Be free, let go, and take up space
My Name is Illana Gambrill and I am the founder and owner of DanceBox - an all inclusive, empowering safe space where every single body, no matter your background or ability can come and let everything go through the power of dance.
I am a professional dancer, I have worked in the industry since I was 18 years old. I previously worked for artists as a back up dancer on tours, tv shows and music videos. My journey started when I was 12. I had such a huge passion for dance but had never taken a lesson. I started high school and realised all these kids went to a dance school on a Saturday and I wanted in. I wanted in more so to escape my very hostile home life. My mother (who is amazing) had to work on Saturdays, leaving me home alone with my father - a scary man that I feared tremendously. I dreaded every weekend. Dance became my escape - something I could do to get me out of the house 10-5 every Saturday and something that I really loved. Dancing was my beaming light in a load of darkness.
I soon realised that dance wasn’t just a passion of mine but that I was actually very good at it. I became one of the best dancers in the school and after years of training there, I started to teach the students too. Dance, to me, is about being free, being able to grow and express. In my opinion dancing it’s the best thing you can do to improve all areas of your life.
Fast forward a few years, I am now a professional dancer booking paid jobs and loving every second. I am officially living my dream. But the industry had its demons. It was bitchy, competitive, harsh and in contrast to the freeing nature of dance, the industry was extremely restrictive. I was constantly poked for not being thin enough and not being good enough. Very quickly my passion started to become a bit of a nightmare.
Through all of its hardships, I never quit. I was always trying to refer back to what dance is all about and how it initially made me feel, but it was so hard to get past the negativity.
At 27 years old, I had had enough. I decided to stop auditioning or take any direct bookings for jobs.
I started an adult dance class in my local area, one day a week, I wanted everyone to feel what I feel when I dance. I turned my passion for dance and my hatred for the dancing industry into a project that would bring back that amazing, empowering, uplifting aspect of dance back to my life and to everyone who joined me.
Dance changed my life and I used it to change other peoples lives too.
I knew it was powerful, but I didn’t realise that 5 years on, it would be so successful. I now teach people to allow themselves to be authentic in my classes, to be vulnerable, to let every emotion out when dancing. Bashing out powerful dance routines to empowering music, in a safe space with like minded people is like THERAPY!! There are tears, there are people yelling with elation and it is so freaking magical. It can take people quite a while to break out of their shell but once they do, you can see, there is no going back for them.
We are told that we should live small and to not make too much noise. As children we dance unapologetically. We run free, run wild and let ourselves be heard. Something changes when we transform into adults, and we lose that part of ourselves. But through dancing, we can find it again. We are not robots, we are wonderful, free spirits and the more people practise the art of being unapologetic and being their true selves, the better everything will be.
I have watched peoples lives transform in front of my eyes. I know it can be done, if you just give back to yourself.
BE FREE, LET GO AND TAKE UP SPACE!
DanceBox now holds public classes 6 days a week in Essex.
There has been a huge demand for online classes for about two years and I have FINALLY done it!!
DanceBox online classes (The PowerHouse) are held 4 days a week.
Illana Gambrill
Follow me on Instagram: @danceboxofficial