Wheelchair Dancing Teacher Training Seminar, Oct 17 and 18, 2006

presented by Sandra Fortuna at Universal Dance Center

It's only a matter of time before more dance schools open their doors to people using wheelchairs. I hear from lots of dance teachers who try to work with people with physical disabilities. Usually, they want advice by email or telephone. What they really need is to participate in a seminar of this type where they will learn what does work when one or both partners are in a wheelchair. There is a sensible curriculum that has been tested and notated. It's the Wheel EaZe Technique Manual for Wheelchair Social Dancing. My goal in preparing the Wheel EaZe technique manual and curriculum is to demystify the art wheelchair ballroom dancing and make wheelchair dancing universally acceptable and accessible. Training in this unique activity is now accessible to any dance teacher who is ready to expand his or her skills to include people with disabilities.

A local non-profit organization and Universal Dance Center sponsored new teacher training in the curriculum written by Sandra Fortuna and used for the past three years by other wc dancers. This seminar  was offered to top echelon dancers in the NY, Phila area, as part of an effort to elevate and expand the possibilities of quality wheelchair dance instruction in the northeast. The seminar took place at Universal Dance Center, Collingswood NJ.

This seminar was the first of its kind offered in the United States. The dances are definitely "American Style." The relationship and similarity of what able-bodied new students learn at dancing school and what wheelchair dancers learn is obvious. The curriculum emphasizes practicality and simplicity in duplicating social dance moves for the wheelchair dancer and partner. Attending this two day training were these well known organizers, teachers, dancers: John Nyemchek, Spencer Nyemchek, Pete Taylor, Tony and Susan Scheppler, Brian Fortuna, Aubree Marchione.

The dancers learned the curriculum written in the Wheel EaZe wheelchair teachers' training manual. Dancing with a partner in a wheelchair is fun. There is rhythm, movement, dance characterization, connection, lead and follow, room for interpretation, and it certainly is unique.

What can you accomplish in a two day seminar, start to finish? There is a lot to understand about disability issues and wheelchairs before anyone can really see the potential of the activity. The course started with an introduction to wheelchair dancing, including information about disability issues, wheelchairs and people with disabilities. The teachers learned the four parts of the Wheel EaZe curriculum: foxtrot, waltz, tango, swing, cha cha and rumba. The four parts are: man in the wheelchair dancing with an able-bodied lady, able-bodied man dancing with a lady in a wheelchair. The man always leads. There are set cues for certain changes of positions and there is a lot of technique to creating movement and momentum even without the wheelchair dancer touching his wheels. An interesting aspect of wheelchair dancing is the importance of the equipment. A more interesting aspect of wheelchair dancing is the opportunity to engage a whole new portion of the adult and juvenile population in an activity that everyone loves. It's an opportunity to give people with disabilities a vehicle to bring them into a mainstream activity that has been largely inaccessible to them.

Wheelchair dance training was presented by Sandra Fortuna, the author of the wheelchair dancing technique manual, Wheel EaZe. All of the teachers received a complimentary copy of her Wheel Ease manual on which all the dance material is based. The first morning, everyone learned both parts of the "man able-bodied, lady in the wheelchair" smooth dances, foxtrot, tango and waltz. Following lunch, everyone learned the "man in a wheelchair, lady able-bodied" parts to the same dances. At the end of the day, some of the wheelchair dancers from Universal wheelchair classes attended a practice and discussion with the attendees. The second day we covered the rhythm dances, cha cha, rumba, swing.

Sandra and Universal wish to bring the joys and benefits of ballroom dancing to people with disabilities. We do that by offering wheelchair dancing classes, training dance teachers in the curriculum, putting our wheelchair dancers on the social dance floor, the competition floor and the performance floor. Our basic curriculum includes popular dance figures adapted for wheelchair dancers and their partners. 

Performances of wheelchair dancing and training in wheelchair dancing can be arranged through Sandra Fortuna.

Sandra Fortuna at 856 869 0010