Why I Move..
Over the past few years, I’ve experienced a shift—a deep, internal reckoning that many Black women speak of, but one I am living through and beginning to truly understand. As a dancer returning to the scene after burnout, I’ve often found myself placed in boxes I didn’t ask for. Labeled a "hip-hop dancer" in predominantly white spaces, reduced to a type, and called “intimidating” or “challenging” in fitness studios—when really, I am just showing up fully, challenging people with love, and moving with heart.
I’m from Gary, Indiana—the home of Michael Jackson. Movement is in my bones, my bloodline, and my history. The way I dance comes from my mom, my dad, my ancestors, if you will. I learned my left and my right through the Cha Cha Slide as a kid! It’s not about perfection—it’s about spirit. There’s a uniqueness to Black movement that’s hard to describe if you haven’t lived it. It’s not just steps or form—it’s a feeling. It’s joy. It’s rhythm. It’s story. It’s resistance. It’s freedom. But most importantly, movement to me feels like liberation.
I am taking up space in places that are important to me, but that have also made me feel very isolated—like the only one dancing or moving “differently,” when really, I’m just dancing like me.
That’s why I created the Juneteenth Line Dance Celebration.
Not to prove anything—but to remember something. To celebrate Black movement in its most joyful, communal, and freeing form. To offer a space for anyone—Black folks especially—to move from their hearts. No performance, no posturing, no pressure. Just rhythm, community, and soul.
This event isn’t about who has the best moves—it’s about who’s ready to feel while they move. We’ll laugh, sweat, celebrate, and honor the legacy of Black dance through line dancing—an art form rooted in unity, musicality, and shared joy. Whether you’re a trained dancer or just curious, this is for you.
Come dance like your aunties.
Come dance like your granddad.
Come dance like freedom.
I can’t wait to move with you.
— Karielle Williams