Image: Katty in a women’s movement studio. Supplied for this article.

Think back to a moment when you were little and a favourite song came on. Maybe you spun around the lounge room, jumped on the bed or made up moves that would have embarrassed you ten years later. You probably weren't wondering whether your arms looked graceful or your stomach looked flat. You moved because it felt good.

Somewhere along the way, many of us stop doing that. We learn to be composed, responsible and productive. We become conscious of how we look, what other people might think and whether we are doing things 'properly'. Even joy can start to feel like something we have to earn after the work is done.

I know that shift well. I danced professionally when I was younger. Ballroom dancing gave me technique, discipline and a deep love of music, but it was also about precision, presentation and getting the steps right. Much later, I discovered a different kind of movement: dancing alone at home after a difficult day, with nobody watching and nothing to prove.

I would turn on music and let myself move. Sometimes the movements were soft and slow. Sometimes I wanted to shake out my frustration, stomp my feet or dance with all the energy I had. I wasn't rehearsing a routine. I was giving myself permission to feel whatever was there.

That experience stayed with me because it was so different from trying to think my way out of a difficult mood. I didn't always need an answer or a solution. Sometimes I needed a few minutes to notice what I was carrying and express it in my own way.

When I later studied feminine embodiment coaching, I began to connect those experiences with what I was learning about attention, breath, body awareness and self-expression. I started experimenting with simple prompts: Where am I holding tension today? What would it feel like to take up a little more space? Could I move with kindness towards my body instead of criticism?

Those questions are not about achieving a perfect state of mind. They are invitations to pay attention. You might notice that your shoulders are tight. You might discover that you feel restless, tired or unexpectedly playful. You may simply enjoy a song. All of those experiences are valid.

I often think about this as giving your inner child a hug. Not because we need to become children again, but because there is something worth remembering about how freely we once expressed ourselves. A child might jump with excitement, shake their arms when frustrated or sway without needing permission. Adults often learn to contain those impulses, even when a little safe, uninhibited movement might feel welcome.

Reconnecting with that freedom doesn't mean forcing yourself to dance wildly in front of strangers. It can start with the smallest gestures: rolling your shoulders, swaying to music while making dinner, letting your hips move, stretching your arms overhead or breathing out with a long sigh. It means being curious about how movement feels rather than how it looks.

And sometimes it can be bigger. Put on a song that makes you smile. Close the door if you want privacy. Shake your hands, turn in a circle, bounce, laugh or move in a way you would never put on social media. Let the music carry you for three minutes without correcting yourself. If sadness or frustration is present, you don't have to hide it or perform it. You can allow your movement to reflect the moment, safely and at your own pace.

There is also something meaningful about doing this in the company of other women. Many women spend so much of their day looking after people, meeting expectations and holding things together. In a supportive room where there is no choreography and no pressure to share personal stories, moving freely can feel like a rare opportunity to be present for themselves. Sometimes the atmosphere is gentle. Sometimes it resembles a joyful women-only dance party.

That is the idea behind Shemotion, the guided group embodiment experience I created on the Gold Coast. We use music, breath, coaching prompts and intuitive movement, moving from gentle awareness into more expressive exploration before gradually returning to stillness and gratitude. It is not about performing or being a good dancer. The invitation is to find a way of moving that belongs to you.

Of course, movement is not a replacement for professional help when you need it, and not every emotion can be shifted by a song. But making room for play, expression and self-compassion can be a simple way to reconnect with parts of ourselves that everyday life tends to crowd out.

So perhaps the question isn't whether you can dance. Perhaps it's when you last let yourself move without being judged - especially by yourself. Your inner child might not be asking for perfect steps. She might just be waiting for you to put the music on.

About the author

Katty H. is the Gold Coast-based founder of Shemotion and a feminine embodiment coach with a background in professional dance. Shemotion is a guided group experience helping women reconnect with freedom, self-expression and joy through intuitive movement, music, breath and grounding. Learn more at shemotion.com.au.