Dance that adapts to disabilities.

• Author: Anderson, Jill
• Position: Education

"In special education, there is still a tendency to define students and their needs using only their label, and that really oversimplifies who they are, how they learn, and what is necessary for them to succeed."

AT FIRST GLANCE, the five- and six-year-olds practicing on a Saturday afternoon in Portia Abernathy's adaptive dance class just seem to be having a good time. "It's a joyful, fun, and engaging experience," says Abernathy, a Harvard Graduate School of Education alumna. However, through their arm and leg movements, marching, and tapping their hands, the children, who all have Down syndrome, are doing more than simply having fun. In fact, Abernathy, a special education teacher who first began using movement in her public school classroom, sees dance as an important learning tool for children with disabilities.

"Within 10 weeks and over the year, there is a lot of growth and progression for younger students, who learn to skip, jump, hop, or even to sustain attention like waiting to take turns," notes Abernathy, senior manager of Education and Inclusion of Boston Ballet's Adaptive Dance Program.

Started in 2002, the program offers creative movement instruction for disabled individuals ages two through adult. The goal--besides having fun, of course--is for students to engage and explore movement and musicality, and to grow personally and socially in a safe environment. The classes are taught by special education instructors like Abernathy, physical therapists, professional dancers, and professional musicians. Some 130 students participate in the Adaptive Dance Program's 14 classes, which include classes for children with autism and children with disabilities, such as Down syndrome, and an inclusive dance course.

The results have been powerful for the children who, by engaging in dance and music, learn how to follow directions, focus, balance, distinguish right from left, and develop a concept of music and rhythm, as well as how to work well with others. The physical, cognitive, and social-emotional skills they develop are critical for all children, Abernathy indicates.

"We know that those foundational skills and the feelings of self-efficacy and self-esteem that come from doing something you love and feel like you're good at are transferable to other settings, so success in one setting can lead to success in other settings. In the case of adaptive dance, I think it is more about ensuring that all individuals have access to the same...