Dancing saved my life.

Last night a DJ saved my life, well actually it wasn’t the DJ it was the partner dancing.  Don’t ask me why but it did. 

I have always loved to dance, as a child I spent my time dressing up and choreographing routines to all my favourite records, from Abba to Edwin star and flight of the bumble bees.  Many a day spent in my leotard and disco glitter, closing my eyes and feeling the music, like only a child can. I never attended a dance class, something about our working class upbringing, we didn't do things like that when I was a kid. 

And as an adult I continued to go where the music and dancing took me.  

Then I had a difficult period in my life like we all do, after all that’s life.  Completely as a result of bad decisions I had made along the way.  To cut a long story short – I married the wrong man, a very difficult man and my life got tough for a long time. 

In the middle of it I reached an all time low, my rock bottom.  Without realising it, because life was difficult I had started drinking and partying hard. 

I had a big wake up call and realised that I was the only one who could change what had happened.  I got some help, sorted myself out, did some training and went on to work with 1000's 1000' s of people struggling with their bad habits and addictions. 

And as if someone was looking out for me.  Just as I was trying to sort myself out, very early days.  I met a very nice lady on a training course and she must have been able to see things weren't great.  She asked me if I liked to dance, I said yes and she told me about her local modern Jive night and I met her there that week.  

I loved it, it was such fun, and everyone was so friendly.  I carried on going every week doing the classes and then started going to some freestyles, I got the bug.  I danced every week, met loads of new people (none of which drank or took drugs) and best of all they didn't know me, knew nothing about me.  I could just turn up, dance talk to some people, have a great time and leave.

 I went on to go to weekenders with my new dancing friends, it became a serious hobby.  Then I went to a west coast swing class and really fell in love with that.  Worked with a teacher, danced all around the world, France, America.  Going to London at the weekend.  Started competing and did quite well for an amateur.  

I love partner dancing, it gave me exactly what I needed during an incredibly difficult time.  My life continued to take some twists and turns and was very difficult for a good few years while I was dancing.  But because of the dancing I had somewhere to escape, in more ways than one.  My only regret is that I didn't start as a child.  I will do it for the rest of my life.  I can go anywhere in the world, look on line to find the nearest dance class and I can turn up, ask people to dance and have a lovely time usually only for £7.  

Best bit is you cant drink and jive.  No seriously you just cant do it. 

If you have something in your life that you have always wanted to do, I urge you to go ty it.  Don’t let your nervousness stand in your way.  It could be the thing that makes a difference for you. 

I have gone on to develop my own business helping others to change their bad habits and addictions.

If you are interested in changing your drinking, check out my book There is no Magic Button.

Hopefully see you on the dancefloor.

Best Wishes

Stephanie Chivers