Finding Her Way Back to the Dance Floor

For Riela “Lala” Popp, ballroom dancing has always been about more than movement. It has given her confidence, helped her come out of her shell, and offered her a place to express herself without fear.

“I'm definitely a different person when I'm on the floor,” says Lala. “When I'm on the floor, I'm not shy. I'm not afraid necessarily. Whatever comes, I can do it.”

Lala began dancing as a teenager and spent 15 years developing her skills, including two years as a professional dancer. Teaching private lessons, attending classes, and dancing socially became an important part of her everyday life. The dance floor was where she felt most like herself.

Then, thyroid eye disease (TED) began to change that.

TED is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation in the tissue around the eyes. For Lala, the first signs were light sensitivity and discomfort. Headlights and streetlights became increasingly difficult to tolerate, and over time, her eyes began bulging outward.

As her symptoms progressed, even everyday activities became challenging. The pressure and discomfort around her eyes sometimes became so intense that she felt compelled to press against her eyes to find relief. Severe headaches and migraines left her lying in a dark room with an ice pack, while pain medication offered little help.

Her eyes also no longer closed completely when she slept, leaving them dry and uncomfortable and making it difficult to feel rested. Driving at night started to feel unsafe, and the condition affected her work and daily activities.

The physical symptoms were only part of the experience.

“I would look in the mirror, and I'd say, ‘Who is that?’” says Lala. “The changes in my appearance and discomfort every day made it difficult to feel connected to myself.”

Eventually, the pain became too much for her to continue dancing. Lala had to cancel lessons, losing income and valuable time with her students, many of whom had become friends. More than that, she lost an important way of expressing herself.

“It was a devastating decision I had to make to not dance anymore,” recalls Lala. “It was something where I knew who I was, and all of a sudden I didn't.”

For a time, managing her symptoms took all her energy. She knew something was wrong, but finding a way forward felt overwhelming. Then, an unexpected encounter at work prompted her to take action.

While working as a barista at Moynihan Train Hall in New York, Lala served a customer who happened to be a doctor. The doctor noticed her eyes and asked whether she was taking care of them. Although the comment initially caught her off guard, it stayed with her. She realized that if someone who barely knew her could recognize how serious her symptoms had become, she could no longer put off seeking help.

“That moment really lit a fire under me,” says Lala.

She began reaching out to eye doctors and exploring treatment options. After consulting with her doctor, she decided to pursue treatment for her TED.

At first, the changes were subtle. Lala describes her improvement as a snowball effect: progress was difficult to notice day by day, but gradually, the difference became undeniable. Her light sensitivity diminished, her headaches became less frequent, and the bulging of her eyes began to decrease.

As the physical discomfort eased, she also began to feel more like herself. The possibility of returning to ballroom dancing no longer felt so distant.

Lala started slowly, returning to class once a week. Being back on the dance floor brought a mix of excitement and relief. She knew she might not be able to return to dancing at a professional level, but she was grateful to be dancing again.

“Once I started dancing again, life got so much better,” says Lala. “It was something that I needed more than anything, and I didn't have it for a time period because TED really took it away from me. And once I got it back, it was almost like I was a renewed person.”

For Lala, returning to the dance floor meant reconnecting with a part of herself that TED had made difficult to access. The confidence she found through dancing began to return, along with the joy of sharing that space with others.

Today, Lala hopes that sharing her experience will encourage others living with TED to recognize changes in their symptoms, talk with a doctor about their impact on daily life and treatment options, and feel empowered to advocate for their health. She also recognizes the importance of research, education, and community for people navigating an eye disease diagnosis.

For Lala, finding relief meant more than feeling better physically. It meant finding her way back to the dance floor, where she could once again feel confident, connected, and fully herself.

 

This Beacon Story is brought to you in partnership with Amgen.