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The Dance Cure: The surprising secret to being smarter, stronger, happier
Um livro destinado tanto àqueles que amam dançar quanto a quem morre de vergonha de se soltar no meio do salão!
Após passar duas décadas estudando o papel e o poder da dança, o Dr. Peter Lovatt, psicólogo e ex-dançarino profissional, compartilha suas descobertas em um livro destinado tanto àqueles que amam dançar quanto a quem morre de vergonha de se soltar no meio do salão.
Com base na ciência, ele mostra como, além de fortalecer o corpo e ser um ótimo exercício físico, a danç
. Pode nos ajudar a expressar emoções e sentimentos;
. Melhora a desenvoltura mental, motora e postural;
. Promove o autoconhecimento;
. Eleva a autoestima;
. É uma excelente maneira de socializar; e
. É uma linguagem universal.
Em O poder da dança o leitor encontra, ainda, uma série de técnicas simples pelas quais todos podem fazer da dança o instrumento de uma vida
A partir de resultados obtidos em testes em laboratório, criei um conjunto único de combinações e passos de dança feitos sob medida para produzir efeitos específicos e mudanças emocionais. O modo como movemos nosso corpo nos afeta em vários níveis diferentes. Algumas combinações de movimentos podem nos acalmar e melhorar nosso humor; outras podem nos dar a sensação de energia e de foco; algumas podem nos ajudar a pensar de maneira mais criativa e acelerar nossa capacidade de solucionar problemas; ainda há outras que podem nos fazer sentir mais fortes e confiantes.
Então, vista seus sapatos mais confortáveis e dance!
Após passar duas décadas estudando o papel e o poder da dança, o Dr. Peter Lovatt, psicólogo e ex-dançarino profissional, compartilha suas descobertas em um livro destinado tanto àqueles que amam dançar quanto a quem morre de vergonha de se soltar no meio do salão.
Com base na ciência, ele mostra como, além de fortalecer o corpo e ser um ótimo exercício físico, a danç
. Pode nos ajudar a expressar emoções e sentimentos;
. Melhora a desenvoltura mental, motora e postural;
. Promove o autoconhecimento;
. Eleva a autoestima;
. É uma excelente maneira de socializar; e
. É uma linguagem universal.
Em O poder da dança o leitor encontra, ainda, uma série de técnicas simples pelas quais todos podem fazer da dança o instrumento de uma vida
A partir de resultados obtidos em testes em laboratório, criei um conjunto único de combinações e passos de dança feitos sob medida para produzir efeitos específicos e mudanças emocionais. O modo como movemos nosso corpo nos afeta em vários níveis diferentes. Algumas combinações de movimentos podem nos acalmar e melhorar nosso humor; outras podem nos dar a sensação de energia e de foco; algumas podem nos ajudar a pensar de maneira mais criativa e acelerar nossa capacidade de solucionar problemas; ainda há outras que podem nos fazer sentir mais fortes e confiantes.
Então, vista seus sapatos mais confortáveis e dance!
ebook
Published April 2, 2020
72 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
About the author
Peter Lovatt
4 books9 followersDR. PETER LOVATT BSc, MSc, PhD is a Dance Psychologist who heads the Dance Psychology Lab at the University of Hertfordshire. After working as a professional dancer in musical theatre, and overcoming a severe reading difficulty, he took degrees in Psychology & English, Neural Computation, and Experimental Cognitive Psychology. He is the author of an academic book on dance psychology titled Dance Psychology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 9, 2021
The Dance Cure: The Surprising Science to Being Smarter, Stronger, Happier by Dr. Peter Lovatt is such an interesting and enthusiastic read about the benefits of dancing. The book delivers such an uplifting message about how dancing can actually improve life. To find yourself in the arms of another, the value of human touch and connection has long been known to stimulate the brain and improve emotional well being. However, if you aren't into partner dancing, Zumba will do! Get up and move it!
5 stars
Happy Reading
5 stars
Happy Reading
November 20, 2020
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 read a digital ARC of this book for review.
November 9, 2020
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
Pub Date 26 Jan 2021
Thanks to the author, HarperOne, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TheDanceCure #NetGalley
January 3, 2025
Really lovely light read for anyone interested in dance and its social, psychological, and physiological benefits.
It’s written by dance psychologist, Dr Peter Lovett - a professional dancer turned researcher and academic.
Part autobiographical, about his journey from overcoming his reading difficulties to academia, and part review of studies looking at how movement and dance affect our social interactions and connections, clinical conditions, memory and learning, and general overall wellbeing.
In short - dance is a necessary part of the human experience. It is the cure and answer :)
It’s written by dance psychologist, Dr Peter Lovett - a professional dancer turned researcher and academic.
Part autobiographical, about his journey from overcoming his reading difficulties to academia, and part review of studies looking at how movement and dance affect our social interactions and connections, clinical conditions, memory and learning, and general overall wellbeing.
In short - dance is a necessary part of the human experience. It is the cure and answer :)
December 19, 2022
Super interesting book about the importance of dance.
Here are the best bits:
The teachers didn't hold back; they were brutal, opinionated and blunt. Motivated by a desire for us to be the very best musical theatre performers and with no time to waste on beating around the bush, they seldom told us what we'd done right and focused instead on telling us exactly what needed to be changed and improved upon. The better you were, the more specific and detailed the notes. Sometimes it's difficult to hold onto a core belief in your own abilities when you face a torrent of "corrections', but that is what we had to do
When you assume you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”.
I learned that once you physically move with information it has a different texture; like ) walking over sand, stones or grass. You discover new qualities in the ground once you feel it under your feet, rather than simply look at its surface - and I find words to be the same. Lying still on the page they all seem rather bland, but when I move with them our relationship changes; I feel them from a different perspective.
George Bernard Shaw described it perfectly when he wrote that dancing is "the perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire legalised by music". When people move in synchrony. for example, when they walk or sing together, amazing things happen. If you want a person to like you more, then one of the first things you should do is go for a walk with them, and walk at their pace. Synchronize your walking speed with theirs, and magic happens. I was astonished when I first discovered that this simple act of synchronization leads people to have more positive feelings towards each other.
Take the story of a certain/Frau Troffea, who one day in 1518, went down to the riverbank in Strasbourg and began to dance. She danced alone, and no music could be heard. She seemed to be in her own world, moving frenetically to the rhythms in her head for several days. Gradually the townsfolk began to gather around, mesmerised by her performance, and one by one they joined in, until there was a heaving mass dancing on the riverbank, non-stop, day and night. The riverbank became drenched in blood as the dancers feet blistered and split, and by the time the dancing frenzy was over, some 30 days later, dozens had dropped dead. No one knows why Frau Troffea started to dance on the riverbank, or what caused hundreds of people to join in with her, but this story is not unique. There are many stories of similar "dancing plagues" in history: the earliest report is from 1012, when an ouF break in eastern Saxony is said to have lasted a whole and built out to a frenzied climax.
The Puritan leader, Increase Mather, was so afraid of how mixed-gender and promiscuous dancing might corrupt society that he wrote a 30-page pamphlet called "An arrow against profane and promiscuous dancing. Drawn out of the quiver of the scriptures".
I can remember an hour before taking my driving test in 1982, dancing to "Freebird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd in my parents' sitting room. It is a heavy-rock anthem that builds to an amazing, head-banging, sweaty, exhausting crescendo. As I shook my head and limbs to the music, I collected up the tension from the different parts of my body and released it in an explosion of energy. When I took my driving test, I was on fire: three-point turn, a breeze, emergency brake executed within the space of a postage stamp, and safe stopping distances repeated to perfection.
In 2002, a team of scientists from the Laboratory of Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School were particularly interested in this idea and decided to explore the effect of sleeping on people's memory for movements. They taught people a finger-dance sequence of movements with just one finger - and then assessed how well they could remember it twelve hours later. The results were amazing. The people who learned the dance and then slept before being tested performed it much better than those who learned it and then stayed awake before being tested. What is even more remarkable is that it doesn't matter when you sleep - you still get the same improvement in performance even if you learn something, then wait all day before going to bed.
Famously, Captain James Cook, the commander of HIMS Endeavour, ordered his crew to dance the sailor's hornpipe as they sailed through the Atlantic and the southern Pacific Ocean towards New Zealand and then Australia.
The American fantasy fiction author, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, captures the essence of dance as the intersection between the past and the future, the now: “In a society that worships love, freedom, and beauty, dance is sacred. It is a prayer for the future, a remembrance of the past and a joyful exclamation of thanks for the present.
Here are the best bits:
The teachers didn't hold back; they were brutal, opinionated and blunt. Motivated by a desire for us to be the very best musical theatre performers and with no time to waste on beating around the bush, they seldom told us what we'd done right and focused instead on telling us exactly what needed to be changed and improved upon. The better you were, the more specific and detailed the notes. Sometimes it's difficult to hold onto a core belief in your own abilities when you face a torrent of "corrections', but that is what we had to do
When you assume you make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”.
I learned that once you physically move with information it has a different texture; like ) walking over sand, stones or grass. You discover new qualities in the ground once you feel it under your feet, rather than simply look at its surface - and I find words to be the same. Lying still on the page they all seem rather bland, but when I move with them our relationship changes; I feel them from a different perspective.
George Bernard Shaw described it perfectly when he wrote that dancing is "the perpendicular expression of a horizontal desire legalised by music". When people move in synchrony. for example, when they walk or sing together, amazing things happen. If you want a person to like you more, then one of the first things you should do is go for a walk with them, and walk at their pace. Synchronize your walking speed with theirs, and magic happens. I was astonished when I first discovered that this simple act of synchronization leads people to have more positive feelings towards each other.
Take the story of a certain/Frau Troffea, who one day in 1518, went down to the riverbank in Strasbourg and began to dance. She danced alone, and no music could be heard. She seemed to be in her own world, moving frenetically to the rhythms in her head for several days. Gradually the townsfolk began to gather around, mesmerised by her performance, and one by one they joined in, until there was a heaving mass dancing on the riverbank, non-stop, day and night. The riverbank became drenched in blood as the dancers feet blistered and split, and by the time the dancing frenzy was over, some 30 days later, dozens had dropped dead. No one knows why Frau Troffea started to dance on the riverbank, or what caused hundreds of people to join in with her, but this story is not unique. There are many stories of similar "dancing plagues" in history: the earliest report is from 1012, when an ouF break in eastern Saxony is said to have lasted a whole and built out to a frenzied climax.
The Puritan leader, Increase Mather, was so afraid of how mixed-gender and promiscuous dancing might corrupt society that he wrote a 30-page pamphlet called "An arrow against profane and promiscuous dancing. Drawn out of the quiver of the scriptures".
I can remember an hour before taking my driving test in 1982, dancing to "Freebird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd in my parents' sitting room. It is a heavy-rock anthem that builds to an amazing, head-banging, sweaty, exhausting crescendo. As I shook my head and limbs to the music, I collected up the tension from the different parts of my body and released it in an explosion of energy. When I took my driving test, I was on fire: three-point turn, a breeze, emergency brake executed within the space of a postage stamp, and safe stopping distances repeated to perfection.
In 2002, a team of scientists from the Laboratory of Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School were particularly interested in this idea and decided to explore the effect of sleeping on people's memory for movements. They taught people a finger-dance sequence of movements with just one finger - and then assessed how well they could remember it twelve hours later. The results were amazing. The people who learned the dance and then slept before being tested performed it much better than those who learned it and then stayed awake before being tested. What is even more remarkable is that it doesn't matter when you sleep - you still get the same improvement in performance even if you learn something, then wait all day before going to bed.
Famously, Captain James Cook, the commander of HIMS Endeavour, ordered his crew to dance the sailor's hornpipe as they sailed through the Atlantic and the southern Pacific Ocean towards New Zealand and then Australia.
The American fantasy fiction author, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, captures the essence of dance as the intersection between the past and the future, the now: “In a society that worships love, freedom, and beauty, dance is sacred. It is a prayer for the future, a remembrance of the past and a joyful exclamation of thanks for the present.
December 13, 2021
This book was interesting and with the exception of a couple of tidbits, it didn't really offer anything new and probably wouldn't spur a non-dancer to engage in the activity. Mr. Lovatt had plenty of suggestions and reasons why people may not dance but being a dancer myself, I think it really all comes down to just getting people in an actual class. As passionate as the author is about the psychology of dance, I don't think a non-dancer would really pick up this book unless they had a burning desire to try it in the first place but couldn't get past feeling intimidated. I did really appreciate his inspiring story of overcoming a severe reading challenge to obtain all his education. That alone made this read worth it.
January 18, 2024
I found this randomly on a display in my local library and I’m happy I did! As a professional dancer and someone with a degree in psychology, the language was a bit simple and shallow for my personal experience. I found myself growing a bit bored while reading and wanted to know more. But I would recommend it to anyone who’s beginning out with psychology and dance! Everything is explained and laid out very well and makes for an easily digestible and interesting book.
March 3, 2024
Really great concepts and ideas shared in a way that is accessible to those with limited knowledge of psychology and dance. Focuses on the benefits of recreational dance for all.
Turns out non fiction puts me in a bit of reading slump so glad to have got this finished and also brought back wayyyyy too much dissertation trauma but this doesn’t reflect the quality of the book would still recommend
Turns out non fiction puts me in a bit of reading slump so glad to have got this finished and also brought back wayyyyy too much dissertation trauma but this doesn’t reflect the quality of the book would still recommend
April 11, 2021
I absolutely love this book and think everyone should read it. It is short, fast, easy to understand, and beautifully practical in its advice. Yes, there is a lot of science to back up what we can all easily observe in terms of the benefits of dancing, but even for people who have never danced, Lovatt gives very specific ways to get started for a whole host of social and emotional problems.
February 12, 2024
This book made me fall in love with dancing even more! Thank you Dr Lovatt for writing this. From one dancer to another, what an absolute joy to have dancing as a sacred part of our precious lives.
April 3, 2024
Well this was lovely.
September 3, 2022
“Dance. v. intransitive. To leap, skip, hop, or glide with measured steps and rhythmical movements of the body, usually to the accompaniment of music, either by oneself, or with a partner or in a set.” – The Oxford English Dictionary
I love a good boogie, this has become slightly restricted to a kitchen disco as I’ve got older but I do love a bounce round to something upbeat. Spotting a book that delves not into the physical benefits of dancing but also the psychology and mental benefits really jumped out at me.
… do your body and mind a favour and dance.
Lovett’s first chapter gives his background from a bullied dyslexic boy of the 70s who preferred to dance than kick a ball around a pitch, through to his educational successes obtaining a degree, masters and doctorate. This guy showed real resilience and commitment to overcoming his past adversaries.
Self-consciousness holds us back from doing things that we have a natural urge to do.
Lovett looks into social dancing, the fad of flash mobs and the controversial rave scene – I found his section about electronic music really interesting. As a dance music lover, understanding how the bpm in a track is linked to heart rates and how DJs increase the bpm as their set or the evening goes on to give a crowd the natural high was fascinating. There are also so many real life stories Lovett recounts broke up the thought provoking factual narrative. My heart broke as I read about Sofia the dance dreamer.
Despite the book not being particularly long (Amazon quotes the e-book to be 160 pages), Lovatt packs a lot in. It felt a lot longer with the amount of material covered. I found The Dance Cure a great insight into the power of dance whether it’s public and spontaneous, a structured class or behind a closed door in private. As with all forms of exercise, dancing has multiple benefits but dance has that little bit more. I even got a new playlist out of it!
Dancing gives us a pulse; a spark of life.
I love a good boogie, this has become slightly restricted to a kitchen disco as I’ve got older but I do love a bounce round to something upbeat. Spotting a book that delves not into the physical benefits of dancing but also the psychology and mental benefits really jumped out at me.
… do your body and mind a favour and dance.
Lovett’s first chapter gives his background from a bullied dyslexic boy of the 70s who preferred to dance than kick a ball around a pitch, through to his educational successes obtaining a degree, masters and doctorate. This guy showed real resilience and commitment to overcoming his past adversaries.
Self-consciousness holds us back from doing things that we have a natural urge to do.
Lovett looks into social dancing, the fad of flash mobs and the controversial rave scene – I found his section about electronic music really interesting. As a dance music lover, understanding how the bpm in a track is linked to heart rates and how DJs increase the bpm as their set or the evening goes on to give a crowd the natural high was fascinating. There are also so many real life stories Lovett recounts broke up the thought provoking factual narrative. My heart broke as I read about Sofia the dance dreamer.
Despite the book not being particularly long (Amazon quotes the e-book to be 160 pages), Lovatt packs a lot in. It felt a lot longer with the amount of material covered. I found The Dance Cure a great insight into the power of dance whether it’s public and spontaneous, a structured class or behind a closed door in private. As with all forms of exercise, dancing has multiple benefits but dance has that little bit more. I even got a new playlist out of it!
Dancing gives us a pulse; a spark of life.
September 24, 2022
Absolutely Excellent, perfectly encompassed the world of dance with the world of psychology. The passion conveyed throughout the book was incredible. The book contained many interesting case studies and opened my mind further to the numerous benefits of dance. I learnt a little more about different dance styles but also felt a personal connection with the journey of dance, studying and reshaping the career of Peter Lowatt. At the end it clearly highlights some of the best songs to groove to and the different benefits of dance that can be gained depending on the style which is so fascinating. I was truly amazed by the study on Parkinson’s disease but loved all the case studies which helped to broaden my neuroscience knowledge. I would recommend this book to anyone who dances, has an interest in the artistry and benefits of dance or anyone whom is considering increasing their exercise and trying a new form. Theres so much i could say about this wonderful book, it kept me engaged from start to finish and a flew through it in my bouts of free time. 10/10 from me 🙋♀️🎉
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October 18, 2021From the "dance psychologist" Dr Lovatt tells his story of becoming a dancer while dealing with dyslexia, his academic journey, and the studies he and others have done on the impact dance has on humans. He provides some advice for types of dances to try for creativity, agility, or general health and ends the book with several musical playlists.
This was an interesting companion to my music nonfic month - not much dance happens without music afterall. The tone and language are light, not too academic, and I don't know if this would convince anyone who doesn't already enjoy a spot of dancing (when is the last time I've been dancing anyway???)
This was an interesting companion to my music nonfic month - not much dance happens without music afterall. The tone and language are light, not too academic, and I don't know if this would convince anyone who doesn't already enjoy a spot of dancing (when is the last time I've been dancing anyway???)
May 22, 2025
This is such a great book about the benefits of dancing for social, emotional, and physical health. It’s a fun and easy read. As a retired professional ballet/modern dancer, this book was a great reminder about how important it is to dance and from personal experience I can say that what is described here and has been scientifically studied, I have personally experienced in terms of impact on both physical and mental health.
Highly recommend reading this for everyone - those who consider themselves non-dancers as well as those who do!
Highly recommend reading this for everyone - those who consider themselves non-dancers as well as those who do!
August 13, 2022
Interesting, light, motivating
I noted some of the points to increase my motivation , and plan to diversify my dance as I think about my mood and creativity.
So a worthwhile read drawing together some generally accepted science to focus on dance. I hope that airports do start providing dance booths, but until then I’ll create a series of contemplative stretches and poses as advised to keep my mind and body calm and relaxed.
I noted some of the points to increase my motivation , and plan to diversify my dance as I think about my mood and creativity.
So a worthwhile read drawing together some generally accepted science to focus on dance. I hope that airports do start providing dance booths, but until then I’ll create a series of contemplative stretches and poses as advised to keep my mind and body calm and relaxed.
May 6, 2020
Lovatt's message in this is simple but the evidence he provides is very impactful. Particularly catching for me was the application of dance in the performance of Rugby teams. We need to shatter the self-consciousness of dance.
March 11, 2023
Really enjoyed the discussion of the various studies throughout the book, but found the rest of it a little obvious? Maybe that’s because of my degree. Also maybe I read it at the wrong time, with my dissertation coming up perhaps I associate the topics discussed with stress
January 14, 2024
This book was gift from my brother and it was a joy to read. Everything that I felt when dancing was explained by science when I was reading this book. This book was filled with a lot of "AHA!" moments for me, I loved it
December 28, 2024
I really enjoyed this book -- wish it had gone on a bit longer and not cited the now-debunked "power posing" research from Cuddy. The book is on the cusp of greatness, but there's so much more to be said on this topic that it didn't get into.
July 28, 2025
Does a good job expressing how I feel about dancing and how I feel at Zumba class. I was never sure how to express how I felt but this book does a good job of expressing the feelings and emotions one feels when participating in dance.
September 22, 2021
Absolutely loved it, my two favourite subjects wrapped up in one book 💕
Very thought provoking, excellent read.
Very thought provoking, excellent read.
June 3, 2022
As a dancer, this gives great insight on how dance helps me physically and mentally
February 9, 2023
just dance!
July 18, 2023
Interessant! Vooral de studies die besproken werden enzo. Voor de rest ook wel wat eenvoudig ofzo, veel herhaling van steeds hetzelfde.
January 27, 2025
Easy, short and fun read. Excited to go dancing after reding this.
May 31, 2025
I'm so glad I found this book. His research, story and insights on dance and life are so affirming.
November 29, 2025
I loved this examination of how dancing helps your mental and physical health. Plus great song recommendations to dance to.
I’m buying it.
I’m buying it.
January 2, 2025
Nice read.
June 1, 2021
Interesting and accessible
An interesting and accessible book discussing how dance makes the world a better place. What more could you want, other than to actually dance yourself? Nice job Peter!
An interesting and accessible book discussing how dance makes the world a better place. What more could you want, other than to actually dance yourself? Nice job Peter!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews