The Dance Cure by Dr. Peter Lovatt is a digestible, scientific look at the various benefits of dance and movement. I've studied dance and exercise for many years, and while I'd heard some of the tidbits from the book in my studies, much of the book's content was new to me or gave me a deeper understanding of facts I knew only at their surface level. The writing style is engaging, and the content is interesting. I only wish we could've seen more detail and data from the studies cited throughout the book. I think this would be an inspiring read for someone who wants to try out dancing or get back into it, and a practiced dancer might learn a few things about why they connect so much to the art.

This is an interesting and inspiring book about all of the ways dancing can help us physically, mentally, etc. It's backed with references throughout, and is written by a dancer and dance scholar who does a great job of passing on his enthusiasm for dance. There's some really interesting science about the ways dance can even help things like Parkinson's, and at the end there is a helpful section on types of dance for different effects and a list of his favorite songs, videos, etc. for all different kinds of inspiration or to dance to. It seemed to drag on a bit in parts for me, but it was still packed with great information and inspired me to work more dance into my life and my family's.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

I enjoyed this book and I think for anyone looking to find activities to bring joy to their life, this book could persuade them in the direction of dance. I may be a little biased - I have a dance degree and dance education, cultural, and historical dance were my focus. I am always up for talking to people about the benefits of dance for mental, physical, and emotional health. Dance is a social activity. Dance can be very personal and introspective as well.
Lovatt does a nice job of not getting to academic and keeping this book in the realm of pedestrians. I think it will be a great addition to our library.
Thanks for the ARC!

I love dancing and found THE DANCE CURE to be a joyful AND research-rich ode to elegant movement. Written by Dr. Peter Lovatt, psychologist and life-long dancer, this book confirmed what I knew in my bones: Dancing is good for your mind, body and spirit. He shares intriguing case studies from the Dance Psychology Lab he founded, as well as dance prescriptions for an array of emotional and other issues. Even includes a play list for inspiration. Highly recommended!

Pub Date 26 Jan 2021

Thanks to the author, HarperOne, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#TheDanceCure #NetGalley

I chose to read this book because I have been taking two dance classes a week for almost a year and am loving it! I am a lifelong solo singer and musician but did not have much training in dance. When I started performing in musicals about 9 years ago, I was not a good dancer, although I loved trying. I have been doing Zumba and another aerobics dance class this year and have enjoyed them for not only the exercise but also the joy of moving to music. The Dance Cure explains why this is so. The author was a professional dancer for a number of years before obtaining his PhD in psychology. His research has been on how dance not only helps the body, but also the brain.
This book would be very interesting for anyone interested in psychology, exercise, or health in general, whether personally or professionally. I am a trained nutritionist, and was fascinated about how dance and movement can rewire the brain. The writing is not technical and lay people could read and understand well. If you do not currently dance, this book will make you want to do so!
I received a complementary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Solid popular science book about the psychology and mechanics of dance written by a dancer-turned-academic. It's less scholarly than it could be, but fits well into the growing number of self help books that "prescribe" joyful activities like reading, gardening, etc