Dancing With Arthritis: How I Rebuilt Confidence

Why I Refused to Stop Moving

There was a moment when I genuinely questioned whether I would ever dance the same way again.

Not because I lost the love for it—but because my body started telling a different story.

Arthritis doesn’t arrive politely. It doesn’t ask if you have plans, or a passion, or a career built around movement. It simply shows up—bringing stiffness, discomfort, unpredictability… and a quiet fear that maybe this is where things begin to slow down.

For a dancer, that fear cuts deep.

The minute I had my 3rd child, I new there was something wrong.  I breastfed for a year, and wasn’t able to be tested for anything,  it was just presumed to be my post pregnancy hormones.

And don’t even get me started on my age and potential peri-menopause.

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The time Your Body Feels Like It’s Letting You Down

Dance had always been a place of freedom. Expression. Confidence. Connection.

So when movement started to feel restricted, it wasn’t just physical—it was emotional, not just a money-earner.

I remember realising that something as simple as crossing my legs or dancing a box step—something I’d done countless times—suddenly felt uncomfortable, even painful. That was a turning point. A moment where I couldn’t ignore that things had changed…

The only relief I had from the hip pain was carrying my 9 month old on my back, pushing my pelvis away from the hip joint.

That Summer we went camping and I couldn’t even walk without pressing my thumb into my back, causing bruising.

I hoped that going back to teaching Zumba Fitness would help ease the stiffness. Its not good to sit with arthritis, but how do you dance through pain?

How do you teach an energetic class, with a beaming smile on your face, encouraging strength and stamina, when everything hurts? Even using a crutch to get from the car to class brought up feelings I didn’t expect—embarrassment, frustration, and a quiet voice asking, “Is this how it is now?”

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The Turning Point: I Changed the Rules

At some point, I realised something important.

I didn’t actually have to stop dancing.
I just had to stop dancing the same way.

That shift changed everything.

Instead of trying to force movements that no longer felt right, I started adjusting. My choreography evolved—less impact, no unnecessary hops, jumps, or twisting. Not because I couldn’t push through, but because I chose to move in a way that respected my body.

I would BOOM one day and BUST the next day.

But there were also harder decisions.

I had to step away from teaching higher intensity classes. Not because I didn’t love them—but because my body couldn’t sustain them. To be honest, it was my own students who told me to stop. They could see the pain, even when I tried to hide it, and they didn’t want to watch me push through it anymore.

That wasn’t easy to hear.

But it mattered.

I dropped the classes that caused the pain and tried all the vitamins, anti-inflammatories and nerve blockers the doctors offered. I waited (and waited) for physio,  saw an osteopath, went back to swimming, started back care Pilates.

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Learning a New Way to Move

Dancing with arthritis isn’t about pretending it isn’t there.

It’s about adapting.

Zumba, for example, became less about high intensity and more about rhythm, flow, and using the whole body in a way that feels good. The classes are tailored to my students, and also to myself—because it has to be sustainable.

Flash mobs? They come with their own challenges too. Uneven pavement isn’t just a minor inconvenience anymore—it’s something I have to be mindful of, plan for, and work around.

Even the way I teach has changed. I’m not someone who stands still and dictate—I demonstrate and I move—but now I build in pauses, giving myself space while trusting my students to keep going.

And in many ways, I’ve created different work for myself—work that allows me to keep doing what I love, just in a way that works better for me now.

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Dancing Now Feels Different… and That’s Okay

Do I move exactly the way I used to?

No.

There have been other shifts too.

I couldn’t keep up with the demands of a vocal trio I was part of, and slowly, it became clear I didn’t quite fit that mould anymore. That was difficult—because I had put so much into it over the years.

But I didn’t want to waste all that hard work.

So I created something new.

I started promoting my own show. Something I hadn’t originally planned. I never set out to be a soloist—but arthritis had other ideas.

And in its own unexpected way, it led me somewhere new. I’m actually really proud of what I have achieved and can now create a job that works around my body and family life – without the guilt.

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You Are Not “Done”

One of the biggest misconceptions is that something like arthritis means the end of movement, expression, or confidence.

But it doesn’t.

It might mean doing things differently.
It might mean letting go of what you thought it had to look like.
It might mean creating something entirely new.

But it does not mean you have to give up.

When I see dance students stop because they have developed a knee problem, they just stop coming. I want them to continue with an aid or on a chair. Once I have had my second operation, the plan is to create a dance fitness class that’s based around limitations.

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If You’re Struggling With Your Body Right Now…

I feel like I understand how easy it is to feel held back by your body—I’ve been there, in more ways than one.

But what I’ve learned is this:

You don’t need a perfect body to dance.
You need a way of moving that works for you.

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💜 Ready to Feel Confident Moving Again?

If you feel like you’ve been holding back because you’re worried about your body, your ability, or how you’ll look on the dance floor—you’re not alone.

And you don’t have to figure it out by yourself.

I specialise in creating dance routines that are built around you—your body, your confidence level, and your unique story. I take trending videos and simplify them to suit your abilities.

No pressure. No perfection. Just movement that feels right.

Get in touch today to start your journey.

Movement, even in adapted forms like dance, can support joint health and wellbeing.