Building Community Through Dance

The instructor puts on a reggae tune and counts us down: “Five, six, seven, eight . . .” All twenty beginner students take the first steps in unison—some confident, some not. Half way through, this middle-aged woman catches the beat, gets low with the rhythm. Hips sway. Feet ground on the good earth. Body twirls round and round. Arms and hands are raised to the darkening sky, her eyes bright and her face smiling. She lifts her head, letting her hair swing. The first droplets fall. But let it rain. Let people watch and stare and judge. She doesn’t care. She’s dancing.

Inspired by 7 Minutes. Image by Dmytro Kolin.