History of ADF
It seems like an eternity since I took my first spin around the dance floor with a gentleman named Ray who uses a wheelchair. I have been a ballroom dancer for many years and have always loved the brilliance of the movement, the music, and the partnership. The encounter proved to be creative, exhilarating, exciting, and as much fun as any other dance experience that I have ever had. Although I was a bit fearful of the wheelchair in the beginning, Ray stayed in his own space, and kept his movements fluid and balanced. The idea to include Ray in the dancing came from a skilled teacher and close friend of mine who had the vision to see past Ray’s disability. With her creativity and his athleticism a dance lead and some basic ballroom dance steps were developed.
I am not a stranger to disabilities. My daughter Jenna had a physical disability. I never thought about the possibility of her dancing in her wheelchair until the moment I danced with Ray for the first time. We immediately connected and found ourselves dancing more and more not only for ourselves, but for all of the people watching who thought it was impossible. We can all dance, and Ray and I have proved it to thousands of people both able-bodied and disabled, one step and one roll at a time. After all, who would believe that a man sitting in a wheelchair could lead a standing woman to execute dances like hustle, rumba, fox-trot, tango, and swing? In fact, on one occasion, the manager of a casino in Atlantic City asked if we could do performances for him after he saw the reaction of the patrons to our dancing in his nightclub. It was unprecedented! Mainstream establishments and people with no previous ties to people with disabilities, were interested in the wheelchair dancing, and our unusual dance partnership. Able-bodied women in nightclubs, a demographic that would normally be skeptical of a man in a wheelchair, and hesitant to “break the ice,” wanted the next dance with Ray. Furthermore, wheelchair users, male and female, that saw us dancing, suddenly came out of the shadows to dance with me, his able-bodied partner.
At this point we realized that this style of dancing had the extraordinary power to bring the able-bodied and disabled worlds together. We also knew we needed to develop a curriculum of established steps in order for the dancing to be used socially. The decision to make this “syllabus” was easier said than done, and we needed a skilled ballroom and Latin dance professional to take us to the next level. We hit gold the first time around and over the next few years our dream was realized. The Wheel One™ Wheelchair Ballroom and Latin Dance Curriculum has been used to train children and adults, using power and manual wheelchairs in a variety of settings, including regular dance studios in the community, public schools, universities, children’s camps, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and community outreach programs. Children and adolescents can learn to dance with a parent, sibling, or best buddy, while adults can learn the curriculum with a spouse, a significant other, or even a close friend. Everyone raves about how much fun the dance classes are, and how physically challenging it is for both partners. Physical, Occupational, and Recreational Therapists can use the dance program for both physical and mental benefits to their patients. What better way to exercise and be a part of the social scene than to dance? One able-bodied dance magazine editor wrote, “Now it is time for interested, trained dancers, not just professional dance teachers to learn these basics and share this activity with dancers with disabilities. Many thousands of disabled people will find dance to be rewarding in all the same ways that we (able-bodied dancers) do….” (Marie Abbey, The Garden State Stepper).
In order to promote and fund the activity in the United States, we started a non-profit organization called American DanceWheels Foundation Inc., (ADF) a concrete beginning for social wheelchair dancing, and competitive Ballroom and Latin DanceSport in the United States. European and Asian Wheelchair Ballroom and Latin Dancing, although different in style, are a Paralympic Sport with more than 20,000 participants on their roster.
Whether it is the bride and groom’s first dance at a wedding, (one of them using a wheelchair), or simply a social dance in a neighborhood nightclub or family party, wheelchair ballroom dancing is a beautiful, artistic, and visual picture of what our society can and should become. The best part of the dancing is that it is wonderful, real, and fun for both standing and seated partners, giving families, lovers, and friends a whole new way to connect and have a great time with one another. So sit down and dance everyone, American DanceWheels wants you!
Melinda Kremer
Executive Director, American DanceWheels Foundation, Inc.
