How Dance Helps Women Reclaim the Body

A cinematic scene of a woman dancing in a dim, vintage-style living room as a partner holds her from behind, their bodies moving slowly in warm, atmospheric light.
Photo by Koolshooters

Dancing as Embodiment and Liberation

To go dance is to be fully embodied and somehow to forget our bodies all at once. Dance allows us to connect with our energy, release judgment, and step into our own expression.

A Childhood Witness to Feminine Expression

When I was fourteen, my mother began belly dancing. She would return from errands with bags overflowing with hip scarves, beaded hair medallions, zils, and velvet bras dripping with coins. Soon she danced at Moroccan restaurants, fully alive, her hips and tummy folds moving in rhythm with tribal drums. Her body expressed a shakti energy I would come to understand as a form of feminine power. I was mesmerized by her troupe, women with white hair falling to their elbows, bodies like mother earth, and the carefree energy of a child. And they all smiled knowingly, proud yet sly. I thought, This is what it means to be a woman.

Finding My Own Expression Through Dance

I started dancing too, musical theater, jazz, contemporary, but my truest expression happened alone at home. Feet stomping, hands exploring, eyes closed, I entered a sacred place where every cell felt connected, the boundary between body and earth blurred, and presence replaced negative self talk. Being present in my body through dance made all critical thoughts about my physical flaws vanish, leaving only awe at what my body could do.

Dance as a Lifelong Practice

At 30, I can let dance take over even in public, unbothered by body insecurities. I feel more womanly, grounded, and free. Recent inspirations, twerking, lap dances, shaking what my belly dancin mama gave me, have deepened my connection to my body. What I once dismissed as not spiritual now feels transcendent and powerful.

The Message for All Women

I yearn to shout, “It’s OK to express yourself. Take what society has shamed you for and empower yourself with it.” If women everywhere danced freely, eyes closed and feet stomping, perhaps we would all learn to embrace our bodies and celebrate what it means to be a woman.