West Coast Swing: A Dance Into Healing

My journey into healing didn’t begin with therapy, books, or even intentional self-discovery. It began, quite unexpectedly, with a dance.

The Night That Changed Everything

I was just 11 years old when I was invited to tag along on my mom’s date—a rare treat in those days. We were headed to a country barn dance in Prescott, Arizona, and my heart brimmed with excitement. I had always loved to dance. That passion came from my mother, who came alive every time music filled a room.

I sat on the sidelines, wide-eyed, watching adults glide across the floor to the rhythms of West Coast Swing. The music was captivating. The movement? Magnetic.

Then, something unexpected happened. My mother’s date turned to me and asked, “Would you like to learn?”

Eager, nervous, and bursting with anticipation, I stepped onto the dance floor. As he gently guided me through the steps, something awakened inside of me. Joy—pure and unfiltered—rushed through my body. That night, I danced with other adults who kindly took me under their wing, and each dance deepened my sense of belonging. I remember thinking, “This is the happiest day of my life.”

I didn’t realize it then, but that night would become the foundation of a lifelong journey of healing and reconnection through movement.

Why Dance Heals

West Coast Swing gave me more than just a dance. It became a lifeline.

Growing up in a home full of instability—six divorces by the time I was still a child—left me feeling disconnected, unsure of where I belonged, and desperately craving joy, acceptance, and safety. I yearned to feel like a kid again—free, playful, and whole.

Dance gave me that.

It was the first time I felt my nervous system settle and my spirit lift. I didn’t have the language then to describe what I was feeling, but now I know: dance is a somatic healing tool. It bypasses the mind and speaks directly to the body, gently unraveling trauma, tension, and fear—without needing to relive the pain.

West Coast Swing and Somatic Healing

Today, as a somatic coach and trauma-informed dance teacher, I see this truth daily: our bodies remember, but they also know how to heal.

West Coast Swing, in particular, has a way of inviting connection—first to ourselves, then to others. It teaches trust, attunement, and expression. The rhythm, the groundedness, and the play between lead and follow activate joy, rewire old patterns, and help restore safety within the body.

This isn’t just about dancing. It’s about living.

A Gentle Invitation

If you’ve experienced disconnection, trauma, or simply lost touch with the joy of being in your body, I want you to know there is another way.

Healing doesn’t always come from sitting in a chair or revisiting your pain through words. Sometimes, it comes from the sway of a rhythm, the grounding of your feet, the feel of a partner’s hand in yours, and the music that calls your spirit forward.

Sometimes, healing starts with just one dance.

So come dance with me. Let your body speak. Let it guide you back to joy, to connection, to you.

Because you were born to move—with meaning.