“Watching you dance made me see my own disability in a different way” - a fellow artist relayed this to me last year after I was invited to perform at the Creative Power Awards event for Arts for All Wisconsin, an organization that supports disabled artists across Wisconsin. As a 40-year-old mom, a C6/C7 SCI wheelchair user, and a disability advocate, I never thought that I would find a passion for performing through wheelchair ballroom dancing. I’ve played a variety of adaptive sports that require a lot of sportsmanship and physical endurance, but nothing can compare to the technical skill, creativity, social space, and mental wellness that dance can offer.
My dance journey has not been easy, but it has been rewarding. I was initially introduced to wheelchair ballroom dancing in 2019 within the first few months of my Ms. Wheelchair Wisconsin (MWWI) reign as the state titleholder for 2020/21. Part of being a MWWI representative means trying out new adaptive activities and sharing the experience with others during events or through a social media platform. After being extended an invite to try out the monthly Dance Mobility class at the Brookfield Fred Astaire Dance Studio (FADS), I remember being timid and yet intrigued simply by being amongst other wheelchair users on a spacious dance floor. All my peer para dancers in attendance were facing the large mirror and matching the movement of Sergio, the certified FADS Pro who initially ran the class with several other FADS volunteers. It was unexpectedly empowering to be watching and moving my body in ways that are not natural to daily movement of a wheelchair user. This awareness is even impactful when you are watching yourself in front of a mirror as you bend and move. After several sessions, you slowly see a new version of yourself; one that flows with the wheelchair as a synergetic and beautiful interpretation of music. Dance is an opportunity to be unique, unusual, brave, or bold- whatever feeling is needing the most expression at the time.