Ann Law at the beach in New York
In 2006, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had bi-lateral mastectomies. Now, almost 10 years later, I look back at how dance and art transformed my life-challenging situation into beauty. With the help and support of my friend and artist Mary Petruska, I decided not to do reconstruction. From a beautiful drawing of wild passion flowers by Mary, we went to tattoo artist Skip Cisto, who was a former dance student of mine, to create art on my chest. Filmmaker Jarrod Whaley created a beautiful documentary about the whole experience.
As I look back, I realized how much joy art brought to my healing process.
I have been a dancer all my life. Returning to the dance studio to create a new dance, and to my teaching positions, I tried hard to step back into my life. But nothing was the same. With a physical landscape radically changed, I found myself lost. And though happy with my decision not to reconstruct, I was self-consciousness about not having any breasts. It was not until I picked up a small Japanese samurai sword, a thing I had bought at the East Ridge Flea market 10 years prior that I came back into my body. Somehow, this sword created a whole new focus for me. It empowered me creatively, and made me feel unafraid. Encouraged by the strength and power of the sword, I began to recover from breast cancer as I listened and rediscovered the power of body awareness. Breast cancer became my teacher, and expanded my mind, body, and spiritual awareness, settling me into the person I am now…a true warrior.
This past year, I decided for the first time, to share my dance artistic process with other breast cancer survivors. I call these classes the Passion Flower Project. For the first time, I am dancing with breast cancer survivors! Because our chests have been completely rearranged, and our scars are asymmetrical, I feel that establishing extension in the chest and upper back is critical. As our scar tissue keeps pulling us downward, and our abdominals become weak, I also find breathing to be limited but as we begin to dance, I no longer experience my breast cancer as a struggle. The joy of moving with ease and comfort begins to occur. Patience, compassion, and the importance of our loving relationships is what breast cancer is truly made of. On the first Saturday morning of every month, from 8:30 – 9:30am, at Barking Legs Theater on 1307 Dodds Avenue, you can find us dancing. We share our stories but our cancer gently takes a back seat as we joyfully come together dancing. We hug and greet each other and then head right into the studio to prepare for wonder, surprise, and laughter. Most of all, dance + breast cancer = a growing community. We no longer frown or worry, and at times, we soar and fly around the room…remember, we’re the ones who wear pink!
Next Passion Flower class for breast cancer survivors:
Saturday, February 6 at Barking Legs Theater 8:30am – 9:30am FREE
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Ann Law is an improvisational dancer, choreographer/director, dance educator and arts activist. She is co-artistic director of Contemporary Performing Arts of Chattanooga (CoPAC) and founder of Barking Legs Theater in Chattanooga. She has provided a supportive space to encourage both emerging and established artists, to grow thoughtful audiences, and to cultivate strong community art activism. She has received the Tennessee Association of Dance Outstanding Dance Education Tennessee and Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship awards
Passion Flower project