The benefits of dance workouts for your brain, mood and body: Why dance?
because the best workout is the one you’ll actually do
Spoiler: it’s not the hardest one. It’s the one you can’t wait to come back to. Here’s the science behind the party.
Fun is the cheat code seriously, it’s science
Workouts don’t fail because they’re too hard. They fail because you stop showing up.
- ~50%
Ghost by month 6
About half of people who start a new exercise program quit within six months. Not here.
Source: Jekauc, Psychology, 2015
- 1 in 4
Actually hit the guidelines
Only about a quarter of U.S. adults get enough cardio and strength each week. Let’s fix that.
Source: CDC, NCHS Data Brief 443
- Joy
= you keep coming back
Love your workout and you stick with it. In one study, making exercise more fun boosted attendance.
Source: Jekauc, Psychology, 2015
Brain gains every 8-count is a puzzle
Learn the move. Remember it. Hit it on the beat. Your brain works as hard as your legs.
Your memory’s new BFF
A study followed 469 adults over 75 for about five years. Of all the physical activities they tracked, dancing was the only one linked to a lower risk of dementia. Researchers think all that brainwork is why.
Source: Verghese et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 2003. Observational study.
Keeps your wiring tight
In a 6-month trial with 174 adults ages 60 to 79, the brain’s white matter declined in most groups. Only the dance group improved, in an area tied to memory and processing speed.
Source: Burzynska et al., Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2017
Mood boost sweat it out, dance it off
Feeling good after class isn’t in your head. Well, it is, but in the best way. Research says moving your body can help treat depression, and help keep it away in the first place.
How dance stacks up
Drop in depression symptoms compared with active controls, from a 2024 review of 218 trials in The BMJ. Longer bar = bigger effect.
The dance result comes from 5 small trials with 107 people, so it’s promising, not proven. Exercise also worked well alongside therapy and medication. Never stop or change a treatment without talking to your doctor.
Source: Noetel et al., The BMJ, 2024. Effect sizes are Hedges’ g.
- 266K
Prevention counts
Across 49 studies of more than 266,000 people, the most active people were less likely to develop depression later, at every age and on every continent studied.
- -25%
3 classes a week
Adults who got the recommended 150 minutes of activity a week had a 25% lower risk of depression. That’s three 50-minute classes. Even half that was linked to 18% lower risk.
- Crowd
Better together
The BMJ review found exercise worked better in groups with clear structure. Sound familiar? A room full of people, an instructor cueing every move and live DJs keeping the energy up.
Source: Noetel et al., The BMJ, 2024
Body benefits how a 305 class works
Cardio with drops
Like a great set, class builds and drops. Most of it keeps you in your endurance zone, with bursts that push you higher, so you build stamina and power in the same 50 minutes.
- Endurance zone60–80% max heart rate
- Bursts80–95% max heart rate
More than cardio
Coordination, balance, moving in every direction and stretching for range of motion, all in one class. No equipment. No dance experience. If you can do a jumping jack, you can do 305.
Our why spoiler: it’s you
We didn’t just build a workout. We built a place to fall in love with yourself. Maybe for the first time.
- Spent years fighting your body?Call a truce. Let’s dance.
- Hated every workout you’ve tried?Same, babe. This one’s different.
- First class, comeback or day one?Every stage. Every body. Front row’s yours.
No weight-loss talk. No perfect. No judgment. Just club lights, live DJs and a room full of people hyping you up until you walk out taller than you walked in. Give 10% or 100%: you belong here.
Our mission: empower people to love themselves harder and express themselves louder.
- Self-empowerment
- Inclusivity
- Fun
- Self-expression
- Community responsibility
Questions? We Got You
Is dance a good workout?
Yes. A dance cardio class like 305 works your heart, coordination and balance. 305 classes keep you mostly in an endurance heart rate zone with short bursts of higher intensity, with no equipment needed.
Why is it easier to stick with a workout you enjoy?
Research links enjoying exercise with sticking with it. About half of people who start an exercise program quit within six months, and studies show that raising enjoyment during exercise can improve attendance.
Is dancing good for your brain?
Studies suggest it may be. In a study of 469 adults over 75 published in the New England Journal of Medicine, dancing was the only physical activity linked to a lower risk of dementia. A 2017 trial found dance improved white matter in a brain area tied to memory in older adults.
Is dancing good for mental health?
Research says yes. A 2024 review of 218 trials in The BMJ found exercise helps treat depression, and dance showed the largest drop in symptoms, ahead of therapy (CBT) and antidepressants alone, though the dance result comes from only 5 small trials. Exercise also worked well alongside therapy and medication. Talk to your doctor before changing any treatment.
Can exercise help prevent depression?
Studies suggest it can. A 2018 analysis of 49 studies with more than 266,000 people found more active people were less likely to develop depression. A 2022 review in JAMA Psychiatry linked 150 minutes of activity a week, about three 50-minute classes, to a 25% lower risk of depression.
Do I need dance experience to try 305?
No. 305 uses easy-to-follow moves and your instructor cues every step. If you can do a jumping jack, you can do 305.
How long is a 305 class?
Studio classes are 50 minutes. DC pop-up classes are 45 minutes.
How can I try 305?
New clients in NYC and DC can get 3 classes for $49, just $10 more than a single class. Philadelphia has its own new client offers.
Sources read up
- Noetel M, et al. Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. The BMJ, 2024.
- Verghese J, et al. Leisure activities and the risk of dementia in the elderly. New England Journal of Medicine, 2003.
- Burzynska AZ, et al. White matter integrity declined over 6 months, but dance intervention improved integrity of the fornix of older adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2017.
- Schuch FB, et al. Physical activity and incident depression: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2018.
- Pearce M, et al. Association between physical activity and risk of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 2022.
- Jekauc D. Enjoyment during exercise mediates the effects of an intervention on exercise adherence. Psychology, 2015.
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics. Data Brief 443: adults meeting physical activity guidelines.
This page shares general research and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting a new workout.