Show Notes
FROM THE STAGE TO THE SHADOWS AND BACK AGAIN
Sybil Stanonis didn't just dance with rhythm—she danced with demons.
At five years old, when most children were learning to tie their shoes, Sybil was falling in love with the hypnotic rhythm of tap dancing. What began as childhood passion evolved into extraordinary talent, carrying her from acclaimed competitions to international stages across Russia and Denmark. The spotlights loved her, and she loved them right back.
Behind the dazzling smile of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Cheerleader was a woman battling shadows that the crowd couldn't see. While pursuing her psychology degree at SUNY Old Westbury, Sybil maintained a punishing schedule—performing with the Knicks City Dancers, coaching cheerleading, and dancing with the Fred Astaire Dance Troupe. But beneath the surface, addiction was choreographing a dangerous dance of its own.
When darkness threatened to end her performance permanently, Sybil made the most crucial pivot of her life. She turned her recovery journey into a mission, developing Dance Time with Sybil—a revolutionary approach to dance therapy that transforms movement into medicine for the soul.
Today, Sybil's dance floor has no judgment, only healing. Her curriculum, forged in the fire of her own struggles, offers more than just steps and routines—it teaches resilience, recovery, and rebirth. This isn't just dance; it's survival set to music.
As an official TEDx speaker delivering "Dancing through the Darkness with Pivots to Your Purpose," Sybil uses her platform to shatter stigmas around addiction. Her students don't just perform—they advocate, appearing at events for the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance, Drug Free America Foundation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
"To me, dancing isn't escape—it's confrontation. It's facing your darkest thoughts and translating them into something beautiful. There is never any judgment on my dance floor...because I've been in the darkest corners myself, and found my way back through movement."
This podcast doesn't just tell Sybil's story—it offers a rhythmic roadmap for anyone fighting their own battles, proving that sometimes the most powerful recovery doesn't happen in stillness, but in motion.
CONNECT WITH SYBIL
- Facebook: Sybil Stanonis and Dance Time with Sybil
- Instagram: sybs99
- TikTok: dtwsybil
- LinkedIn: sybil stanonis or dtwsybil
- Website: https://dtwsybil.com
HELP SUPPORT OUR FIGHT AGAINST ADDICTION. DONATE HERE: https://www.patreon.com/theaddictionpodcast
AUDIO VERSIONS OF ALL OUR EPISODES: https://theaddictionpodcast.com
CONTACT US: The Addiction Podcast - Point of No Return theaddictionpodcast@yahoo.com
Intro and Outro music by:
Decisions by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100756
Artist: http://incompetech.com/
