Dancers Are More Intelligent

Posted by Brett Slansky | 5:03 AM | 0 comments »

By Hedrick Lepsch


Webster describes calligraphy as an "artistic, stylized, or elegant handwriting or lettering" and "the art of producing such writing." Many today consider handwritten calligraphy an art form and some dedicate their entire lives to mastering calligraphic technique by hand.

What is 'Intelligent'?

Origins and Evolution

Western Calligraphy finds its roots in the Latin alphabet as it emerged from the Etruscan alphabet. Romans began using the script as they replaced papyrus scrolls and reed pens with the first books, fashioned from animal skin parchment, and quill pens. Illuminated texts using various calligraphic fonts can be found throughout the historical documents of Europe ranging from the Celtic Book of Kells to the Carolingan miniscule script developed by a scribe under the direction of Charlemagne. This script provided the foundation on which modern booktype is based.

Through the middle ages, illuminated texts were produced by the thousands. Scribes from various geographies favored different font types and would use and develop unique script for their texts, pushing the evolution of calligraphy through to our modern era.

Roughly a decade ago the New England Journal of Medicine posted a study they completed entitled, "Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly". The study examined a population of elderly participants as they engaged in various physical and cognitive leisure activities. Over the course of 21 years, the study collected data on activities from reading and doing crosswords to swimming, golfing, and dancing.

The advent of the printing press and movable type in the 15th century did not eliminate the art of calligraphy, though it did significantly slow the production of illuminated and hand written texts. The end of the 19th century would leave two young men, Edward Johnston and Rudolf Koch, thoroughly enamored of the study of calligraphy.

Johnston is considered, with Koch, to be the father of modern calligraphy. Both men published a variety of books on the topic and each developed calligraphic typefaces that are still in standard use today. In fact, the Johnston typeface was the foundation of the font in the signage of the London Underground and continues to live on since it was re-designed in 1988 and developed into the New Johnston typeface.

Make it yours

Modern calligraphy still exists in the handwritten form and documents can be commissioned from professional calligraphers. Whole websites are dedicated to the art and tools of hand written calligraphy and training is available for those who truly wish to master this skill.

For those of us who dance socially, we understand that no dance is ever the same. Even if you were to dance six times in a row to the same song with the same person, the dance will look and feel differently each time. This means that every single dance is allowing you to create thousands of new neural paths, which strengthens and protects your mind from decay.

Mental acuity is just one of the benefits of social dancing. Whether you're a student working toward a graphic arts degree or you've already graduated and are part of the workforce, everyone can participate and take advantage of the many perks of social dancing. Get smart! Start dancing!




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