Dancing Well: The Soldier Project

Sandra's Story

What can I say about the program Dancing Well? I found it when I was going through a very low point and on the verge of ending all. I was shutting down and desperate. I love to dance, but I had severed all ties with the outside world and I was very negative.

I decided to give it a try and that was it!

The way Ms. Deb teaches, the dances are very simple and easy and meant to be fun. I can laugh at myself and with others. The fact that many of us are military also re-establishes the bond and camaraderie of the ranks.

The dances and socialization kept me smiling and engaged, so I didn't think of anything negative, and the shadows and shame were kept out, at least for that night, or two.

Little by little, I have started to venture out. The program has been a lifesaver for me. I hope it can be expanded!

—Veteran with PTSD

A Proven Program

Dancing Well: The Soldier Project brings the uplifting power of music, dance, and community to Veterans and families coping with PTSD and brain injury. We offer a powerful alternative to the depression, hopelessness, and isolation that can be so persistent in the lives of those with PTSD.

Dancing Well has been scientifically proven to increase wellness in Veterans with PTSD, reducing tendency to isolate, improving mood and outlook on the future, and increasing feelings of connectedness and willingness to engage with others.

Please watch the following short video to learn more about our Veterans, their challenges, and the University of Louisville study documenting our outcomes:

View the Dancing Well video

Partnership with VA Whole Health Initiative

Dancing Well is now an official community partner of the VA Whole Health Initiative. Whole Health is a personalized, patient-driven health and well-being approach centered on Veterans' values, needs, and goals rather than just their illness. Dancing Well serves as both a mental health support and a self-care resource, very much in line with the goals of Whole Health.

Our VA events have been very well attended and have allowed us to reach additional Veterans in need. At our most recent event, 15 Veterans, 16 loved ones, three VA staff, and ten volunteers came together for a relaxed evening of socializing and fun.

Impact

I'm a Veteran, and when I came back from Iraq it was really hard. Dancing Well changed my life. The dancing, the people, everything. It's the best thing in my life.

—Veteran with PTSD

In our most recent dance series, 100% of Veterans with PTSD reported that they:

• felt welcome
• felt engaged with other participants and open to socializing with them
• felt a sense of community from being with other Veterans and loved ones
• felt they belonged to the Dancing Well group
• felt freedom to express themselves during dance sessions
• found the program fun and would recommend it to others
• are "very likely" to attend again

A Groundbreaking Approach

Dancing Well is unique in creating a safe, welcoming environment for afflicted Veterans and their loved ones. With a 12-year track record, our dance program is carefully tailored to the needs of Veterans coping with mental, emotional, and physical challenges:

• We modify dancing in the moment, catering to the unique needs of each Veteran, accommodating any issues they may have with anxiety, mobility, comfort, or pain
• We provide a dance space designed to minimize symptoms of PTSD and brain injury, including low, non-fluorescent lights and a designated "Comfort Zone" for participants to go to if they begin to feel overwhelmed
• We offer a welcoming social experience and fun, healthy exercise that includes Cross-Body Movements to build new neural pathways, a foundational component of healing from PTSD and brain injury

We are currently developing a leadership training to replicate our program in communities across the country.

More Than a Dance Program

Kenny, one of our beloved Veterans, called recently to share that his niece had been killed by gunfire while walking her 7-year-old to the bus stop. Kenny allowed me to contact his fellow dancers, letting them know how best to support him.

Dancing Well is so much more than a dance for the Veterans and loved ones who attend. We are a community, a family, sharing life's joys and sorrows.

Dancing Well feels like being in the military again. The sense of camaraderie and caring for each other, you don't get that anywhere else.

This program is awesome! I felt so welcomed. I enjoyed the smiling faces and warm hugs. I truly believe it will help me through the anxiety, fear, and discomfort that came home with me from combat.

—Veterans with PTSD

Please give today!

Dancing Well has earned the Platinum rating from Candid (formerly Guidestar).