Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and other popular television shows have brought the art of dance into the mainstream limelight. And that has a lot of people asking the question, “Does dancing count as a workout?”

The answer is “yes,” according to the Mayo Clinic and other respected health organizations. Dancing can burn as many calories as swimming, walking, cycling, or any other fitness activity.

One of the greatest health benefits of dancing is cardiovascular conditioning. Dancing improves heart rate and overall physical fitness, similar to a walking or jogging program.

Besides the cardio burn, dancing can also build strong bones. Since dancing is a weight-bearing activity, it can actually help to prevent or slow the process of osteoporosis.

Perhaps best of all, dancing can improve your mood. Dancing increases serotonin levels. These feel-good brain chemicals are released into your bloodstream after just five minutes of moderately intense dancing exercise.

Judi Sheppard Missett, founder and CEO of Jazzercise, Inc., has built a worldwide dance-based fitness program. She offers these tips for anyone who wants to incorporate dance into their fitness regimen:

• Don’t be a wallflower. If you want to dance, then you have to take the first step.
• Go easy on yourself. Set aside your expectations and simply have fun.
• Stick with it. If you want the cardiovascular and bone density benefits that dancing provides, and then you have to be persistent with your workouts.

Making your debut on the dance floor doesn’t have to be complicated. The only requirement is to get your body moving. You may not look like Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers, but you will certainly burn calories, and have fun doing it!