Change a life. Your contribution helps us bring the healing power of dance to people in prisons nationwide.
Below are graduates from October 2025 at a maximum security Women’s Prison in York, Nebraska.
Together, we choreographed, “I forgive you for me” - a powerful song about the healing that comes from forgiving those who have harmed us. “ I forgive you for me… to set me free.” The group had just arrived to prison, and they were in transition before being sent to maximum security. The emotions were raw. We created beautiful and empowering movements combined with deep sharing and group healing. Their vulnerability and bravery is inspiring, considering the challenges they are facing. We had 4 Native American women in this training, which shaped the choreography.
We recently completed our training with men in prison in Nebraska. We have only danced with men in prison in Mississippi, and 10 years later, now Nebraska.
We had a vulnerable group of men willing to be awkward, willing to connect and share their stories.
Below are a few quotes from these past two days:
“When you first said “Dance To Be Free,” I thought it was BS. But I got to be free, I got to be me for a minute.”
“My first memory was a flash bomb going off in my living room. They put cocaine in my onesie. There was kids sugar, and “adult sugar.” The “adult sugar” was cocaine they kept in the sugar jar on the counter.”
“I need to break up with my anger and self-loathing”
“I’m not mean, my face just looks like it”
“I need to break up with my shame”
***
Other compelling testimonials:
"DTBF is more than dance. It's a movement of the mind, body and soul. It helps the participants to release the old and grab the new."
-Janice Gray, Volunteer Director at East Central Arkansas Community Correction Center
"Watching the transformation of inmates when they were realizing themselves, the change in them and talking about how it was helping them release. The emotions were coming out and it was helping them do it in a positive way, and they were admitting the activity helped them.
-Warden at South Dakota's prison
"The other day they were talking about being a rainbow over someone's cloud, and this has been my rainbow... Because being in prison and being incarcerated, it could get a little dark. You could be going through a hard time, but coming to this, it just opens your spirit. I've gotten so much lifted off of me. I go back to the block peaceful. It's been a blessing for them to do all this and even be involved in this group. It's a blessing."
-Tori, South Dakota Women's Prison
Dance To Be Free’s mission is to reduce anxiety and depression for people in prison through the healing power of movement.
Through our Trauma Informed Dance Teacher Trainings, we use "Cathartic Choreography" combined with leadership skills- to empower our graduates to conduct peer to peer programming within the prison. Throughout this transformative experience, we teach the nuts and bolts of choreography, pro-social skills, and group dynamics.
Just as importantly, we facilitate therapeutic journaling that nurtures introspection and self-awareness that incarcerated people often need.
We have seen this technique help our students deal with physical and mental illness, including PTSD and complex trauma. Our trainings are impacting the lives of our students by changing the prison culture from punitive to restorative.
We have been dancing to heal for ten years. We are asking for your help to continue with our mission,
Lucy Wallace, MA founded Dance To Be Free (DTBF) in the Spring of 2015 at Denver Women's Correctional Facility. Along with her Board of Directors, they've designed and implemented the DTBF program for hundreds of incarcerated people in 22 prisons and 12 states. Since DTBF's first teacher training in January 2016, DTBF has certified over 700 incarcerated students.
We use dance to change the trajectory of people in prison. Our dance technique heals trauma through empowering, expressive, collective movement. Our work aligns with other causes you support, including: economic inclusivity for previously incarcerated people, empowering marginalized populations and mental health.
In 2023, DTBF expanded our mission to working with men in prison in Mississippi and in 2024 with men in Nebraska. In late 2024 we will be expanding to the male population in Colorado.
in 2025, we continue to expand. Next up, the Rifle Correctional Center.
Your donations help fund these visits. The travel, the program material, and the media supplies that we leave with the prisons so incarcerated can dance to heal.
Organization name
Dance To Be Free
other names
DTBF
2015
Tax id (EIN)
47-4034630
Category
Human Services
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
3980 N. Broadway Ste. 103 PMB - 215Headquarters
3980 N. Broadway Ste. 103 PMB - 215Boulder County, CO, US