Adaptability & Inclusivity within the Dance Space
Center Stage has been the home to the We Can Dance program for the last 8 years, currently collaborating with Plymouth County Family Support to support financial accessibility. What began as a small group of about 5 students in the basement of Cordage Park quickly grew into a program of 15 students right here at Center Stage Dance Academy. With Miss Tiffany's dedication to the community, she identified a gap in both the dance community and special needs community, and quickly jumped on an opportunity to close that gap.
The We Can Dance program offers an inclusive and adaptive hip hop class to dancers ages 6 and up, with our current youngest being 6 years old and our oldest dancer being 33. Some may look at that age gap as too large, but we have found that the social dynamics within the dance studio of our class readily meet the needs of every dancer, with some dancers finding a sense of responsibility over the younger dancers, supporting them and guiding them, while our younger dancers look up to our more seasoned students.
The We Can Dance program is run by me, Miss Sam, a pediatric occupational therapist and Rhythm Works Certified Dance Instructor, as well as Miss Emily, a pediatric BCBA and dance instructor. Together, we create an environment to support growth and opportunity within a unique community. To the naked eye, what looks like a basic dance class, is really so much more. Our class follows a curriculum to support these dancers' abilities and targets skills that they can use in the greater community, including, but not limited to, spatial awareness, crossing midline, balance and coordination, proprioceptive awareness and motor planning; in addition to social engagement and the development of peer relations. We have students who participate in our outreach program, working on their cognitive abilities to keep their dance schedule organized, as well as their costumes and time management abilities.
Parents feel safe, confident and excited to bring their children to Center Stage. They feel a sense of joy and relief to have a place to call home, where their child is accepted with ongoing opportunities for participation in our community.
-Miss Sam
