By ASHLEY CHEN
The local nonprofit organization Dancing Dreams gives children with medical or physical challenges the opportunity to attend dance classes and perform. The organization aims to increase awareness and tolerance for those with physical challenges.
Pediatric physical therapist and executive director of the organization Joann Ferrara founded the program in 2008. Ferrara said that she started it “after a little girl with cerebral palsy walked in in her tutu and tiara and said she wanted to be a dancer.” Little did the girl know that Ferrara was going to try and make her dream come true. Dancing Dreams has since grown from 5 students to 130 students of boys and girls ranging from 3-21 year olds in three locations: Plainview, Bayside, and New York City’s Upper East Side. They hold weekly adaptive dance classes so children can learn and further enhance their skills. The organization allows students to attempt something they’ve never had the chance to do before and finally fulfill their dreams of being dancers, all while having a lot of fun and embracing each other’s differences. Like their motto says, “Everyone pliés, they just do it in their own way.” At the end of the program, they hold an annual show that is a “celebration of achievement” and that “gives the students a chance to showcase their talents and what they’ve learned,” said Ferrara.
Jericho High School sophomore Samantha B. is enrolled in the Dancing Dreams Leadership Program, in which volunteers assist dancers during classes and performances. She is impressed with the students’ dedication despite their challenges. “A couple of the students in the class can not walk or speak, and there’s one girl with Down syndrome,” said Samantha. “I definitely think it’s an amazing experience, and it lets the kids escape what’s going on at home and all the doctor appointments,” she added. In an average class, which lasts about 45 minutes, the students and helpers do a dance combination, play with a playground parachute, and then get stickers. The volunteers get the chance to improve their leadership skills and realize that their actions can impact other people’s lives. Samantha joined the program to give back to her community while doing something she loves. She’s been in the program for over 8 months and loves it. She added, “I enjoy being with the kids and I have a great time. It makes my Mondays so much better.”
If you want to learn more about the program or are interested in volunteering, go to https://dancingdreams.org/