4. DANCE: Managing Anxiety, Part I

Lifeyness: A Joyful Embodiment Podcast

This is the first episode of a two-part series about coping with anxiety. We discuss how it feels, what can help alleviate symptoms, and how the arts can play a role in managing stress and mental health. Part I focuses on dance and movement; part II will focus on improv and play.

In this episode of Lifeyness, we explore the intersection of dance, movement, and mental health in this episode. Rebecca R. Levy, co-founder of Jacksonville Dance Theatre, discusses her personal journey with severe anxiety.

Choreographer, performer, and educator Rebecca Levy (aka Becca) has firsthand experience with inexplicable feelings of panic, anxiety, and even terror. Most of the time these emotions seem to arise from nowhere. But she hasn't let those pressures get the best of her. Instead, she's developed a toolkit of techniques for managing anxiety and staying grounded in the moment, both on and off the stage.

Becca offers insights into how to cultivate a healthy relationship with stress and the pressures that coming with growing up, building a successful professional life, and even dealing with extreme challenges such as the Covid lockdown. In this episode of Lifeyness, we explore the intersection of dance, movement, and mental health in this episode.

We discuss:

• Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder
• Common symptoms and treatments of anxiety
• What anxiety can feel like
• Becca's management of symptoms
• How movement plays a role in boosting mental health
• Pilates and yoga
• Dance

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Featured Youtube LINK! In this episode we refer to a short film titled "Disorder" created by Becca in collaboration with filmmaker Will Darden and composer Mark Snyder. It is a choreographic film project about mental illness based on her personal experience with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Rebecca's Bio

Rebecca R. Levy, a choreographer, performer, and educator based in Jacksonville, Florida, creates dance works that explore the complexities of the mind, feminism, bodily autonomy, and the forces that bring people together or drive them apart. As the artistic director of Jacksonville Dance Theatre, Rebecca co-founded the company in 2012 and has been working to change the art culture of the city. Her role includes creating dances, mounting performances, commissioning new and innovative artists, and providing dance training to company members. She is also an esteemed professor of dance at Florida State College at Jacksonville, where she serves as Director and teaches a diverse range of students. Her contributions to the arts community have been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2020 Art Educator of the Year Award from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, a 2019 40 Under 40 award from The Jacksonville Business Journal, and the Outstanding Faculty of the Year in 2016. She is also a registered Certified Yoga Instructor, a certified Pilates instructor, and has experience with aerial acrobatics. Additionally, she was awarded a 2019 Individual Artist Grant from Community First Bank and a 2020 Art Ventures Individual Artist Grant for her new choreographic work, Disorder, which investigates mental illness.

Check out the Jacksonville Dance Theatre here.

See JDT's Upcoming show in Jacksonville, FL! May 13, 2023: Spring Concert--InMotion

Intro and outro music credit: "Song for a New Beginning" by William Claeson

Disclaimer: the host and guests of this show are not mental health professionals. The discussion and interview here are for educational purposes only. Please seek professional help if you're experiencing distressing mental health symptoms.