Community In Motion
At ComMotion – Community In Motion, we believe that everyone should get a chance to experience the many benefits of movement and dance. Dance fosters a sense of well-being, community, mastery, and joy. ComMotion provides free and low-cost classes and workshops for people of all ages and abilities to get an opportunity to experience the physical and emotional benefits of dance and movement. Through our programs, thousands of people from all walks of life have been able to move, smile, and connect with people around them.
Dance and movement for everyone, everywhere
Because our mission is to make dance and movement accessible to everyone, we bring our classes directly to the communities that we serve. Our programs are completely portable and adaptable to nearly any space, and can be taught in both English and Spanish. We have partnered with local organizations to offer our classes on-location, making it easy for our students to participate. Since 2018, we have taught more than 10,000 people at over at hundreds of locations including schools, churches, adult day care centers, cancer centers, and youth and veterans organizations across the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area as well as in rural and underserved areas in western and eastern North Carolina.
Why dance?
Dance and movement have been proven in numerous studies to have a variety of health and wellness benefits:
- “Let’s Dance: A Holistic Approach to Treating Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder” by the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System found that a dance-class program promoted well-being, self-confidence, and stress reduction for veterans with PTSD.
- “A dance intervention for cancer survivors and their partners (RHYTHM)” by the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that Ballroom dance may be an important tool for cancer survivors to return to a physically active life and improve quality of life.
- In “Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly” by the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, dancing was the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia.
- “Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth” by the National Endowment for the Arts found that children and teenagers who participated in arts education programs have shown more positive academic and social outcomes.
From our participants
Thousands of people of all ages and abilities have participated in our programs. Here are a few things they've had to say:
“I really like the dancing class. Thanks for all you do for veterans.”
“The volunteers worked tirelessly to make sure I did my best”
“It was energetic and really a lot of fun.”
"It's the best part of the week!"
“Don’t stop the dancing class!”
Upcoming Events
Due to COVID-19, all ComMotion group classes and workshops are on hold. See below for online and video opportunities.
Rhythms of the Latin World ONLINE
https://vimeo.com/channels/rhythmsofthelatinworld
In these online workshops, students will be introduced to a variety of Latin dances, allowing them to experience the art and culture of Latin America while moving and having fun!
Suitable for grades PreK-12. Available with Spanish subtitles.
Contact us at ComMotionNC@gmail.com to enroll!
Dance and Movement for Seniors ONLINE
Coming soon!
This online program includes a variety of easy and fun and dance and movement activities for seniors of all abilities. Join in a virtual dance party whether you're standing up or sitting down!
Available audio description for visually impaired and/or with English or Spanish subtitles.
Healthy Movements for Cancer Survivors ONLINE
Coming soon!
This online program uses dances such as Salsa, Bachata, and Cha Cha as a fun and social way to both exercise and connect with other survivors.
Available with Spanish subtitles.
Support our programs
ComMotion is able to provide programs at little or no cost thanks to the generous support of the community.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
See videos of classes, events, and more!