Welsh professional dancer Amy Dowden has shared how even small dance moves in her living room helped her cope physically and mentally while undergoing chemotherapy during her breast cancer treatment. The Strictly Come Dancing star, 35, has been open about her battle with grade three breast cancer, which was diagnosed in 2023 after she found a lump the day before her honeymoon.
Dowden told reporters that during her chemotherapy, doing a little cha‑cha in her lounge or simply getting her body moving “made me feel so much better”. She said that if it hadn’t been for dancing, even in such a modest way, she wasn’t sure she would have regained the level of fitness and wellbeing she has now.
Known for her passion for dance and fitness, Dowden emphasized that movement of any kind contributed to improving her strength, flexibility, and confidence throughout her treatment. She also highlighted that even watching dance when she couldn’t physically participate gave her a mental boost during the toughest periods of her chemotherapy.
The star from Caerphilly, who has had Crohn’s disease from a young age, believes “not enough” is done to promote the benefits of dance.”For me, dancing has gotten me through the toughest of times, and even when I couldn’t dance, even being able to watch it made me feel so much better as well.
“We’ve got to get our bodies moving. You could be sitting down in a chair, you can participate as little or as much as you want, and actually seeing the progression over the weeks is just as rewarding for a teacher as for those taking part.”
A national dance programme could save the NHS in Wales £5m a year, according to a new report published by the Arts Council of Wales.
A saving of £17m could also be made if 5% of all adult mental health GP appointments were avoided following engagement in an arts programme, according to research by health economists at Bangor University. Joining a weekly dance group has helped Sylvie Evans, 69, recover from a knee injury.
“I’ve had physio for a year and obviously doing the dancing as well, I think I’ll hopefully avoid an operation now, so that’ll probably save the NHS thousands,” she said.
“But the social interaction is really important. Some people come because they’ve had to get over a bereavement or perhaps have had ill health, and we’re all friends here and supportive.”
Dowden’s openness about her cancer journey, including the highs and lows, has drawn widespread admiration, and her recovery continues as she reconnects with the dance community and her audiences.
