Taking salsa classes can improve mental health, Oxford study suggests

Salsa is one of the most popular dance forms, with hundreds of millions of followers worldwide. A mix of Caribbean, Spanish and African musical styles and rhythms, it is believed to offer many cognitive and physical benefits, such as improving cardiovascular health, muscle tone and posture.

Now a randomised controlled trial suggests it could also reduce depression and anxiety. Researchers at the University of Oxford and the Oxford Health NHS trust studied 121 young adults with mild to moderate depression and anxiety who were randomly assigned to a salsa dance programme or a control group.

Both groups of 18- to 24-year-olds completed mental health questionnaires before, during and after the eight-week programme.

The study, which was published in Psychological Medicine, found those who took part in salsa showed a clinically significant greater reduction in depressive symptoms and social anxiety than the control group, as well as larger increases in daily happiness.

Brennan Delattre, the lead author of the research, said: “These findings are noteworthy because, as salsa is physical, social, musical, structured, and often playful, it asks people to engage with others, but within a clear framework: steps, patterns, partner rotation, and a predictable class routine. For some people, this may make social contact feel more manageable than an unstructured social group setting.”

She said the results were not yet strong enough to support prescribing salsa as a stand-alone treatment for clinically diagnosed depression, but added: “GPs and social prescribing services could consider accessible social-dance classes as an optional wellbeing or adjunctive intervention, particularly for young people who find them appealing.”

Further clinical trials with active comparison groups would be necessary before making stronger prescribing recommendations, Delattre said.

The findings followed previous research on social prescribing that found adolescents on mental health waiting lists who were prescribed karate, art classes, Pokémon tournaments, book clubs and nature walking clubs saw improvements in their resilience, behaviour and relationships.

Dr Daniel Hayes, the lead author of that study and deputy director of the National Centre for Social Prescribing Data and Analysis at University College London, welcomed Delattre’s findings.

He said: “Mental health care shouldn’t begin and end in the consulting room. While not every young person needs or wants the same activity, this study adds to growing evidence that helping people take part in enjoyable, social activities in their communities can support mental health.

“Our research found that connecting young people to community groups through social prescribing improved resilience and social functioning. Salsa may not be the answer for everyone but having accessible, enjoyable opportunities to be active, connect with others and feel part of a community could be.”

Dr Keir Philip, a clinical lecturer for the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, said: “The world has changed dramatically – 50 years ago, social dancing would not have been considered an ‘intervention’, it would have been a standard Saturday night. Perhaps this study is actually treating a dance deficiency that we didn’t know we have.

“This study does not suggest that salsa is a cure for depression, rather a useful tool to add to existing options.”