A nonprofit organization that teaches ballroom, Bollywood, hip hop and other dance styles to people of all ability levels will host a fundraiser recital showcase this Sunday to support its mission.
The event hosted by WDO Inclusive Dance will take place at Champion Ballroom Academy, 4255 Ruffin Rd., on Oct. 8 from noon to 3 p.m. The showcase, which will include some light snacks, is free to attend, but any donations will support the nonprofit’s free classes.
WDO Inclusive Dance classes share similarities with other ballroom groups, but with one notable difference: Half the class dances while seated in wheelchairs.
Dance classes through WDO Inclusive Dance are taught by two instructors who demonstrate the moves for students who are either wheelchair users or ambulatory. For the ballroom classes, the instructors pair “walkers” and “rollers” with one another to perform the various moves.
While some of the wheelchair dancers in the group use their chairs on a consistent basis, others are able to walk but have health conditions like arthritis that make dancing more difficult to do on their feet.
Executive Director and dance instructor Michele Jones said that pairing dancers of all abilities with one another has benefits for everyone who takes classes with the nonprofit.
“We’ve seen a lot of our dancers progress, both mentally and physically,” Jones said. “We’ve had dancers in wheelchairs who have suffered through depression who feel like dance has really helped them work through that and maybe even reduce some of their medications with doctor supervision by taking our classes.
“We also see those who increase their mobility by being able to dance and being able to do more things by continuously keeping their body moving.”
For more information about WDO Inclusive Dance, call (858) 573-1571 or visit wheelchairdancers.org to read about the program and see the class schedule.
