s hard for me to tell, but what I do know is that it’s very rare that I see someone galloping or skipping with a sad face!!