Inspire is a Verb – Dancing Queen Judy Victor

By February 27, 2015Inspire is a Verb

“For me dance is the place that I find freedom.
I know that if people can let go, their soul can shine through.”

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Judy Victor is throwing a dance party for all of her girlfriends. And all of their girlfriends. And so on and so on and so on. For as long as I’ve known her, and long before that, Judy has been the Dancing Queen. She glows with it and we go with it. She makes it easy to celebrate the moment.

Judy’s terpsichoral zest coalesces on March 14th at the leap! all women dance party, when women from all walks of the Twin Cities will gather their girlfriends to get their groove on for fun and charity. A pretty groovy idea! I asked Judy to tell us about it:

Contemplation …
What made you say “Hmm … maybe I’ll throw an epic dance party!”?
“Leap Events came from a desire to go dancing with my girlfriends. I’d say ‘I want to go out dancing!’ and I’d ask, ‘Where is the best place?’ The response? Crickets… We wanted to have fun in a safe environment free of the “club” nonsense. So I decided to have a dance party!
And then I realized it could be more! Sure, I could have 5 girls to my house and we could rock out to my iPod, but I wanted it bigger. For more people to experience – a physical and spiritual place where people feel a connection and joy. But I couldn’t stop there.
I chose to bring it up to another level, to have dimension and lasting impact. Members of my family have died from ovarian cancer, so I’ve become involved in Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance. I see this event as a way to keep the memories of those women bright – women who were a good friend to many, who loved life and loved connecting. MOCA is recipient of 85% of the proceeds of this event.”

Collaboration …
Who are the folks who’ve helped you along the way?
“Really, every person I talk to has said ‘Wow! What an amazing idea! It’s so simple, and so needed.’ That is the overwhelming thread. There is something special when women get together.”

Momentum …
How do you keep your motivation in motion?
“I have this vision in my head of being on the dance floor and having people smiling from ear to ear. Smiling and letting go. Dance and music allow us let our guard down and love life. I am motivated by the joy of life. And wanted to share it with others.”

Propulsion …
You’ve got gumption! Where do you go from here?
“Because our first gathering is an experiment, we’ll see how people engage! Whether it’s another dance party or a cooking competition, or a book reading or whatever, we can go in any direction that provides a space for women to connect and have joy. It’s up to the community!
In developing the Leap! mission, what came to the forefront is the concept of creating events for women that inspire positivity and unstoppable joy. I’ve seen a lot of disconnection, negativity and competition among women. Putting each other down because we need to “get ahead”. I want to do the opposite. I want women to feel power and strength, to desire to give and love each other in a way that can mirror what we have inside, each and every one of us. I’m an idealist. I have an altruistic sense of the world. And, I believe if we do this we can change it for the better.”

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One more thing …
Do you have a personal motto or a favorite quote you keep in your pocket?
“There are two quotes that I love. One is: ‘Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.’ The other is an old Hopi saying, which will be printed on the photos at our event photo booth: ‘To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak.’

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Ladies Night Out Dance Party 14 March 2015

 

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