Dancing Wheels
On Thursday, October 28, 2010, Broadmeadow Elementary students experienced a truly unique dance performance. The dance troupe, Dancing Wheels, traveled from Ohio to perform for grades K-5. Dancing Wheels was founded in 1980 and was the first professional modern dance company to include both stand-up and sit-down wheelchair dancers. In addition to their performances, the group of four dancers also spoke with the children about their disabilities and how their own limitations have not stopped them from “following their dreams”. The dancers spoke of physical disabilities, but also taught the audience about how dancers perform with other disabilities such as vision or hearing loss. Children were taught about signs and gestures and how to use them in modern dance and then incorporated them into their own dance activity.
Dancing Wheels was funded by an NEF small grant in the Spring of 2010. The grant expanded the program out to Broadmeadow as it had already been funded the prior year for the Eliot and Hillside schools. Dancing Wheels was the kick-off performance for Broadmeadow School’s Disability Awareness Program.
The grant was applied for by Suzanne Lissy and Tee Stock, both Broadmeadow parents and initiators of the Disability Awareness Program at the school. The grant was supplemented by PTC funds.
Dancing Wheels performed two times for the Broadmeadow students; one performance for grades K-2 and a second performance for grades 3-5.
The following are some quotes from the students…
“I learned that no matter if you are in a wheelchair, deaf or blind you can do whatever you want to.”
“I learned that people can do things in different ways.”
“The dance moves were amazing. I think it was cool how the dancers jumped.”
“They were inspirational.”
and from the teachers…
“The students were amazed by the athleticism of the ‘sit-down dancers’ and seeing wheelchairs as so mobile.”
“I liked the inclusion of dancers with disabilities. I think most students had not seen people in wheelchairs dance before.”
“I liked that the program seemed to be a good introduction to the disabilities program and involved the children. It also left a lasting impression on the children.”
“It was a very moving experience…hard to stay dry-eyed!”