Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/259468
What do ballroom dance teachers do when they experience the recuperative benefits of massage? Become massage therapists, of course! Well, that's what happened to J. W. Becker, the LMT from Tennessee who came to massage via the ballroom dance floor. "After needing massage for myself and seeing its benefits, I decided to go to school at Tennessee School of Therapeutic Massage in Knoxville so I could expand on what I learned through dance and help other people," Becker says. Today, he combines both specialties at Becker Ballroom & Bodywork, where you can schedule a dance lesson in the studio he runs with his parents, or a deep-tissue massage at his massage office. Becker's appreciation for the body began with his knowledge of dance. "I learned from some of the best dance instructors in the country. Dance was taught to me from a professional level that incorporated anatomy and kinesiology. That was my starting point to studying the human body on my own time and using that to enhance my teaching." So, when he first saw massage help his mother, a figure skater at the time, and then experienced the value of therapeutic massage for himself, he felt this was a path worth exploring. "MT work and teaching dance go hand in hand. Whether I'm teaching a box step to a beginner or explaining posture on a dance lesson, I get to draw from the same knowledge that helps me treat clients effectively with massage to correct their posture or alleviate symptoms from trigger points or common stress carried in the body." Becker says there are clients who come to him for both services. "I find it really exciting to use massage to help educate and enhance someone's ability to apply dance technique. And everyone enjoys the therapy I can provide on their arms and shoulders after holding dance position for hours and hours." What Becker has found in the mix of dance and massage is something he was taught early on, and something he encourages new therapists to find: a path they enjoy. "Some of the most successful massage therapists I've met are those who really enjoy what they are doing." Different Strokes: the voice of ABMP By Karrie Osborn ABMP Member Profile Dancing to th e Beat of His Own Drum J. W. Becker, shown in a dance competition, far left, built his free website using ABMP's Website Builder. Karrie Osborn is senior editor at ABMP.