This World Needs More Dancing

 
 

It’s been eight months exactly since I decided that the world needs more dancing. For me, this was two months of a ten-minute daily dance session with myself. Sometimes two a day… and sometimes not by myself.

I dance to have a safe place to express my emotions. I dance to invite joy and playfulness into my life. I dance to keep my heart open. I dance to let the sadness, anger, shame, and guilt move through my body. I dance for the women in my family who didn't have the time to play. I dance for the people of this world who can't dance because of war, oppression, depression, physical limitations, or whatever the reason. I dance for my nieces and the battles they will face in their lifetime being a woman in this world.

Here is what has happened since I’ve invited more dancing into my life:

  • Several people offered to dance with me.

  • My breath work sangha has implemented a weekly dance party on Tuesdays after we breathe together on Zoom. 

  • My bestie in Arizona and I have FaceTime dance party dates. 

  • My 9-year-old niece and nephew are into my dance parties - Our music choices differ occasionally but we compromise. 

  • My cousin texted me that her husband was feeling anxious and her suggestion of dancing to their wedding song calmed him. 

  • I danced in the treetops of Costa Rica and started some dance parties. I even found some great new Latin music to groove to.

  • A new friend I had never met in person needed a dance session and we danced at 9:30 pm together on Zoom.

  • My sister said, “Enough with your dance parties.” I said, “Biiiiiiiitch… don’t kill my vibe.”

  • I took a pole dancing class and was quite humbled by the practice I was going to need to put in.

  • The day after pole dancing I found myself in search of a chiropractor. That was two months ago and I have not been back on the pole since.. I will be back someday to pole dancing class to use the 5 additional sessions I pre-paid for. 

  • I danced in the rain… many times.

  • I had a post yoga class dance party with Leslie Moore and were kindly asked to turn the music down because we were disturbing the healing happening upstairs… whoops!

  • My boyfriend and I performed the dance from Pulp Fiction in character as Mia Wallace & Vincent Vega and we won best couples Halloween costume.

  • Dancing has increased my capacity to do hard things… like making Instagram reels. Check out this one of some of my fav dancing moments.

A special shout out to a few of you who have inspired me to dance - Madi Smedley, Megan Swanson, Lizzo, Kayla Slusher, Amanda Comi, Courtney Wilhide, Brandon Barnhard, and many more!!