Muzzi Chaise Williams is intense. Searing eyes stare out of a determined face. Energy like that has to go somewhere. For a long time, those eyes sought escape in dangerous places. Gangs, drugs and bad decisions defined Williams’ upbringing. And then he went to a dance class, and discovered a reason to live.
His upbringing was scarred by trauma. Raised by a single mother, abandoned by a father strung out on drugs, Williams had to grow up quickly. Without the presence of a father figure, he looked for affirmation in the wrong places. Part of a gang, beholden to chemical influence, Williams was losing control of his life. His first dance lesson snapped the cycle. He found redemption in the studio, the rhythm and structure of classes giving him the courage to walk away from his previous life. Today, he works as a dancer, performer and a teacher.
Williams isn’t perfect. There’s still a lot that he is trying to figure out. But dancing has turned his life around, and given him a way to tackle his personal demons. His lessons in the studio are giving him the means to navigate this world.
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