The Power of Play: How West Coast Swing Teaches Us to Live, Love, and Let Go

Rediscovering Freedom Through Movement, Connection, and West Coast Swing

I’ve always been captivated by people who dance with complete abandon.

You know the ones, their bodies move as if no one is watching, as if the world has fallen away and all that exists is the music, the moment, and the feeling moving through them. There’s something deeply magnetic about that kind of presence. It draws you in, not because it’s flashy or perfect, but because it’s real. It’s surrendered. It’s alive.

Watching someone dance like that doesn’t just entertain us, it stirs something inside. It evokes emotion. It reminds us of a version of ourselves we may have lost touch with along the way.

For me, that essence can be summed up in one word: play.

Play is freedom.

Play is truth.

Play is the doorway back home to ourselves.

And dance, especially West Coast Swing, has become one of my greatest teachers in remembering how to play again.

Why Play Is the Ultimate Form of Freedom

Think about young children for a moment.

They move without self-consciousness. They laugh loudly. They fall, get back up, and keep going.

They imagine worlds, invent rules, and fully inhabit their bodies without questioning whether they’re “doing it right.”

There’s no performance.

No comparison.

No shame.

Just presence.

That kind of freedom isn’t something we lose because we grow older; it’s something we lose because we learn to fear judgment. We learn to brace. We learn to protect. We learn to disconnect from our bodies in order to survive.

Play asks us to do the opposite.

Play invites us to soften.

To integrate all the parts of ourselves.

To let go of old wounds that taught us it wasn’t safe to be seen.

In my own life, reclaiming play hasn’t meant ignoring the hard things. It’s meant to be a gentle, loving integration, so my inner child doesn’t have to stay hidden anymore.

Dance as Somatic Healing: Letting the Body Lead

One of the most powerful things I’ve learned through dance is this:

The body remembers what the mind tries to forget.

We carry our stories not just in our thoughts, but in our nervous systems, our posture, our breath, our tension patterns, the way we move through space and connect with others.

This is why talking alone isn’t always enough.

Dance is a somatic practice, meaning it works directly with the body to create healing. When we move with intention, curiosity, and awareness, we begin to release stored emotions and outdated survival patterns, often without needing to name or analyze them.

On the dance floor, we practice:

• Listening instead of forcing

• Responding instead of controlling

• Trusting sensation over expectation

  
  

Over time, this translates into life off the floor.

Why West Coast Swing Is a Playground for the Soul

West Coast Swing holds a uniquely special place in my heart.

Unlike choreography-driven styles, West Coast Swing is rooted in improvisation, play, and conversation. Every dance is different. Every connection is new. Every song invites a fresh expression.

There is no “right” way to dance it, only your way.

That’s what makes it such a powerful mirror for life and relationships.

In West Coast Swing:

• You learn to trust yourself and your partner

• You learn to listen deeply, through the body

• You learn to co-create rather than dominate

• You learn to stay present even when things feel uncertain

  
  

It asks for a space free from judgment, where mistakes become moments of creativity, and pauses become opportunities rather than failures.

Each dance becomes a one-of-a-kind masterpiece, shaped by the music, the connection, and the willingness to play.

The Dance Floor as a Training Ground for Life

I often say that the dance floor is one of the greatest classrooms I’ve ever known.

Not because it’s easy, but because it’s honest.

Dance shows us:

• Where we grip too tightly

• Where we rush instead of breathe

• Where we disappear to please

• Where we resist receiving support

  
  

And when approached with curiosity rather than criticism, it becomes a place of profound growth.

By connecting deeply with our bodies, we begin to uncover the path to the life we’re meant to lead, one rooted in authenticity, presence, and joy.

Dance teaches us how to:

• Relinquish control

• Trust timing

• Communicate without words

• Stay grounded in uncertainty

  
  

These aren’t just dance skills. They’re life skills.

Surrender, Safety, and the Nervous System

For many of us, surrender doesn’t come naturally.

Especially if you’ve lived through trauma, instability, or chronic stress, your nervous system may have learned that control equals safety. Letting go can feel terrifying, not freeing.

This is why intentional practices matter.

In my own journey, I’ve learned that play only becomes possible when safety is present. That safety doesn’t come from forcing positivity or pushing past discomfort; it comes from regulation, breath, and choice.

Through dance, breathwork, and mindful movement, we slowly teach the nervous system that:

• It’s okay to soften

• It’s safe to be seen

• We can stay present without bracing

  
  

Over time, surrender stops feeling like loss and starts feeling like relief.

My Personal Journey: A Daily Commitment to Connection

My relationship with dance hasn’t always looked like joy and freedom.

There were seasons where movement felt rigid, performative, or driven by perfectionism. Times when I filled every silence, every pause, because stillness didn’t feel safe yet.

Healing changed that.

But it didn’t happen overnight.

It required a daily commitment to practices that keep me connected and balanced:

• Breathwork to regulate my nervous system

• Movement to process emotion

• Play to reconnect with joy

• Reflection to integrate lessons

  
  

Some days, that looks like dancing in my home after a long day. Some days it’s teaching a small, intimate class in Mapleton, Utah. Some days, it’s simply choosing presence over productivity.

All of it matters.

Play as a Pathway to Healing and Wholeness

Play isn’t frivolous.

Play isn’t childish.

Play is deeply wise.

When we allow ourselves to play, we give permission for all parts of us to exist, messy, joyful, tender, strong.

Play reminds us that:

• We are more than our wounds

• Joy is not something to earn

• Healing can be gentle

• Life doesn’t have to be so heavy

  
  

Through dance, we practice meeting ourselves where we are, without judgment, and discovering who we’re becoming.

Bringing This Practice Into Everyday Life

You don’t have to be a dancer to live this way.

You simply need a willingness to listen to your body and follow what brings you alive.

That might look like:

• Taking a West Coast Swing class for the first time

• Moving your body at home with music you love

• Pausing to breathe instead of rushing

• Choosing curiosity over self-criticism

  
  

Each small act of play is an act of reclamation.

An Invitation

If you’re longing for more freedom in your body…

More connection in your relationships…

More joy, presence, and play in your life…

Know this: it’s already within you.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little music, a little movement, and a safe space to let your guard down.

The dance floor will meet you where you are, every time.

And if you’re ready to explore that journey together, I would be honored to move with you.

Looking to Continue the Journey?

I offer small, personalized West Coast Swing and somatic movement classes in Mapleton, Utah,

designed for adults who want more than just steps, who want connection, healing, and meaning.

Whether you’re brand new to dance or returning to yourself after a long pause, there is space for you here.

Because play isn’t something we grow out of.

It’s something we remember.

You can find more details about my classes at https://www.dancetouplift.com/.