Tacoma woman danced through her trauma. Now she helps at-risk kids do the same.
Art has a transformative power to turn pain into purpose.
No one knows that better than India Irons, a licensed social worker and founder of Fearless Dance, a studio based in Tacoma’s Hilltop neighborhood that blends movement and mindfulness to create a safe environment for at-risk youth.
Raised in a broken household by parents experiencing alcoholism and mental health issues, Irons has endured her own fair share of trauma.
But amid the instability of her youth there was one constant that she credits for her healing journey: dance.
Like many dancers of her time, her love for the art form blossomed from the hypnotic moves of Michael Jackson. She remembers watching the same DVD of the King of Pop’s performance of “Smooth Criminal” over and over, memorizing his signature pops and locks.
As she continued to dance, and with the help of mentors from the local Boys & Girls Club chapter along the way, she built a life in her teenage years beyond the boundaries of her toxic upbringing.
The longer she danced, the more her mental state improved, she said. Her grades got better and she even mustered the courage to perform in school talent shows.
“Dancing got me out of trouble and everything,” Irons said. “It helped me to just release stress and anger.”
While pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Pacific Lutheran University, Irons first began teaching children dance at the Boys & Girls Club.
After graduating, she watched with pride as many of her young dancers grew into flourishing adults.
It wasn’t all success stories. Some of her previous dance students became involved in gangs, became incarcerated or even fell victim to gun violence.
Those developments stuck with her and inspired her to get back into teaching and open a studio of her own in April 2023. That vision became Fearless Dance Studio.
“It was not only important to just teach them dance,” Irons said. “It was to give them tools to overcome challenges beyond the stage.”
Students at Fearless Dance get to dip their toes into a range of dance styles, from hip-hop to tap dancing to praise dance.
Their musical repertoire features hit songs from artists younger generations easily connect with, like Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna.
While Irons teaches dance part-time, she works full-time as a social worker in the Franklin Pierce School District.
Traditional therapy can be a daunting experience for children, especially for those with traumatic backgrounds, Irons said. Through an unconventional therapeutic experience like hers, youth can navigate hard feelings in an environment that’s familiar to them.
“When the parents sign up their child, they’re not just asking for dance,” Irons said. “They’re looking for that social, emotional learning, that therapy component.”
Rather than focusing on disciplining students when they act out of line, she uses skills she learned as a social worker to help them recenter.
Depending on the student, that could involve giving them fidget toys, allowing them to take a breather outside or giving one-on-one talks using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques.
Fourteen-year-old Kei’lani Kent is the eldest and “self-proclaimed captain” of the dance troupe. Through her years with Fearless, her family watched as she grew out of her shell.
“I feel like I’ve got over my stage fright, because I used to be very in my own bubble,” Kent said. “I’ve performed to hundreds, even tens of hundreds of people. I feel like I’ve just gotten over my stage fright, and I’ve also learned how to express myself.”
Fearless Dance is supported by Accelerating Creative Enterprise, a small business incubator that’s ending in June following the closure of local arts nonprofit Tacoma Arts Live.
Thankfully for Irons, the nonprofit’s educational programs are expected to continue despite the closure, so she can continue with summer programming.
Still, she’s had to find a new rehearsal space as The Armory’s time housing TAL nears its end.
“I am sad because we pretty much grew up here,” Irons said. “It’s sad but you know, we have to move forward.”
The studio will host its final hurrah at The Armory for its Empowerment Stage Dance Showcase on April 26, 2026, at 3 p.m., with proceeds raised at the dance performance going toward continuing Fearless’s youth dance program.
“It’s not just about performance,” Irons said. “It’s about them showing how they overcome adversity.”
