Lauren Keating on finding confidence through movement

cgoucher
4 days ago
6 min read

Lauren has a way of helping people feel at home in their bodies. Her classes are warm, supportive, and full of spirit, shaped by her belief that movement can be a doorway back to confidence and connection.

In her interview, she talks about growing up with dance as a safe space, discovering the freedom of heels, learning to lead with compassion, and creating an environment where people are encouraged to try, mess up, laugh, and keep going. Her story is honest, thoughtful, and full of heart.

What first pulled you toward dance?
My earliest memory is dancing in my childhood bedroom while my dad played the fiddle. He asked if I wanted to learn how to dance to fiddle music ‘for real’ and I was excited at the thought. Irish dance was something I really enjoyed and looked forward to every week, but it truly became meaningful around age 12 when the studio turned into my safe space. I was being bullied at school and on my soccer team, and dance gave me encouragement, community, and room to be my quirky, bubbly self. Rather than being teased or left out, I felt included and appreciated.
What drew you to heels and chair, and what keeps you coming back?
Irish dance helped me feel connected to my family and my background, but as I grew up, I wanted to explore movement in new ways. I remember watching So You Think You Can Dance and seeing other styles like hip hop and contemporary at dance competitions and I wanted to move like that. I can’t explain it other than an internal calling. I found myself dancing and performing in my room and choreographing in the basement.

In university, I found heels to be a fun, sassy, empowering environment filled with women lifting each other up. It was the first time I was encouraged to tap into my sexier side and celebrate it. When I started teaching, I decided my classes were going to be a space of celebration for all that our bodies do for us. As someone who’s struggled with self-worth and confidence my entire life, making a space for others to embrace themselves made it a little easier for me to do the same. It’s a daily practice that I am always working on and dance has made such an impact on my relationship with my body and appearance.

What keeps me coming back is simple: music moves me. Dancing is how I process joy, stress, anger, heartbreak and everything in between. What keeps me motivated to dance outside my house is the community. The people I’ve met through this space are unlike anything else. Kind, supportive, encouraging, and so bad ass.
What’s the secret to creating your warm, safe class environment?
For me, safety comes from connection, respect, and room to be imperfect. We start every class by learning each other’s names and sharing a lighthearted question to break the ice. My three class rules set the tone: support each other, speak kindly to yourself, and do your best - we’re here for a good time, not a long time. I want people to feel free to try, mess up, laugh, and keep going. That freedom from needing to be perfect and just try is where the magic is, it’s where the growth happens and it’s where people get to find themselves.

I’m unafraid of putting myself in front of a room and being silly. Making a bit of a fool of myself breaks the ice and gives others permission to feel silly. Trying to learn a physical skill can be really vulnerable, you’d be surprised how many people have emotional reactions to trying a dance class for the first time. But, like any other skill, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. I think the more you learn to connect with yourself (in mind and body), the more you feel secure. The dance and fitness studio becomes a place where people can start working on their relationship with their sense of self.
How are you approaching leadership with both strategy and heart in Heeling Dance Inc.?
I’m really fortunate in that my heart and strategy feel very seamless in this line of work. I love what I do and I want to service as many people as possible. It can feel really vulnerable at times, putting myself out there and at the same time, the best opportunities have always stemmed from connecting with people.

Heart:
I lead with compassion and remind myself that adults are busy. Their time deserves to feel joyful, meaningful, and empowering. My focus is always on the people in the room and meeting them where they are. Whether I’m connecting with young adults that are exploring what a more sensual relationship with their body can feel like, or teaching a group of seniors with limited mobility to find joy in small movement again, I centre my class around the people in front of me.

Strategy:
I’m committed to ongoing education so I can teach safely and effectively. Recently, I completed 20 hours of anatomy training and 40 hours of Pilates training. Being informed on how the body functions from a foundational level has been instrumental in informing my class structures. I think this has helped me strengthen my teaching skills and keeps clients coming back.

From a business perspective, my goal is to work through referrals and word of mouth as much as possible. I have a small social media presence and I love to share my choreographies through Instagram, but my main driver for business right now is through my network. Since branching out on my own, I’ve come to learn how important it is to nurture relationships with other local business owners and community members. The Kitchener-Waterloo community is so supportive and really wants to see people succeed. I love living here and have met so many wonderful people as of late.
What part of your Women of the Year nomination meant the most to you?
That’s a tough question, the whole nomination really moved me. I think the most impactful line for me was when Emily, the owner of The Underdog Dance Corp., and person that nominated me said, “I have received countless testimonials from our clients who have shared that Lauren’s classes have literally saved their lives. Her body-positive, empowering approach to dance has transformed the way women in Waterloo hold themselves, speak to themselves, and support one another. Lauren has created a space where women feel safe, confident, and celebrated, and it has become a lifeline for many.” Reading that brought me to tears. I get a front row seat to people’s growth in class, but knowing that it impacts their self-worth and life outside the studio is what resonates with me most deeply.
How has dance changed the way you move through the world today?
Dance has taught me to lead with authenticity, humour, and vulnerability, both in and outside the studio. It helped me unlearn perfectionism and get more comfortable making mistakes. When you’re learning a physical skill, I think it’s more vulnerable because people are watching you figure it out in your body in real time. At the beginning, it felt really silly to actually try. But then people started cheering me on and it gave me an energy boost and made me want to try harder. The more I tried and made mistakes, the more people encouraged me to keep going. Having a room full of people cheering you on makes the world of a difference in your perception of yourself.

Dance gave me permission to be a student of myself. It gave me dedicated time every week to understand myself and build a better relationship with my body and mind. Surrounding myself regularly with kind and supportive people made me move more confidently in other spaces. I became more outspoken at work and vocal when I didn’t understand a concept, recognizing it didn’t make me dumb for not knowing an answer. The more I became myself, the more I saw others embrace themselves around me.

In addition to creating a better connection with myself, dance has also given me community, joy, and emotional expression. I get to meet with people every day and facilitate an environment for them to have their own journey to reconnect with themselves. Now that I get to do this full-time, I feel happier than ever. When my work aligns with my values, I move through the world more grateful, grounded, and fulfilled.

Bonus: If you could choreograph one piece that captures your classes, what song would it be?

Ou, this is a fabulously difficult question!! I think I’d choose “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. It celebrates reclaiming your power and choosing your own path, themes that mirror my life and the spirit of my classes. When I started my business, I played this song on repeat and belted it in my car (very off-key) because it felt like my anthem for stepping into something bigger. It talks about releasing yourself from the confines of others’ expectations and limitations, while learning to trust your instincts and reach for the sky. The dance would celebrate individuality, creativity, and connection.

Sometimes confidence starts with one small step. Lauren shows how movement can become a path back to connection, joy, and a deeper sense of self. Her work is a reminder that creativity often begins with courage and grows through community.

This series grows through word of mouth and the creative people who nudge me toward the next conversation. If someone comes to mind whose creativity inspires you, send them my way.

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Until next week, Christine