Dancing with a disability

[Pacion]

Do you know of anyone who dances or has had dance classes and they were disabled? Sorry, I think there is a more politically correct way of putting it, as far as the US is concerned, but I don't remember just now.

When I was doing ballet, there was a deaf girl who came to one of the classes. Our teacher was very patient and the girl picked up the music/rhythm through her feet, which was played on a piano.

I read recently that Addie Rodriguez aka the Salsa Diva, one of the top mambo/salsa teachers in NY was teaching dance to some deaf children. I am not sure if she still does this as items on the internet are rarely given a date :?

Of the people you know, what disability did they have and how was the teaching/music adapted to take it into account?

[jon]

I occasionally dance ballroom and swing with someone who's deaf from a childhood illness. Don't know how she learned, but she's a wonderful dancer, and I would probably never have known about the disability had a mutual friend not told me. I'd assumed that the reason she almost never spoke was that she was very shy.

[dnquark]

...Where I used to be, there's one guy who has part of his left arm missing (somewhat above the elbow, I think) - birth defect, near as I can tell. He's awesome! I even followed him a couple of times briefly in a class (I was taking it as a follow).

--l

[delamusica]

I'm not sure if this is the sort of thing that you meant, but my studio offers wheelchair dancing (1 partner in a wheelchair/1 partner standing) - wheelchair dancesport is growing in the US, and I hear that it's already had a big impact in Europe.

[fashionlady]

I can speak from personal experience. I have hearing loss in both ears but it hasn't really affected my dancing ability..except maybe I can't always sing along to songs like other people(that opens another thread...how many of you have danced with people who like to sing the songs while dancing?) Thankfully, dancing is more about feeling the beat and your partner's lead than about hearing anything. Unlike the deaf people ya'll mentioned, I have enough hearing to wear hearing aids, and that is sometimes a problem on the floor, because if my ears are put too close to something, such as my partner, I will get feedback from the aids. :( But that doesn't happen very often.

[Pacion]

Thanks all! This is exactly the sort of information I am looking for. :D

Jon, a friend in Eastern Europe was involved in a concert/performance with some children who were deaf and there was a dance performance. He said that they partnered up the children with one hearing and the other one deaf. He said they were so good, the audience could not tell who was who. One person apparently even came up to him and tried to guess and guessed incorrectly! But, he could not give me any insight into the teaching methods/technique :(

Delamusica, have you seen any of the classes for wheelchair dancing? Did you notice if there were any significant differences in how those classes were taught/the teaching methods (aside from allowing for the wheelchairs)?

Fashionlady, thank you for sharing! If you don't mind, I would like to ask some more: how were the classes for you? Did you find that you got the instructions quickly or the teacher had to modify the way they taught for you? Do you think your balance was affected in any way? I ask about the balance because I have heard/read something somewhere :!: that if the hearing is affected, one's sense of balance tends to be affected too. But then again, the other senses develop further to compensate for the senses that are affected in some way.

I know that Al Pacino's character in "Scent of a Woman" would have been able to dance prior to losing his eyesight, but I am always mesmerised in the scene where he dances the tango. I love the piece of music he dances to, which does not help! (I have the DVD so confess to watching that scene a number of times :lol: )

[hobrien]

I once taught Salsa to a blind woman, I and did it through feeling, she litterally put her hands on different parts of me while I danced, in different positions, hips and feet etc while I moved. Then she did the same dance moves (with some explaining), she seemed to get it.

However for other reasons she didnt come too often to the class, she had a full time assistant with her, and if the assistant or her couldnt make it, then she didnt go to the class. Unfortunately that happened often.

I am sure that it could have worked though. Although as her leader in partner dancing I would have to be extra carefull with her on a crowded floor.

Also I have recently danced with another girl who is partly blind(she has tunnel vision) and also partly deaf. This is obvious when you meet her, but she dances often in clubs etc. It works or worked with her, apart from a few small indications of moves that she can't see.



:bandit:

[etchuck]

I know that Al Pacino's character in "Scent of a Woman" would have been able to dance prior to losing his eyesight, but I am always mesmerised in the scene where he dances the tango. I love the piece of music he dances to, which does not help! (I have the DVD so confess to watching that scene a number of times :lol: )

Heck, I have two versions of that tango piece (Por Un Cabeza) which I love dancing to. [Pitch: one is on the "Ballroom Swing" CD by the Premium Standard Orchestra/Casaphon, which you can purchase at DanceVision.com, the other is the one where Itzhak Perlman is the solo violinist which one can also dance to.]

[fashionlady]

I've had many dance teachers over the years( I took ballet till about age 11.) and the one thing that every teacher, without exception, did was forget to look at me so I could read their lips. Now my WCS teacher, also a personal friend of mine, worked hard to not do that but it still happened. After all, it's perfectly natural to not be looking at a person all the time when speaking. I do the same thing all the time without realizing it!!! When that happens I just watch the other students to copy the move or my teacher would do it again, this time where I could see him. Part of the problem was that his studio had an echo in it so it distorted his voice a little. I don't have a balance problem, it's not been my experience that people with nerve deafness(that's what I have) have balance problems. I do know other people with other kinds of hearing problems that have trouble with their balance.
You are right to think that those lacking one sense are sharper with their other senses. That goes for me too. I have very good eyesight and I always notice more around me than other people do. That is how I compensate when hanging out with normal hearing people. I pick up on body language, no matter how subtle, very quickly.
Pacion, hope this all makes sense to you.

[Pacion]

I just posted a video in a new thread in Funstuff & Inspiration which is just amazing.

http://www.dance-forums.com/showthread.php?t=23630

[RickRS]

Like fashionlady, I also am hearing impaired and wear hearing aids.

Same "cause"; nerve deafness. I have no problem with balance. Interestingly, I wonder where the idea that balance vs. deafness would be an issue came up? Balance is a function of the the ear's vestibular system semicircular canals, which have nothing to do with hearing. Could it be an association with age related hearing loss appearing the same time with age related balance problems causing a connect of the two seperate problem in the mind of some of the public? Or maybe bone deterioration affecting the inner ear bones and causing deafness also affecting the bony structure of the vestibular system and affecting balance for those individuals whom are dealing with deafness from bone diease?

I function well enough to get by in normal life, so I don't need much accomodations at class. You just have to be a little loud around me. Of my two instructors, one is using a wireless microphone with a small PA (floor is about 60 x 100 feet), and the other teaches a smaller class on same floor, but is close enough and loud enough so instructions are easy enough to follow. While I don't have lip-reading skills as fashionlady does, I would say all hearing impaired use visual clues and have some reliance on lip-reading to gather information. It helps to face the hard-of-hearing individual as much as possible. Also, allow those individuals to turn and face the instructor whenever possible during instruction. When I'll in dance mode, and my back is to the instructor because he/she has us in closed or open embrace, the ability to follow the instruction goes down.

However, social dance is turning into a bigger problem.

I can not tune out background noise in a social gathering. Large parties/noisy resturants/etc. are nightmares for me, as I become almost totally unable to follow and understand someone speaking directly in front of me.

So far, as a recent beginner, my social dance experiences has been two parties at the dance hall where my instructor teaches. The last was difficult, as I couldn't hear the music and have to resort to attempting to picking up the beat from watching other dancers. Wasn't too successful at that.

If it had a club situation, I would expect the music would have been loud enough that I won't have had that problem. So I'll see what that experience is like when I get bold enough to dance outside of the protective environment of the group class.

[Pacion]

The below is a video I came across of disabled dancers preparing for the Olympic Games. There is a group of hearing impaired dancers who were selected from "90 million disabled people in China" (!). I cannot begin to imagine that all 90 million were auditioned...

http://www.cctv.com/video/ChinaToday/2008/02/ChinaToday_300_20080221_8.shtml

[etp777]

Definitely not the same type of disability, but my sister taught a couple with Down's Syndrome. Local tv station even did a news story on it. They were a cute couple, and they obviously loved it. Was very cool to see (plus jsut great people).

[Indiana_Jay]

Definitely not the same type of disability, but my sister taught a couple with Down's Syndrome. Local tv station even did a news story on it. They were a cute couple, and they obviously loved it. Was very cool to see (plus jsut great people).

ETP, the nation's first-ever Special Olympics ballroom event will be run during the USA Dance Fort Wayne Dancesport Championships (http://championships.fwdancesport.org/) in July. If the couple your sister taught are in the Chicago area and they're into Special Olympics, they might be interested.

[lcdancesport]

I'm currently working with the student who went through chemo last year and has multiple surgeries on different areas of his body b/c of the cancer. He can only lift one arm so high before it strains him and he needs to wear a knee brace b/c of the movement and pressure. He loves dance so much and wants to do everything he can. It has been a great learning experience so far and he really loves to learn as much as possible.

[etp777]

Thanks IJ. I can't remember if that couple is stilla tt he studio, but I jsut sent the info to my sister so she can pass it on to them if they are.

[nucat78]

I'm currently working with the student who went through chemo last year and has multiple surgeries on different areas of his body b/c of the cancer. He can only lift one arm so high before it strains him and he needs to wear a knee brace b/c of the movement and pressure. He loves dance so much and wants to do everything he can. It has been a great learning experience so far and he really loves to learn as much as possible.

I have a problem with my neck and right shoulder so I will never have perfect form and have to watch head "snaps". I don't see it stopping me from doing showcases if I ever get to that point. I probably would not get great marks in a comp though.

[ThisIsNotMe]

Like fashionlady, I also am hearing impaired and wear hearing aids.
...
I function well enough to get by in normal life, so I don't need much accomodations at class. You just have to be a little loud around me.
...
While I don't have lip-reading skills as fashionlady does, I would say all hearing impaired use visual clues and have some reliance on lip-reading to gather information. It helps to face the hard-of-hearing individual as much as possible. Also, allow those individuals to turn and face the instructor whenever possible during instruction. When I'll in dance mode, and my back is to the instructor because he/she has us in closed or open embrace, the ability to follow the instruction goes down.
...
I can not tune out background noise in a social gathering. Large parties/noisy resturants/etc. are nightmares for me, as I become almost totally unable to follow and understand someone speaking directly in front of me.
...
If it had a club situation, I would expect the music would have been loud enough that I won't have had that problem. So I'll see what that experience is like when I get bold enough to dance outside of the protective environment of the group class.

I am actually exactly the same, I have a bit over 50% hearing loss (though, i never 'lost' it, I was born that way) but don't wear hearing aids, as one ear is profoundly deaf, and would never hear anything anyway, and the other is ver close to normal. I also cannot tune out background noise, I have no directionality, and do somewhat rely on visual cues, especially in a noisy environment. I find that the main problem is that many people forget to take my hearing into account because there is no 'visual' reminder of it. Most people can't even tell that I have a hearing loss, because I place myself on the 'right' side, and don't have too much difficulty in general.
My main problems in dancing are when the instructor turns her back to the class to demonstrate, and she talks at the same time (though the mirrors help a bit, visually), and if she tries to instruct over music. It is getting better though, as since I've started private lessons, she's started to get used to making sure I can see her face, and she is on the 'right' side of me and all that stuff.

On top of that, though, I have also suffered from some serious vertigo (meaning that spinning can be an issue at times, though I'm mostly over that), and have a lordosis in my back (meaning that the curve is exaggerated, so it almost looks like I have the beginnings of a 'hunch', and it bend in too much at the bottom). This means that my posture is never going to look 'perfect', and my flexibility is pretty low but I am going to keep pushing those limits.

Edited for spelling mistakes

[Pacion]

Thank you very much for sharing Thisisnotme!

[granola]

i saw a youtube video of a pair dancing salsa and the guy has no leg.. it's quite an amazing video and i give lots of props!

[ThisIsNotMe]

Thank you very much for sharing Thisisnotme!

Lol, no thanks required, I really wanted to - its just another thing to prove that people can do anything they put their mind to! My piano teacher was also a godsend - I am also an accomplished pianist (I teach and perform solo and in groups). He also taught other hearing impaired students, and one or two blind students. Now I know that music (particularly piano) is very, very different to dancing, but it just amazes me how people adapt and thrive, through adversity.


Originally posted by etp777
Definitely not the same type of disability, but my sister taught a couple with Down's Syndrome. Local tv station even did a news story on it. They were a cute couple, and they obviously loved it. Was very cool to see (plus jsut great people).


My brother has Down Syndrome, and we only wish that there were people like your sister, etp, near where we are who could teach him things like dancing, because he loves performing, he loves dancing particularly, and there is just noone to teach kids (or people) like him in our area. Its really sad, I think.

[etp777]

Sorry to hear that, Thisisnotme. I know her couple loved it, esp. the guy. One of our cousins has downs syndrome, and it certainly made things hard at times for my aunt and uncle. Would have loved if he'd had something like this.

Reason I brought this up again though is that it turns out one of the newer pros (I don't THINK I ever met him, but a couple new teachers started right before I left and I didn't get to know them, so he might have been in that group) at my studio is deaf in one ear, and partly in other. Local ABC affiliate just did a story on him in relation to Marlee Matlin on DWTS. He is currently partnered with my buddy teacher.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/lifestyle_community/community&id=6062719

[tangotime]

Over the yrs i have had the priviledge of teaching a Man with artificial legs,
also

A completely deaf lady and 3 groups in three different cities with severely mentally challenged children ( downs syndrome ) .

I sometimes think they taught me, more than I taught them

[LACHopeful]

Hello Pacion!

I am a Wheelchair Dancer. I've had experience in many styles of dance such as Ballroom/Latin, Salsa, Swing, Flamenco, Modern, Ballet, Hip Hop, Merengue...

I would have to say that the only professional training I recieved is in Ballroom/Latin Dancesport but like delamusica mentions, the popularity lies in Europe and thats exactly where I learned what I know about that style.

I think for me, once I know the fundamentals of each dance and stylistically what's necessary then I can play around with it.

If you go on YouTube you can see many videos on Wheelchair Dancesport and I've also seen Dances done with crutches (search Dergin Tokmak, he's a dancer in Cirque Du Soleil).

I guess my theory is, anything is possible you just have to want it.

The toughest thing for me as a dancer is getting people to dance with me.
I don't know if it's fear or what.

[newbie]

My late ballroom teacher used to have three blind people in his classes, two leaders and one follower. Many ladies did not even notice that the guys were blind, the teacher had to remind them once in a while. They knew the size of the studio room. They danced all the latin/standard dances, they came with us to ballroom evenings, and one of them also went out in Jive parties. But no, when changing partners during the lessons, the blind girl never danced with one blind guy.

[Kassia]

There was a fellow at our studio who has cerebral palsey.. He's an awesome dancer!!

[MacMoto]

i saw a youtube video of a pair dancing salsa and the guy has no leg.. it's quite an amazing video and i give lots of props!
This one?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnsz8Uc3enE
Absolutely amazing.


I danced with a performer (I can't remember from which group) at Brit SalsaFest last year. I had a bit of a problem maintaining handholds at first, then realised that he had a couple of finders missing from his hand... Later I learned that he also wore an artificial leg. You wouldn't have known from the way he danced.