Dance Me Free© was born in my mind (and probably in my body) a lot earlier than it was here on this site.  I hadn’t come up with the name of the site yet, but the ideas for it seemed to be building organically- first it started with my own story of how dance transformed my outlook on my health condition, and then other people’s stories started appearing around me, without me really asking or looking for them.

But boy, did I need them, without even realizing it.

The more stories I heard about the transformative power of dance, the more my faith in that power strengthened. Now, I have no doubt how dance can not only inspire and physically strengthen, but also how dance can give new life to people, change their outlooks, and heal them emotionally and spiritually.

The power of dance is not just in the dancer’s ability to move through space and communicate with his or her body.  It’s also in the ability for the dancing to move the energy and soul of the dancer. And oh how this can move the hearts and souls of those observing.

Dance is liberating, it is intoxicating, it is fun, full of exploration. It helps us learn about our bodies, it helps develop our minds, it teaches us about ourselves, as well as our connection to others and to the world.  Dance can bring us closer to our inner spirit- who we really are.  I believe that it has the potential to connect spirits as well, on an energetic level, transcending time and space, heaven and earth.

Dance has touched me in a way that I often think is indescribable. But here I am trying to describe it myself, or find others whose words come close to what we are trying to get at.  But again, that is the magic of dance. It expresses without words.  It goes beyond words. And this site is in celebration of that magic.

Dance can “Dance you free” – free of worries, free of the monotony of every day life, free of pent up emotions, free to express, to create, to open your heart in front of an audience or even just in the privacy of your own room.

Dance knows when you are looking for it, even when you don’t know you are looking for it yourself. And it will be there for you once you decide you have a love, or even a liking for it, if you give it a chance.

As the old song goes, “and when you get the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance. I hope you dance.”  I hope you dance, because it is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Thank you to all of you who have contributed to the inspiration of these posts, and to the creation of this site.  Thank you to all of you who continue to inspire me to step out on the dance floor of life, and just … DANCE!

I am eternally grateful to the Universe for SHOWING ME THE WAY to Dance… I hope you all find your dance in life as well, whatever it may be.

(The video above is not mine, but I believe it truly embodies what Dance Me Free is about. Thank you, Mariel Madrid for the breathtaking choreography in it, and to all the artists and dancers who contributed to this magical piece. I share it here with utter gratitude and respect for your inspiring work).

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*Please note: All the written content of this site is my own- Tasleem Laila’s -unless otherwise stated in a quote or interview. All comments are welcome and encouraged, so feel free to make suggestions or to express your thoughts in response to any pieces written.

** The opening quote on the header under the title “Dance Me Free” is from ‘Let’s Dance To Health’– an article I found online.  

***At this time, I am looking for any individuals who feel they have a personal story to tell about how dance has impacted their health. This could be physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual health.  

If you are interested in sharing your story and having it published on this site, please email me.  I would love to hear from you.  You can either submit the story yourself, and I will review the writing to see if it’s appropriate for this. Or, if you feel that you’d like to relate your story to me, and have me create the written version, that is an option as well.***

 Please see the CONTACT page for my email address.  And write ‘Stories of the Power of Dance to Heal’ in the subject line. Thank you! 

****I do not in any way, claim all of the photos or videos on this page, or site, as mine, unless otherwise stated. Many I have gotten permission to use from the dancers who are being featured in each article. And others I have taken from the internet. Feel free to contact me if any of the photos or videos pose a problem to any individuals who may own them, or if you see any reason why I should not be using them.  I appreciate and welcome any feedback.