The Dancing Woman Labyrinth is a woman’s story about cancer survival and loss. She is dedicated in memory of Lisa’s mother who died of breast cancer 14 years after the discovery of cervical cancer and, later, two radical mastectomies several years apart. Lisa is also a cancer survivor, celebrating many years since ovarian cancer surgery shortly after the birth of my only child, beautiful daughter Erin in 1983. The Dancing Woman knows grief; she bears the tears, embraces the heart pains and celebrates the days of joy and survival. She is a symbol of women’s strength and compassion. She dances with wild abandon in release of pain and celebration of enduring love.

The symbolism of the Dancing Woman design includes outstretched and uplifted arms that both reach out in a welcoming, supportive embrace and reach up in celebration; wild and flowing hair suggesting natural freedom as well as the crazy and unexpected ways hair may grow back after chemotherapy; entrances under the arms reminiscent of a mother’s or friend’s support and protection (e.g. a mother bird hiding offspring under her wings, taking someone under your wing); flowing skirt and leaping movement in pure grace and beauty; path center located within a womb or birthing space, a place for transformation, rebirth; number of circuits 4/5 symbols of earth, creation/creativity and transformation/ regeneration; location of figure as if rising out of the labyrinth, a phoenix-like rising upward or, if turned downward, a re-birth from the womb-like shape of the labyrinth.

Dancing Woman’s name is also based in a personal story. When Lisa’s mother was dying from cancer, she came to live in Lisa’s home where they could share the final days together. As Lisa’s mother’s physical health deteriorated, transferring her from the bed posed a challenge. Lisa would place her mother’s arms around Lisa’s neck and Lisa would reach her own arms around her mother’s weakened body in a full embrace. They would turn and move together with awkward steps that they jokingly referred to as dancing. Lisa’s mother soon became too weak to move from the bed. When she was restless, Lisa would ponder her needs and she said softly, “I just want to dance.” Some weeks after Lisa’s mother died, a young child wisely explained to Lisa that when people die they go up to heaven where they dance with the angels. Lisa understood this divine message and since that time has envisioned her mother doing just that. Released at last from the pain of her disease, she was once again free to dance.