Reclaiming Space Through Dance and Body Liberation
Alex Christmas Stapleton, PhD is a Co-Founder.
Alongside Jazelynn Goudy, MFA and Davianna Griffin, MFA.
Of Thick Like Me.
A dance-based nonprofit.
Centered on body liberation.
Creating space for expression.
Visibility.
And belonging.
Where Every Body Is a Dancing Body
At the heart of Thick Like Me.
Is a powerful belief.
That every body is worthy of movement.
Of joy.
Of being seen.
The work centers thick Black women dancers.
While expanding the narrative.
So that all bodies.
Are welcomed.
Respected.
And celebrated in dance.
Turning Personal Experience Into Purpose
Alex’s journey is deeply personal.
As a dancer.
She was often one of the largest in the room.
An experience that impacted her confidence.
And sense of belonging.
But finding other dancers who looked like her.
Changed everything.
It became a source of healing.
Connection.
And empowerment.
Building a Movement, Not Just an Organization
Through Thick Like Me.
Alex and her co-founders are creating more than a nonprofit.
They’re building a movement.
One that challenges body hierarchies.
And redefines who gets to take up space.
Ensuring that thick Black women know.
There is a place for them in dance.
Whether professional.
Or not.
Creating Across Distance and Difference
One of their unique challenges.
Is building this work across distance.
With three founders.
In different parts of the country.
Navigating collaboration.
Through technology.
And intention.
In a way that’s uncommon in the dance world.
Growing With Limited Resources
As a young organization.
Funding has been one of the biggest hurdles.
Especially with ongoing cuts to the arts.
Accessing grants.
And larger funding opportunities.
Remains a challenge.
Powered by Community and Purpose
But through grassroots support.
And small community contributions.
They continue.
Building something meaningful.
From the ground up.
Expanding What’s Possible
Like many early-stage organizations.
Access to networks.
Partnerships.
And capital.
Is still growing.
But the vision is clear.
To expand beyond a volunteer-based initiative.
Into a sustainable.
Full-time organization.
Redefining Belonging Through Movement
At its core.
This work is about liberation.
Creating a world.
Where bodies are not ranked.
Or excluded.
But embraced.
Because when all bodies are seen…
Valued…
And given space to move…
Dance becomes more than art.
It becomes freedom.
At Reignelle, we believe that when you reclaim your body and your space, you don’t just express yourself.. you help reshape the world around you.