End Domestic Violence Through Dance

Kids take part in Dancing Classroom at Virgin Islands school

Before I explain my perspective, let me be clear: This editorial is not only about dance nor is it a plea to suggest that everyone ought to become trained dancers. It is, however, about the lessons that dance can teach us when we utilize it as a vehicle to transport messages of discipline, respect, consent and healthy boundaries – qualities which are essential to ending violence of all forms but particularly domestic violence and sexual assault.

On December 12th, 2019 I took the day off to attend the Dancing Classrooms of the V.I. (DCVI) closeout ceremonies at the Claude O. Markoe Elementary School and Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School on St. Croix. What I soon realized as I observed our fifth grade students engage with each other, is that I didn’t need to take a day off at all as what I witnessed through dance is what I promote daily as the Executive Director of the V.I. Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (DVSAC) – violence prevention.

First, as a mother of two boys who are active – as in climbing odd fixtures and running behind unpleasant rodents (I say no more!) – it was such a pleasure to see how every young boy, whether they grasped the choreography or not, was intentionally focused on the dance cues but also, to guiding their partners on the dance floor. It was discipline, focus and care in action. I was touched by the manner in which they were attuned to the needs of their partners and likewise, their partners worked in synchronicity with them. In domestic violence work, while we stress that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to how perpetrators appear, there are common traits that they share including but not limited to having low self-esteem or narcissistic behaviors, seeking to dominate and control partners and/or disregarding their partners altogether (Department of Child Protection, 2013). With dance, however, particularly partner dances such as the waltz, rumba and salsa which were demonstrated by our students, these are traits that must be minimized (if not removed altogether) as dance requires communication, agreement, reciprocity and balance between partners. Although research studies are limited in this arena, one study by Schwender, Spengler, Oedl and Mess (2018) observed potential for increased self-esteem, self-concept, self-trust, and self-efficacy when addressing the effects of dance interventions with adolescents/children. Therefore, while dance may not be the single answer to ending violence, it can be one avenue for reducing it.

In addition to the respectful posture of the boys, was the self-respect exhibited by the girls. In one case, for example, the young man stepped onto the dance floor forgetting to escort his partner. In response, she patiently waited and kindly reminded him that he needed to escort her on the dance floor. While this cute interaction resulted in innocent laughter, it was telling of how dance taught this young lady to advocate for herself and set an expectation of how she was to be treated – and in turn, her partner rose to the occasion! What a different world we would live in if everyone had the opportunity to practice the art of establishing clear boundaries for themselves, setting expectations for their interactions, and demanding respect while expressing these needs both verbally and nonverbally! Speaking of boundaries, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) published a quick fact sheet called ‘Everyday Consent’ (2017) that addresses the reality that most people only think of consent when it comes to sex when indeed, consent is about respecting personal and emotional boundaries. What DCVI has done through their programming is teach ‘everyday consent’ as partner dancing cannot exist without it. Even in the closeout ceremonies, I witnessed how each partner greeted each other and offered verbal and nonverbal cues of consent and likewise, I witnessed how they kept ‘safe space’ between them thus honoring personal space even during a process that requires closeness. If our community could adapt a culture of everyday consent, we could minimize crimes like sexual assault in the future – DCVI’s program is doing just that.

In closing, I could go on about the benefits of dance in general – positive impacts on quality of life, depression, anxiety, well-being, mood, healing from trauma, and body image just to name a few (Koch, Kunz, Lykou & Cruz, 2014). However, to make a long story short, I’d simply say ‘Congrats’ to the DCVI team – especially instructor Ifa (and the program liaison and instructors on St. Thomas) – for ensuring that our children have the opportunity to enjoy the gift of dance; ‘thank you’ to the principals, counselors and teachers at the schools who allow DCVI into their space and value the power of dance; and much ‘gratitude’ to the donors whose financial support allows this exceptional program to continue. Though just a spectator and board member that day, I can attest to the feeling of hope as a domestic violence and sexual assault prevention advocate as I left the ceremonies knowing that the children who participated in this program would likely experience healthier relationships because of their experience with DCVI!

 

About DCVI: The mission of DCVI is to cultivate essential life skills in children through the art of social dance. Their vision is to help create schools and communities where every child is connected, respected and provided a safe environment in which to thrive. Through standards-based, in-school residencies, they use the vocabulary of ballroom dance to cultivate the positive feelings that are inherent in every child. The maturity necessary to dance together foster respect, teamwork, confidence and a sense of joy and accomplishment. For more information on DCVI, to request the program at your school or to donate and sustain this program, please contact Executive Director, Memories Anne Brown-Callender at info@dancingclassroomsvi.org.

About DVSAC: The Virgin Islands Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council (DVSAC) is recognized as the Territorial Coalition by the Office of Violence Against Women and the Family Violence Prevention Services Act. DVSAC aims to end domestic violence and sexual assault through prevention education. For more information on our activities or to schedule a violence prevention presentation at your school, please email our Community Outreach Specialists: Ms. Darlene Springer, at darlene@vidvsac.net for St. Croix or Jeanette John-Baptiste, at jeanette@vidvsac.net for St. Thomas/St. John.