Mission + Vision
Dance Your Ability Therapeutic Movement Foundation stands for the rights of all to have access to collective joy, a sense of belonging in community, self-expression, kindness and the healing that comes from movement & music. We believe that one of the best ways to provide this is through dance. We aim to continue to train people who are passionate about the benefits of dance and the joy of service, so that they may offer classes for people of all walks of life to experience themselves in freedom & joy no matter their circumstances.
Our vision is a world where everyone has access to experience their own unique dance, while being a part of the group: unique & unified. We aim to provide movement & dance programs for all abilities & ages, where everyone is invited to dance their dance, as only we all can.
“Movement brings us home,
into the inner landscapes we feel
but don’t always have words for.
When we dance,
we meet something essential and true,
and our unique dance becomes a way of listening and responding to that truth.
Through dancing, we discover insights we couldn’t think our way into, about who we are, how we live, and what matters.
When we are invited to do our own unique dance, magic happens. Dance provides an experience of self which supports the body, the nervous system, the heart, and the soul.”
-Shauna Devlin
What is Dance Your Ability Therapeutic Movement Foundation?
Founded by Shauna Devlin in January 2019, Dance Your Ability is an accessible facilitation method rooted in the belief that there is powerful benefits from having space to express our own unique dance within community.
Dance Your Ability advocates for every human’s right to experience both freedom and connection, regardless of age, background, or physical or cognitive ability.
Through warm and simple movement structures, and self-led exploration, DYA creates spaces where people can move in their own way while also moving together. Circle-based practice, shared dance, and reflective mirroring support participants to feel seen, included, and connected.
At its heart, Dance Your Ability, is about remembering that movement is a natural human language, one that supports wellbeing, expression, and belonging. It is not about performance or perfection, but
about presence, permission, and the unique intelligence of each person’s body.
About Shauna Devlin
She is an Embodiment Facilitator + DJ
Find more info about her HERE.
People We Serve
Using dance as a way of creative engagement for the following groups provides opportunities to use movement as a way to connect with others, build community and to find pathways of healing.
Older adults (55+, seniors, assisted living, community groups, and those living with dementia)
Adults & Children with disabilities
Children & Youth-at-risk/public and private schools/ alternative schools
Parents & Babes/Tots
Women/Men/LGBTQIA+
Women who have experienced Trauma & Sexual Assault
within a structure of support-ie: organization/facility/advocates in room at all times)
infusing DYA into existing programs
Individuals in recovery
Refugees/new immigrants
People with health issues - Cancer Survivors/Patients /Parkinson’s
Incarcerated
Children of incarcerated parents
What Does a Session Look Like
.Dance Your Ability programs & classes are warmly facilitated using the benefits of music and movement to create space for all to experience themselves in healing motion and collective joy.
Programs infuse Trauma Informed Practices, a teaching style that effectively meets varying individual learning & physical abilities, simple stretching & basic group exercises, guided free dance and specifically chosen music to get everyone moving as best as they are able.
Offering a DYA class is not about teaching a specific routine or choreography, but rather it is about being with people and creating inviting opportunities for people to move as they are able.
Our biggest task is walking into the room centered, calm and open. If your intention is to invite people to move their bodies in a way that feels good to them, as best as they are able, then you are in the right place.
We focus on inviting rather than teaching. Invitations are clear and simple, allowing space for self-expression, connection, and agency to happen with ease.
