Dancing Well: The Soldier Project brings the healing power of music, dance, and community to veterans and families coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and brain injury (BI).

 

What Dancing Well Does

In the audio clip above, a VA recovery professional talks about why Dancing Well is so important for veterans.

 

Mission

Dancing Well: The Soldier Project works to restore and maintain the well-being of veterans and families affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Brain Injury through community dance.

 

Vision

We actively work towards a world where veterans affected by PTSD and Brain Injury heal and thrive, together with their families, loved ones, and the larger community. This work is primarily focused on the interpersonal connection and community engendered through people dancing together.

 

Core Principles

  • Every person has value, resilience, and the ability to thrive.

  • Every person deserves access to the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of dance, which include relief from the stress of trauma, greater resilience through repetitive and rhythmic movement, strengthened interpersonal relationships, and a growing sense of community.

  • Some participants may need modifications to traditional dance forms, but their ability to enjoy and benefit from dance remains the same.

It’s like he’s part of something now. He belongs. I haven’t seen him smile this much in probably a few years.
— Spouse of Veteran Participant