Dancing is globally acquainted with any cultural celebration. It is a multifaceted activity that demonstrates the art of expression in many forms. It is the only "universal language" that is understood worldwide. Dancing not only unites us; it illustrates how distinct we are.

Learning how to dance is a great alternative to standard exercise programs. Even more effective is acquiring dancing skills from different countries. When you introduce new dance techniques to your skill set, you strengthen your coordination, rhythm and choreography skills.

The most popular international dance forms are Indian Bollywood dance, Middle Eastern belly dance, Caribbean reggae dance and African dance. Each one has its own unique technique that fosters greater fitness ability. Also, you get to activate muscles that you don't normally use.

Bollyood dance, inspired by Indian film, is a very detailed dance that involves many joints in the body. The dance workout would mainly include neck, arms, shoulders, hips, wrist and even finger exercises.

Individuals looking to work on specific parts of their body can turn to belly dance. For more flexibility and control of your hips, an African dance such as Ndombolo, a Congolese dance focused on rapidly rotating the hips, for toning and strengthening abdominal muscles.

Many dance schools are beginning to use these various forms for fitness classes due to the versatility, intensity and architecture of the dance styles.

Television shows like So You Think You Can Dance showcase numerous-high energy and acrobatic routines from diverse dance genres from Bollywood to contemporary waltz and jazz. It's the strategy, choreography and artistic stunts that compel viewers to tune in weekly. What some viewers may not know is that all the extraordinary dance numbers require dancers to be physically and mentally fit.

Learning new dance styles requires dancers to use mental skills such as memorization for its repetitive nature.

"Dance includes not just exercise," said Dr. Careyana Brenham, an associate professor of family and community medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. "It includes stretching and balance. It helps with memory and cognition skills because dancers have to remember step combinations."

Therefore, one can imagine how beneficial learning international dance styles can be for physical fitness.

Not knowing how to dance shouldn't be a deterrent. There are many dance workshops catered to international dances in the community. Fitness 101 at Fanshawe also offers dance aerobics classes for those looking for a standard dance workout experience.