Our Story
It seems like an eternity since I took my first spin around the dance floor with a gentleman who uses a wheelchair. I have been a ballroom dancer for many years, and have always loved the brilliance of movement, the music, and the partnership. The encounter proved to be creative and exciting, and as much fun as any other dance experience that I’ve ever had. I am not a stranger to disabilities. My daughter, Jenna, was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia at the age of 11. As a child, Jenna had an enormous amount of energy and curiosity for the world around her. Despite her disability, she continued to do all of the things that she loved, including dance. My experiences dancing with my first partner and the inspiration from my daughter, made me realize that this style of dancing had the extraordinary power to unite people of all abilities. We realized that a curriculum of established steps needed to be created in order for this type of dancing to be used socially. We teamed up with a talented ballroom dance teacher, and over a period of a couple years, the Wheel One™ Wheelchair Ballroom and Latin Dance Curriculum was created. In order to promote and fund the activity in the United States, I co-founded a non-profit organization called American DanceWheels Foundation Inc. (ADF). This marked the concrete beginning for social wheelchair dancing and competitive Wheelchair Latin and Ballroom DanceSport within the United States. Since then, ADF has trained children and adults using power and manual chairs in a variety of different settings, including dance studios, public schools, universities, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, children’s camps, community outreach programs, and more! Our dancers have even had the opportunity to represent the United States of America in the World Paralympic Wheelchair DanceSport Championships. The best part of dancing is that it is wonderful and real for both standing and seated dancers, giving families, lovers, and friends a whole new way to connect and have a great time with one another. In 2007, Jenna passed away of heart complications from her disorder. She remains the heart and soul of American DanceWheels Foundation.
- Melinda Kremer, Founder & Executive Director
"American DanceWheels beautifully exhibits with every performance the unlimited possibilities of dance expression and reaffirms that through imagination, creativity, and the love for the art of dance, the human spirit can soar regardless of physical challenges." - Mary Previte, Member of the General Assembly
Our Mission
The mission of American DanceWheels Foundation (ADF) is to teach the social, rehabilitative, and competitive activity of adaptive Ballroom and Latin Dance to persons with and without disabilities. The Foundation meets this goal by providing training to persons who use wheelchairs and persons who stand, including dance teachers, recreational and occupational therapists, and adaptive sports professionals. The Foundation utilizes its own trademarked [and validated] adaptive dance syllabus, and employs a certification process for dance teachers and therapists to further disseminate the program. The Foundation undertakes a role in disability advocacy and awareness by offering seminars, demonstrations, and exhibitions of adaptive dance to people of all abilities.
Our Vision
American DanceWheels Foundation envisions a world where adaptive Ballroom and Latin Dance unites individuals of all abilities. Through championing inclusivity, fostering understanding, and promoting the limitless possibilities of adaptive dance, we aim to inspire a culture where everyone is embraced, supported, and encouraged to shine brightly both on and off the dance floor. Our vision enriches lives and fosters connections that transcend physical limitations and societal norms.
Board of Directors
Derrick Williamson
President
Robert Hansberry
Secretary
Laurie Coffman
Treasurer
Brenda Flanagan
Board Director
Robert Nuzzie
Board Director
Aubree Marchione
Artistic Director