The Dash Dance (Guest Post by Vicki England Patton)

It is an honor to be named the Dancer of the Month for July 2015!  Who would have thought that in just two short years this would be happening to me?  No one would have - especially not me.  I remember teaching my first solo Dancing Mindfulness class and how extremely nervous I was.  I have presented in front of audiences of my peers and students many times in my life, so I was not sure about why I was so nervous.  Maybe I was nervous because I wanted to be perfect.  I wanted the class to be perfect.  I wanted everyone to love the class.  I wanted everyone to have a positive experience. I think that is because I love the fact that I know there is an opportunity to positively affect someone’s life in each and every Dancing Mindfulness class. 


The great thing about Dancing Mindfulness for me is that it has helped me fulfill my lifelong ambition of “helping people to help themselves.”  We may not always hear about the ways that Dancing Mindfulness has had an effect on our students’ lives, but when we do, it makes it all worth it!  For example here are a few success stories: 

• Student remarks after taking approximately three Dancing Mindfulness classes that they have recorded their lowest blood pressure (BP) in several years.  Student attributes the lower BP readings to the Dancing Mindfulness practice.

• Student remarks that they would take the class but they will not participate in any group activity or be put in a situation where they have to dance in front of the group (i.e. doing the “stroll”).  I explain the concept of “non-judgment” and that the class is a personal journey.  She had two major breakthroughs during the class.  One was that she nearly quit at the near halfway mark as she was starting to have a panic attack and trouble breathing. At that point I had remarked about coming back to our breath periodically throughout the class anytime they feel the need.  She told me that my comment helped her to really focus on her breath and she then learned how to breathe.  She made it past the panic point and ended up dancing in the middle of the circle.  She was so into her dance and on her journey that she never realized that she was in the middle -- remember that was something she said she would never do! 

• Another student reported lower blood pressure readings! 

• Yet another student learned that she missed exercising and has subsequently started attending group classes at the local YMCA and goes three times a week in addition to the Dancing Mindfulness classes. 

From evaluations from the classes I learned that students appreciated the following:  the choice of music and inspirational messages; encouragement to be individually expressive/own style; found it relaxing, innovative music, no judgment about physical limitations, and some requested to have some specific steps/routines that can be incorporated.  So, as my teaching of Dancing Mindfulness continues, I’ll remember all the good outcomes, add a few choreographed steps as appropriate, and hope that the healing continues for me and for all of the participants in Dancing Mindfulness. 

I was asked to write a couple of words of wisdom that have helped me with Dancing Mindfulness.  In my attempt to do that I’ve come to the realization that it is not the words of wisdom that have helped me the most.  I’ve found the feelings, emotions, actions, reactions, smiles, laughs and tears of both sorrow and joy have been the most inspiring pieces of wisdom that I’ve experienced.  I’m not a wordsmith, nor can I recite lines from movies, books, or poems, but I have extreme empathy, emotions, and feelings.  I try to understand those during preparation and execution of every Dancing Mindfulness class.   It’s like on our tombstones there will be a birth year and a death year and in between them will be a dash.  It’s important to understand that it’s not the dates that matter… it’s the dash.  Pick your own path, live your own life, (even if it pisses off others), and be proud of yourself!  Make the “dash” in your life be exemplary and include a “dash dance” in your next Dancing Mindfulness class!  Make it memorable!  Be open and learn to trust in your style!  You will make a difference in someone’s life … know it in your heart! 

Thank you for the opportunity to share what little wisdom I have to offer now as I’m still learning as my dash continues---

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