Testimonials

What does Dance Is Medicine mean to me?

I have been dealing with anxiety for a handful of years (probably more than I actually realize if I’m being honest.) I am no stranger to what a panic attack feels like. In 2016 my father passed away very unexpectedly and tragically. My family and I dealt with an aftermath of grief that no one ever believes will happen to them. I was sick, sick with stress, grief, anger.... you name it, I was feeling it. After my son was born in 2018, my anxiety got worse. I found out my diet had to change for medical reasons and I gained a bunch of weight. That's when I found dance. Yes, in my early 30's I found dance.

The exercise dance class I checked out one night left me in tears. I felt a release of emotions.... I had found what I needed. What I had been looking for. I have been attending the same class religiously since the first time I walked into the room. It's very rare that I miss going at least a few times a week. In fact I love it so much, I became an instructor and look forward to teaching my weekly class.

In going to class I made friends. One good friend of mine introduced me to ballroom dancing and invited me to go along to a practice with her. I went, and fell in love with it. Where the exercise class was a way for me to "get my wiggles out" (I always say) ballroom was a way for me to grow my brain, to be a learner of dance, to try, and succeed at something I never had dreamed I would or could. Dance became my thing. I was hooked. I started losing weight, started sleeping through the night, found my new diet doable, and stopped having to take my anxiety medication. Not to mention the amount of friends I have made, friends that I now call my family.

So what does ‘dance is medicine’ mean to me? Exactly that.

Dance, quite literally, is my medicine. I know it is for so many.

I hope my passion for dance comes through in the products we have available for you.

Love, Steph

My first memories of partner dancing were “sock hops” in the high school gymnasium. They were called sock hops because you couldn’t wear your street shoes on the gym floors. The most popular guy in school was always there dancing with an assortment of girls and I know that’s why he was the most popular guy! He loved to dance!

Fast forward a few years and I was learning line dancing and some of the country partner songs. One of my proudest moments was when I bought my first pair of cowboy boots that I could wear to the dances! Those boots “spurred” me on to learn more and more of the dances. It was such a fun time for me.

When I joined the gym a decade or more ago, I found that I loved the classes. I am such a social person and classes appeal to that side of me. I absorb energy from others and find that my workouts are more intense when others participate. They offer a class called club dance and as soon as I tried it, I was hooked! High energy fun and DANCE! That’s really when DANCE became my MEDICINE. At that time in my life I was a divorced, single mom and found that all my stress and troubles melted away in those classes.

My latest dance adventure is ballroom dance. I wish I would have started ballroom dancing years ago! The technical aspect of it is challenging and I discovered that I love to compete. My dance instructor is very disciplined and encourages me to reach to become a better dancer every day of my life. Consequently, instead of fading away as the years march on, I am stretching mind and body and dancing! I feel the years melting away. Truly, dance is medicine!

-Lynn