I can feel the gentle trade winds caressing my face as hips sway to the music. Is that the heavenly scent of plumeria as the lei slips over my head? Eyes closed, surrounded by Hawaiian rhythms and motions, I'm in the islands...at least spiritually. It's Thursday night, time for my Hula Light and Easy dance class, and all the wahine are feeling the waters of aloha wash over them.

Hula is just one of the dances gaining in popularity as people young and old turn to moving their bodies and boogieing to a beat for fitness, spirituality and a sense of accomplishment. From Dancing with the Stars to Strictly Ballroom and Fame, American culture is fascinated by all types of dancing. But never have there been so many outlets and choices for practicing, playing and bopping.

From studios offering classical ballroom, West Coast swing and foxtrot to athletic clubs teaching Zumba and Nia, daily tango sessions and schools that specialize in particular types of dance like musical theater or hip-hop, the choices for getting moving are numerous. Classes in Marin are available across all age ranges.

Kids as young as 2 can start learning creative body movement. As they get older, the types of classes offered cover the spectrum from break dancing to tap, with many studios staging a live performance so students can demonstrate what they've learned. Mill Valley's RoCo Dance, for instance, is presenting a pair of "RoCo Dance on Stage" performances Jan. 24 in the Veterans' Auditorium at Marin Center. To RoCo Dance director Annie Parr, nothing compares to the body benefits of a lifetime of dance.

"Dance is a physical, personal and emotional outlet that can be internally felt or projected through performance," says Parr. "It's kept me youthful in my body and helps with all kinds of other physical activities." (Hopefully it helps with such physical activities as lifting boxes—RoCo is set to open a second location, in Fairfax, at the beginning of February.)

For toddlers to teens, dance is a tool for personal development, giving individual body awareness, increasing self-confidence and promoting growth physically and mentally. The performances are as varied as the types of classes offered. Stapleton School of the Performing Arts puts on three musicals each year with a multigenerational cast of dancers and musical theater performers. Marin Ballet presents the Nutcracker every December as well as spring concerts that highlight faculty choreography. Marin Dance Theatre stages Sophie and the Enchanted Toy Shop annually, showcasing the achievements of students in ballet and contemporary dance. RoCo presents two shows every year that emphasize the countless dance styles taught at the studio across different age groups. All performances give students an opportunity to work together toward a shared purpose and provide a sense of accomplishment.

In addition to the adult programs offered at the aforementioned schools, grownups have plenty of other choices for dancing or learning to dance in Marin. Partner dancing is thriving with salsa, ballroom and West Coast swing classes taught at DanceArts in San Rafael. The studio offers parties every Friday for couples to practice their steps in a casual environment, stressing certain types of dance each week, such as the waltz or rumba.

Marin's municipalities offer different kinds of dance classes through their community services organizations, like the West Coast swing classes at the San Rafael Community Center. Tango's popularity is spreading like wild fire and couples can dance these passionate steps at places like Stage Dor in Sausalito.

Partner dancing encourages closeness and working together toward a goal. Just as solo dancing provides an emotional outlet, partner dancing does as well--except four feet are moving in the same direction, providing deep satisfaction and downright fun.

Dancing can be a way to learn more about a culture. Hula is a spiritual dance celebrating the Hawaiian culture. The sensuous poses, soothing music and motions conveying life on the Islands transports the dancer to another time and place. Tango, the national dance of Argentina, also conveys cultural elements. The music, clothes, shoes and provocative, action-packed steps saturate the participants with the essence of that South American country. Plus, since it's a partner dance, it is undeniably sexy to watch and participate in.

Many current dance forms are for fitness; but the physical element allows for self-expression, so dancers may also feel a sense of spirituality and release of stress. Participants of non-impact aerobics--or Nia, a combination of dance, martial arts and fitness--report elation, flowing with their spirit and letting out their inner child after taking classes. Jazzercise is another dance-fitness program that inspires happiness and devotion. Created by a jazz dancer in the 1980s, lively music, kicky moves and strength-building routines keep Jazzercisers coming back.

No matter the reason students come to dance classes, most leave feeling relieved of stress because they go on a little mental vacation.

Take my friend Bill. His face lights up when I ask him about dancing. He and his wife started lessons so they would know how to dance at a wedding. Soon they were hooked. Bill says, "Within three minutes of the class starting, it's like magic. All the stress of life disappears." They became so impassioned by tango that they traveled to Buenos Aires recently, staying up into the wee hours every night to dance their tootsies off.

Not only is dancing good for the health of your body at any age, it is also good for your head. From tots to folks in the twilight of their life, dancing can make you feel free of stress and inhibitions. It can increase self-confidence as it increases your heart rate and teach you about other cultures. It can deepen your spirituality when you're least expecting it. There you are dancing—and suddenly you're in a different country, in your head anyway.

When I step back into my life after Hula Light and Easy, I feel rejuvenated. That spirit of aloha stays with me until the next Thursday, when I pull on my skirt, take off my shoes and start swaying to the ukulele.

Tango with Brooke at brooke.d.jackson@gmail.com.

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