Ballroom/Rhythmic Therapy

By Health Ambassador Chad Carroll

The Ballroom scene (ballroom) is an outlet for joy, pain, gender expression, coping, and learning. Ballroom has become the most therapeutic way to address many challenges impacting myself and my community. The challenges experienced by people in ballroom vary from physical and mental health to housing and education. Coping with the inequalities produced by racism, heterosexism, and classism, is no small feat. Recently, I launched a program called Ballroom Therapy that uses a series of community outreach events designed to bring visibility and innovative ideas to the ballroom community. Ballroom Therapy is structured around mental health awareness, an overlooked health issue in Milwaukee’s ballroom community. As an MKE Black Grassroots Network for Health Equity Health Ambassador, I utilize our approaches of social justice, healing justice, systems change, and Black liberation to promote well-being and disrupt cycles of inequity. Ballroom parents/leaders frequently struggle with instability; not being able to provide, pay rent, or even eat healthy food. These financial and environmental factors contribute to a depressing mindset with little to no treatment offered. Throughout my ballroom journey, I have used my creativity to create safe spaces and provide food/shelter for many community members who have fallen short. We would turn on the music and begin to express ourselves through dance and rhythmic flows (commentating). When it was over, everyone felt better and ready to move forward—reducing stress and increasing emotional wellbeing. Today I stand as the 1st Legend deemed in the city of Milwaukee because I turned my frustration and pains of life into purpose, and I owe it all to ballroom therapy. 

With love and humility

Legendary Chad E Carroll