From The Studio To The Soul

By Jaclyn Kuka

Hi everyone,

I want to share an experience I had with one of my students a couple of weeks ago that I think perfectly illustrates the importance of continuing to show up—and the power of movement.

As you all know, on January 7th, major fires broke out here in LA. It’s been devastating for so many, and the fires are still burning across our city. I knew many of my students were affected, and one student in particular, Ralph, who I’ve had the privilege of teaching for over 30 years, lives in the Palisades. I reached out to him to check in. I did my best to offer encouragement, but the truth was, Ralph had just left his home. He was homeless, staying with his daughter, and he sounded very despondent.

Ralph’s been struggling with balance issues and hasn’t been in great health the past few years. He’s in his early 90s, so when I hung up the phone, my heart felt heavy. I actually wondered, Is this the last time I’ll hear from Ralph? I thought about how I could encourage him, and then I remembered a video I’d taken of him dancing with his granddaughter. During her last visit, I had encouraged them to dance together, knowing how much he would love it. So, I searched through my photos and videos, found it, and sent it to him with a note:

“Ralph, even if you can’t make it back into the studio, please continue to move. Keep doing the stretches we do at the start of every lesson. They’ll help with your balance and make you feel better.”

And then, I sent it off, with a hope and a prayer.

About 15 minutes later, I got a phone call from Ralph. He wanted to know if he could come in for a lesson on Tuesday. Of course, I said yes! I never expected this, but I was thrilled.

Tuesday came, and I watched as Ralph’s driver helped him out of the car and up the stairs to the studio. He didn’t look great. The owner of the studio even commented, “Jackie, what happened to your student? He looks like he’s aged 10 years.” The stress and sadness of the past few weeks had taken a toll.

When I walked into the ballroom, there was Ralph—shuffling with a cane (something he’s never needed before), hunched over, head forward, with a monitor attached to his arm to track his high blood pressure.

I said to him, “Ralph, let’s just take it slow. Let’s start with our stretches, like we always do.”

And we did. Slowly, but surely, he started to improve. I showed him how to walk properly again, reminding him to roll through his heels, lift his eyes, and avoid shuffling. By the end of the lesson, Ralph walked out without his cane.

He’s been back for the past week and a half now. He still brings his cane with him, but he doesn’t use it.

To me, this is the power of continuing to show up, even when it’s the last thing you want to do—and the power of movement, especially dance. It can change you, even when things seem dire.

I want to be clear—I’m not sharing this to pat myself on the back. But I do want to point out that there’s real power in a teacher going that extra mile to show their students they care. Honestly, if Ralph hadn’t come in for that lesson, I’m not sure he would have made it much longer. I truly believe dance saved his life and gave him a reason to keep going in the middle of a dark time.

As a teacher, it’s moments like this that are so encouraging. They remind me that what we do makes a huge difference in people’s lives.

So, I wanted to share this story to remind us all: Showing up does make a difference. For teachers, new and old, remember that even the smallest gestures can have a big impact. And as always, movement, dance, and caring will always win.

Keep dancing, never stop.

Jaclyn Kuka has been dancing and performing in the ballroom world since the age of 20, starting her career at Arthur Murray in Milwaukee and later making her mark in Beverly Hills. Over the years, Jaclyn has trained numerous celebrities and has choreographed and performed for film, television, and stage productions, including projects for ABC, PBS, Disney, and HBO.

She has competed in both American Rhythm and Smooth dance styles and has traveled extensively as a consultant and judge.

Currently based in Los Angeles, Jaclyn teaches and choreographs independently, while also serving as the Dance Director for the Conejo Valley chapter of the National Charity League.

Contact Jaclyn at: email: j5678k@aol.com   Insta: Jaclyn_kuka_Dance