… 5, 6, 7, 8: The many and interrelated benefits of line dancing - a scoping review

Line dancing, often associated with social gatherings, is gaining recognition for its broad health benefits, prompting a review of its effects on mental, physical, social, and cognitive health. This scoping review examines and maps primary research on the effects of line dancing on the multiple factors that impact well-being, namely physical and mental health. We also address social participation, cognitive health and other areas of positive or negative impact identified. A search performed in PubMed, Scopus, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) resulted in 16 articles across 15 studies. The findings indicate that line dancing enhances physical health by improving balance, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness. In relation to mental health, it contributes to reduced depression and anxiety symptoms. Socially, line dancing fosters community engagement and friendships. Cognitively, participants experience improvements in memory and executive functions. This review highlights the health benefits of line dancing, with evidence suggesting that line dancing is an effective health intervention with benefits for physical, mental, social, and cognitive health across various age groups.