When Ethan Levy, who struggles with bipolar disorder, was younger, he wasn’t much of a dancer. From middle school through college he suffered from social anxiety, and the thought of dancing, either sober or drunk, made him uncomfortable. But one night in 2016, when he was at home with his roommate Zake, they threw on some tunes and Levy began to bust a move. Zake captured this moment on video and the two shared it on social media.
“I hadn’t done that comfortably, in front of someone else, for years. I just danced to dance, but I discovered it was fun and funny,” he wrote on his nonprofit Dork Dancing’s website.
Soon, friends from their apartment building joined in on the fun. It became a movement of movement, granting individuals the space to practice self-care while knowing they are seen, acknowledged, and accepted by the community around them. A comment from a follower changed his life.
“So, I was just dancing and I posted the dance video of myself on social media and someone called me a dork. It just really resonated with me, I am a dork and this is dork dancing!”
That comment inspired him to found Dork Dancing. The group, now based in Denver, originally started halfway across the world. On a trip to Vietnam, which was unexpectedly extended because of the COVID pandemic, Levy took his dork dancing to the streets. After the success of the group in the city of Da Nang, Levy moved to Denver in 2021, where he developed plans to introduce the organization.
“Different populations of people might respond differently, so I was curious, would Dork Dancing work in the American context, cultural context? I had just seen this idea work in Da Nang and I was amazed by the simplicity of the idea to create joyous experiences for people. Coming to Denver, I wanted to continue to organize consistently because it’s through that consistency that people are able to develop a healthy habit of dancing in community,” Levy said.
Levy realized the impact dance and music could have on others. He said those who attend Dork Dancing events consistently felt more free, connected, and at ease regardless of their comfort level with dancing.
“I do think it does a lot in letting people break out of their shells a little bit. Everyone has a different relationship to dance, some are more reserved, others are more expressive, so I think Dork Dancing creates a different impact depending on where you’re at in that journey,” he said.
Every Sunday morning, the Dork Dancers of Denver meet at Sloan’s Lake Park from 10 to 11 a.m. to dance for themselves and others. While many might think of “dork” as a negative description, Levy believes the term should be inclusive and acknowledge a person’s capacity for silliness. The group views dancing as an opportunity for community and healing.
“It was right after the pandemic was really bad and I was doing laps around City Park, and Ethan and one other guy were there dancing, and I was like, ‘What’s going on here?’ said Doug Peterson, one of the original Denver Dork Dancing members. “They told me what they were doing—I was petrified, I don’t normally do this sort of thing. I joined them and thought, ‘This feels good!’ And I’ve been coming ever since!”
Members proved that dance doesn’t have to be technical and no prior experience is required. At Dork Dancing, dance is anything you need it to be.
“I feel like it’s a judgment-free zone,” said fellow member Regina Kilkenny. “So I can dance however I feel like moving that day.”
The group offers reassurance through by establishing a welcoming environment, where there are no wrong answers.
“I think people are afraid to do creative things because they are afraid they are not going to be good at it. So, it’s nice that we don’t have to be good at dancing here,” said Jessica Morse.
Dork Dancing and its founder view the movement as healing, connecting, and liberating. After all, the heart of the nonprofit is the silly video of Levy dancing in his kitchen. Since then, he’s sparked a community where individuals are dancing freely for mental health.
“Life can be so serious with all these burdens and Dork Dancing is just a period of time where you can drop those stressors and just be in your body and just connect with yourself,” Levy said.
If you’re interested in learning more about Dork Dancing and Ethan Levy, check out their documentary here. You can also follow the group on Facebook and Instagram.
