health
‘Like swimming through the air’: my thrilling role in Giselle with the Royal Ballet School’s wheelchair dancers
I use a wheelchair and yearn to dance like I did when I was a kid. Could I possibly hold my own in a class led by inspirational disabled dance star Kate Stanforth?
TL;DR
- The author, who uses a wheelchair due to Friedreich's ataxia, attended an adaptive ballet class led by Kate Stanforth.
- Kate Stanforth, a professional wheelchair-using dancer, founded an inclusive arts organization after facing her own health challenges.
- The adaptive ballet class, associated with the Royal Ballet School, focused on accessible dance education and having fun.
- Participants performed repertoire from the ballet Giselle, with the author describing the wheelchair dancers as 'swimming through the air'.
- The class was highly popular, selling out quickly with a large waiting list, indicating strong demand for adaptive dance.
- The event emphasized the growing visibility and potential for a more inclusive future in ballet for disabled dancers.