Shake It Up By Ashleigh Kearns

Mulgrave Class of 2014

I became heavily involved in the dance community in August of 2021 when I joined the Front Desk team at iDance Vancouver. I have been dancing most of my life and it would often be my favourite pastime, my favourite place to be… until I was bullied for my size. I hadn’t experienced anything quite like the belittlement I felt when I walked into the dance studio. The space I loved so much quickly became tainted. I told myself that my dreams of becoming a dancer had to be put on the back burner until I lost weight. But dance always had a place in my heart. In 2018, I saw a performance by Luminesque Dance where I witnessed such a diverse range of bodies, levels, and ages, absolutely killing it on the stage. I told myself I would be a part of that. And I did, I’ve danced with Luminesque ever since. This company relit my flame and nurtured my foundation in heels dance (performed in high heels).

One day, while working at iDance, someone needed a sub for their heels class. My boss asked me if I wanted to do it and at first I thought she had the wrong number; I’d never taught a dance class before. I was nervous but also extremely excited. The class went off without a hitch and I instantly felt the calling to do it over and over again. Soon, I was teaching my own weekly classes! I was so grateful, and I was learning each step of the way. Dance became so important to me again, which also led to past body image trauma resurfacing. After watching Lizzo’s Big Grrrls, something in my soul changed forever. I knew I could shameful environment. Point blank, fat people can dance just as well as skinny people. We just needed to give them a chance.

I have successfully hosted more than half a dozen Plus Size Dance Parties and they have been fantastic. Everyone feels a great sense of community and shared fun; we can look in the mirror and celebrate our bodies just as they are. Because of the success of these workshops, I have recently launched weekly fat-only be a dancer, and a great one, and I knew I could change the dance community here in Vancouver. I wanted to create a space where size never matters, to the point where people don’t even need to think about it. In June 2022, I launched my first Plus Size Dance Party, a dance space exclusive for folks in a larger body. So many other dance spaces are exclusively for people of a much smaller, much more specific size and that can be a very hazardous and classes so folks can dance with me on a more consistent basis. I honour the diversity of the dancers I get to work with and it’s important to me that these spaces are inclusive. I want to take comparison out of the game and I want to take away any thoughts of not being good enough, but most importantly, I want to reclaim the dance space. It’s not just for skinny people anymore; me and my fat friends are here to shake it up.