WATCH: A unique dance program provides social and competitive wheelchair ballroom and Latin dance classes to wheelchair users and their able-bodied partners.
TORONTO- Wheel Dance is a unique program in York Region that offers Ballroom and Latin dance classes for wheelchair users and their able-bodied partners.
The Wheel Dance program in a newly renovated studio space at the at the Victoria Ballet Company. Nancy Clarke is one of the program’s dance instructors and encourages people of all abilities to get involved.
“It’s opening things up to people who have been in chairs awhile but never realized what they can do,” said Clarke.”If you go out to a dance or a wedding, that you see somebody will come up and ask them to dance, people in chairs can dance.”
Dr. Iris Kulbatski, the founder of Wheel Dance and specialist in spinal cord regeneration said there are psychological, social and physical benefits which the program provides.
“They’re forming friendships, new connections, new understanding between able-bodied individuals and people that use wheel chairs.”
Kulbatski said the program allows her to give back immediately whereas her research can sometimes take years to generate results.
“It takes a long time to come out with somethings that’s of benefit to people and I wanted to give something back that would improve their quality of life almost instantly,”said Kulbatski.
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