Canyon Ranch (Massachusetts)

Looking for the perfect exercise? You may want to add a pair of dancing shoes to your collection of athletic gear.

Any physical activity can benefit your body - and rhythmic movement is one of the most beneficial kinds. One study found that swimmers and rowers - both of whom practice a profoundly rhythmic form of exercise - had healthier immune systems than equally fit athletes, such as soccer players, whose sports are less informed by rhythm. Scientists have several theories about why this should be - one is that movement plus rhythm tends to create an anxiety-reducing meditative state. (Think of a baby being rocked, or a small child self-comforting by sitting and rocking himself.) Our bodies and our lives are ordered by rhythms great and small, so rhythm both feels great and does us good.

What the body wants
With the addition of music, rhythmic movement becomes dance, one of the most widely enjoyed forms of movement known to man.

To get an idea of the joy of movement, you need only watch children running around, playing and dancing. To recapture that feeling, simply check out a dance class in your area, take to the floor and let go. The body naturally wants to move to the beat, and when you allow your body to lose itself in movement, you'll experience joyful renewal, and get the best workout ever.

Whether you're a dancin' demon or new to the dance floor, classes are available for everyone. They can range from belly dancing to ballroom dancing and from square dance to salsa. Many fitness classes also use music so you can get your body moving to the rhythm.

Dance to your favorite beat
Even if you haven't danced since your high school prom, moving to the music may be in your future. Dance is an enjoyable, endlessly varied form of physical activity with strong mind-body and social components; if you like it, you're likely to stick with it. Here are some ways to started:

. Try dance/fitness classes at your local gym. From ZumbaŽ to world beat, these are fun, popular classes that work up a sweat.

. Take a ballroom dancing class with a partner. This is low-impact, indoor exercise that develops balance, agility and mind-body coordination. And who doesn't want to feel like Fred Astaire?

. Study beginning tap or belly dance, or sign up for a jazz class. If you register for a class, you have a regular appointment with fitness.

. Make a commitment to learn a strenuous dance form. There are impassioned folk and contra dance groups in nearly every community that hold regular events and welcome new members; country swing, tango and salsa are going strong in clubs in every city. Most give lessons to beginners. You can find them online or in your newspaper's events section.

Become a social dancer, take classes, dance around your living room, dance with your kids - just dance! It's a gift for your body and spirit, and it's a whole lot of fun.