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The Sacred Space of Connection: Lessons from the Blues Room: Finding Presence, Purpose, and Joy Through West Coast Swing
- Shalay Andrus
- Oct 25
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 21
In the Blues Room at Boogie by the Bay, I was reminded of why I dance, for connection, not perfection. When we let go of performing and sink into presence, dance becomes sacred. It’s a place where hearts open, nervous systems settle, and joy flows freely.
The Magic of the Blues/Soul Room
There’s something sacred about the Blues (or Soul) Room at West Coast Swing conventions.
It’s not about competition or choreography. It’s about connection.
The lights are dim, the music slows, and people gather not to perform but to feel. You’ll see partners holding space for one another, letting the music guide them, breathing together in rhythm. No spotlight, no scorecards, just two souls meeting in motion.
This weekend at Boogie by the Bay, someone turned to me and said,
“What I love about this room is that people truly connect.”
And I couldn’t agree more.
In a world obsessed with capturing every trick, the Blues Room is where you can finally put your phone down, close your eyes, and be present.
Presence Over Performance: Find Connection and Purpose
In those late-night dances, something shifts.
There’s no performing. No pressure. Just presence.
Two people.
One song.
A shared moment of joy.
As I danced, I felt completely alive, grounded in my body, attuned to my partner, and at peace with the world around me. Every breath matched the beat, every step a conversation.
I didn’t need a video to remember it or validation to confirm it. The dance itself was enough.
That’s what makes West Coast Swing so powerful, it’s a dance that mirrors life. When you stop trying to control every step and simply listen, something deeper unfolds.
You reconnect with what’s real.
The Healing Power of Connection
As a somatic dance coach and lifelong student of movement, I’ve seen over and over how finding connection and purpose heals.
When we’re truly present with another person, in dance or in life, our nervous system receives one simple message: You are safe.
That safety softens the edges.
Our breath deepens.
Our body relaxes.
And suddenly, joy can enter.
Science backs this up. Studies show that physical movement combined with social connection lowers cortisol, boosts serotonin, and helps regulate the vagus nerve, the body’s built-in calming system.
But beyond the biology, connection gives us meaning. It reminds us that we belong, not because of how we perform, but because of how we show up.
Why I Dance
I’ve been dancing for more than two decades, West Coast Swing, ballroom, blues, country, you name it, but the older I get, the more I realize that dance has never been about steps.
It’s about connection.
Connection to my partner, yes, but also to myself.
Because when I’m dancing, I’m not thinking about my to-do list or the past or what anyone else thinks of me. I’m just there, breathing, moving, feeling.
And that’s the kind of presence that transforms everything.
Those Blues Room nights remind me why I started Dance to Uplift in Utah County, to help others find that same sense of calm, play, and deep connection through movement.
From the Competition Floor to the Souls Room
West Coast Swing conventions are filled with both the bright lights of competition and the soft glow of late-night connection rooms.
On the competition floor, it’s about precision, technique, and presentation. There’s beauty in that, the artistry, the discipline, the musicality.
But in the Souls Room, something else happens.
The dance becomes prayer.
Every movement is a surrender, every pause an act of listening.
I’ve had dances in that room that felt like entire conversations without a single word. Moments of laughter, vulnerability, even healing, because when two people meet in pure presence, the body remembers what it means to feel free.
Dance as Nervous System Regulation
Many of the women and couples I work with come to dance because they feel disconnected from themselves, their bodies, or each other.
They’re stressed, overworked, or just numb. And the truth is, their nervous systems are stuck in “go” mode: fight, flight, or freeze.
That’s where somatic dance and West Coast Swing come in.
When you move in sync with another person, something remarkable happens inside your body:
Your breath naturally slows.
Your muscles soften.
Your brain releases oxytocin — the “connection hormone.”
And your system shifts from stress to safety.
Dance literally tells your body, It’s okay to relax. You’re safe to connect again.
This is what I teach in my Move with Meaning and Live in Love classes in Utah County: how to use movement and mindful connection to regulate, release, and restore balance.
Because the more you feel grounded in your body, the more you can open your heart.
Lessons from the Blues Room
Here are a few truths the Blues Room continues to teach me, lessons that go far beyond dance:
Connection requires presence. You can’t fake it. You can’t multitask your way into it. You have to be here, body, breath, and soul.
Joy is found in the moment, not the performance. The most memorable dances aren’t the flashiest; they’re the ones where you feel truly seen.
Healing happens when we feel safe. When your body relaxes in rhythm with another, you remember that you’re not alone.
Gratitude anchors the experience. Every step, every partnership, every note of music becomes a prayer of thanks.
From Dance Floor to Daily Life
The lessons we learn in dance don’t stay on the floor; they ripple into everything else.
When you learn to listen in dance, you communicate better in relationships.
When you practice grounding through breath, you respond to stress differently.
When you experience joy in your body, it reminds you that you’re capable of peace, no matter what life looks like.
This is why I love teaching. Because every class, every student, every connection, it’s all part of the same beautiful rhythm of remembering who we are.
How to Bring the Blue Room Energy Home
You don’t have to wait for a dance convention to experience that kind of connection. Here’s how to invite that same grounded, soulful energy into your everyday life:
Create moments of stillness. Turn on your favorite song, close your eyes, and just move. No mirror, no judgment, no audience.
Breathe with intention. Inhale through your nose for 4 counts, exhale for 8. Let your body melt into the rhythm.
Dance with someone you love. Whether it’s your partner, your child, or a friend, take a few minutes to move together. Feel the presence between you.
Join a community that uplifts you. Find classes or socials where connection matters more than perfection. If you’re in Utah County, come join us at Dance to Uplift, where joy and healing meet on the dance floor.
The Dance Is Enough
At the end of that night at Boogie by the Bay, I sat quietly against the wall, heart full and soul grounded.
No trophies.
No spotlight.
Just gratitude.
Gratitude for every partner who met me in presence.
Gratitude for the music that moved me.
Gratitude for the reminder that I don’t need to prove, perform, or perfect, I just need to feel.
And that’s what I hope for everyone who steps into my classes, that you’ll discover the dance itself is enough.
Because when we let go of how it looks and sink into how it feels, we open space for real human connection.
Our hearts open.
Our spirits lift.
And we remember why we’re here, to connect, to feel, and to dance through life with love.
Final Invitation
If you’re craving that same sense of connection, peace, and joy, come dance with us.
At Dance to Uplift in Mapleton, Utah County, we offer West Coast Swing classes for adults, women, and couples designed to help you move with meaning, play passionately, and live in love.
No pressure. No performance. Just presence.
Because sometimes, the most sacred spaces aren’t found in temples or studios, they’re found between two people, one song, and a shared moment of joy.
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