Dancing Makes You Smarter

This article by Richard Powers discusses the findings of a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 which found that dancing offers protection against dementia. Square dancing is not specifically singled out, but the information presented seems to indicate that it would provide one of the highest degrees of protection. In September 2015 the Square and Round Dance Instructors Association of Alberta (SRDIAA) published a condensed version of Richard Powers's article in its newsletter. The condensed article provides pointers both to the full Richard Power article and the subject NEJM study. Those pointers are also provided here.

Richard Powers is a full-time instructor in contemporary social dancing and dance history, Stanford University Dance Division, Department of Theater and Performance Studies. (Full bio)