Written and produced by legendary music dynamo Tena Clark, with music by Tena Clark and Tim Heintz, Break The Chain features an impressive cast of V-Girl activists and New York-based singers: Liz Byrne, Shelea Frazier, Ashley Juedy, Dana Kluczyk, Jenny Mollett, Jenna Brooke Scannelli, Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa, Naomi Walley, and Caitlin Witty.
The song moves us beyond words, and now you can move with it! Dance ICON, and award winning choreographer Debbie Allen has choreographed a dance just for ONE BILLION RISING. The music video features Allen with the over 80 teen V-Girls and singers bringing their radical RISING energy to locations across NYC.
“Dance is dangerous, joyous, sexual, holy, disruptive, contagious, it breaks the rules.
It can happen anywhere, anytime, with anyone and everyone, and it’s free.
Dancing insists we take up space, we go there together in community.
Dance joins us and pushes us to go further and that is why it’s at the center of ONE BILLION RISING.
With infectious music and lyrics from Tena Clark, amazing vocals by a talented group of V-Girls,
and Debbie Allen’s bold choreography, Break The Chain is the anthem that will call up one billion to rise.”
– Eve Ensler
Produced by Eve Ensler and V-Day, the video was directed and shot by South African filmmaker Tony Stroebel, who also co-directed and shot the ONE BILLION RISING short film.
Break the Chain Lyrics
Lyrics by Tena Clark
Music by Tena Clark/Tim Heintz
Intro-
I raise my arms to the sky
On my knees I pray
I’m not afraid anymore
I will walk through that door
Walk, dance, rise
Walk, dance, rise
I can see a world where we all live
Safe and free from all oppression
No more rape or incest, or abuse
Women are not a possession
You’ve never owned me, don’t even know me I’m not invisible, I’m simply wonderful I feel my heart for the first time racing I feel alive, I feel so amazing
I dance cause I love
Dance cause I dream
Dance cause I’ve had enough
Dance to stop the screams
Dance to break the rules
Dance to stop the pain
Dance to turn it upside down
Its time to break the chain, oh yeah
Break the Chain
Dance, rise
Dance, rise
In the middle of this madness, we will stand I know there is a better world Take your sisters & your brothers by the hand Reach out to every woman & girl
This is my body, my body’s holy
No more excuses, no more abuses
We are mothers, we are teachers,
We are beautiful, beautiful creatures
I dance cause I love
Dance cause I dream
Dance cause I’ve had enough
Dance to stop the screams
Dance to break the rules
Dance to stop the pain
Dance to turn it upside down
It’s time to break the chain, oh yeah
Break the Chain, oh yeah
Break the Chain
Dance Break Inst.
Dance, rise
Dance, rise
Sister won’t you help me, sister won’t you rise x4
Dance, rise
Dance, rise
Sister won’t you help me, sister won’t you rise x4
This is my body, my body’s holy
No more excuses, no more abuses
We are mothers, we are teachers,
We are beautiful, beautiful creatures
I dance cause I love
Dance cause I dream
Dance cause I’ve had enough
Dance to stop the screams
Dance to break the rules
Dance to stop the pain
Dance to turn it upside down
Its time to break the chain, oh yeah
Break the Chain, oh yeah
Break the Chain
(Repeat chorus)
