People with Down syndrome and other disabilities find their rhythm in Indiana dance program

FISHERS, Ind. (AP) — Finn Vester, who has autism and Down syndrome , tried a martial arts class but it proved unsuitable because he learns differently, his mother said.

Then he joined Dance Abilities, a program at Academy of Dance Arts in the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers for people with physical or intellectual disabilities.

Now dance has become his way to communicate and connect with others, his mom, Nicole Vester, said.

Claire Graham, the founder of Dance Abilities, got the idea for the program in high school after realizing while she was studying dance, she was never able to connect with her sister with Down syndrome while she took part in her own activities. The program has grown in three years from a summer camp for eight youngsters to year-round classes for about 20 people.

Dance Abilities has separate classes for children ages 18 months to 4, ages 4-7 and 8-12, teenagers, and for adults, too. A successful day for Graham, who has a degree in dance and a master's in recreational therapy, is when everyone has had fun and been challenged.

“I’m not looking for perfection of position and not looking for a perfect performance,” Graham said. “Only a performance that they can feel confident about.”

These dancers are not the only ones performing through challenges. Ezra Frech, a two-time gold medal paralympian, is competing on this season's “Dancing with the Stars” on ABC. Frech, a track and field athlete, has a prosthetic leg.

Finn's mom values her son’s confidence-building that will help him be able to go into the world and learn new things, she said.

“Claire teaches him at his level. She teaches him a little slower. She teaches him a couple more extra times. And he feels proud and he feels accomplished and he feels like he’s part of a group,” Vester said.

Accommodations at Dance Abilities include slowing down, using more visual cues than verbal instruction, and teacher “helpers” who physically guide students through the movements.

“Sometimes, we’ll add something new that they can work on to make it a little harder,” said one helper, Catherine Benko, 16.

Dance is good for the body, too, with different needs for different students.

For students with Down syndrome, who tend to be naturally more flexible and less strong, Graham emphasizes developing muscle tone. Students with autism, she said, often need more help stretching.

Abigail MacGregor, who has Down syndrome, loves to dance through an obstacle course and to perform her latest moves for friends and family after she’s been practicing all week.

“I just love dance,” Abby said. “The best thing of dance is having fun, being with all my dance crew.”

Tucker McGarrell, 13, who has Down syndrome, doesn’t walk but runs into his dance classes, his mom Amanda McGarrell said.

“It’s not speech therapy or physical therapy or occupational therapy appointments. This is actually something he enjoys doing,” McGarrell said.

McGarrell loves to see her son have an accepting, accommodating place.

“It’s just such a huge thing that Tucker’s given a space and a stage to be himself and get to be with friends and learn new things,” McGarrell said. “It just like fills me with joy knowing that he’s getting to do something that he loves too just like typical kids do.”

Whoever her students are, Graham said, “if you give them the chance to succeed and meet them where they are, they can 100% grow.”

Seeing her students smile is the ultimate metric of success.

“It warms my heart to hear my kiddos saying, 'Look, Mom, I did it!'” she said.

Gruver reported from Fort Collins, Colorado.