'Dancing Is Healing' | Transformation Health Turns Hallway Into Dance Hall To Help Clients Relieve Stress
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Every Friday west Baltimore's Transformation Health turns a hallway into a dance hall.
They say it's all about mental health, and it helps clients feel better.
It's just a hallway off the lobby at the Transformation Health office until a little disco lighting and music comes on.
"Why dancing? I think, and I know, dancing is healing," Owner of Transformation Health Monica Boddie said.
Transformation Health sent an invitation to Mary J. Blige to join them when she was in Baltimore last month. She didn't show, but the video got over 50,000 views and requests poured in.
"There were so many people commenting 'Where are you? I need you. I need to come in and dance our stress away,'" Boddie said.
Now, every Friday, clients dance from noon to 1 p.m. and the community is invited between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
"I grew up here in Baltimore City and one of our favorite sayings is, 'I'm gonna dance my pain away when I have problems,'" Tavante Thomas, of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, said.
Thomas recently lost a fraternity brother to suicide. A brother who reminded him, of him.
"He was very goal-oriented, hard worker and I just think the work got over him," Thomas said.
Now, Tavante dances to cope with his loss.
There is science that supports this. Dancing releases mood-improving chemicals in the body, making your mind healthier, which is Transformation Health's goal.
"If you're coming in and dancing your stress away, then that begins the conversation to say, 'Well, what's causing me that stress, you know, what's under-lying?'" Boddie said.
For more information on the program, visit mytransformationhealth.com.
