This blog post was written by Becky "beBE" Bearse, a dance instructor and choreographer who has worked with REACH and participated in our survivor advocacy programs. You can find Becky on Instagram at @bbedance
What is a life without dance and what would a life not lived be without dance? As I explore the boundaries and connections between emotions, sanity and happiness, I find dance. Ever since I was three years old, dance called to me, embracing me with its complete freedom to be 100% me. It was all mine, and no one could take it away from me. A gift for the art of emoting through movement, I now find myself in a career in bringing people together through dance. Each week, I look forward to not only passing along my knowledge and passion for dance with my students, but to being free with them in the power of dancing in community. And this ability to dance and teach dance to others is one of my most powerful tools in healing my soul as I try to recover from domestic violence.
On October 6, 2025, I obtained a restraining order from my former partner, and ever since then I feel as though I have been running. I am unable to focus, as my thoughts go from somewhat positive to terribly negative. But, dancing, this ephemeral art form enables me to flush these feelings through my body and out into the universe. Of course, the feelings come back again. And then I return to the studio, to dance through my happiness, pain, confusion; the feelings then surround me, embody me and then escape once again through my improvisational movement.
To this day, I feel anxious, every day and almost every moment until I sleep. I am in a temporary living situation, and I feel like I have been running since early August. I find the only way I can honor my defragmented body, mind and soul is to re-fragment myself by bringing my disparate pieces back together through dance. Most times, I do not go to the studio with a plan. However, I always take time to practice a technical warm-up before I improvise. This free form of movement sparks new ideas for choreography in the classes that I teach and allows my movements to temporarily rejoice in me temporary realignment.
So, there is hope. There are things that can help our minds relax, even if for an hour, to let our bodies release the tension we feel from within. I work with many students who have learned to release their inner dancers through movement, and it gives me such joy to see them smile, and to interact and to celebrate the joy of dance together. It fills me with another form of happiness that complements my solo time in the studio, in which I can reflect and create without thought. In all, dance and movement are truly great forms of healing, for every age and for every ability.
In closing, I ask again:
What is a life without dance and what would a life not lived be without dance?
I only know a life with dance. In times of difficulty, I then encourage you to find your peace, your space just for yourself where you feel confident, where you feel completely whole and can celebrate yourself. While we are taught to hide, there is no better time than now to step up, leap out and take joy in something that makes you feel strong, confident and uniquely you. I am beBE and my abuser will never take that from me. Take and keep what’s yours, and recognize that the most important thing in this world is you.
