Kids get happy feet
By Shaun Tolson
Boston Herald
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Boston Ballet’s Clarendon Street school was filled with a mixture of piano chords, drumbeats and giggles yesterday as the school introduced a group of kids with Down syndrome to the joys of dance, music and creativity.
Wearing pink and white ballet slippers with blue and red tape to distinguish left feet from right, the mixed class of boys and girls was introduced to a variety of dance techniques and learned how to express and develop a sense of musicality.
The Boston Ballet program was honored recently by the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) with its Allen C. Crocker Award of Excellence - an annual award given to a person or group that celebrates the excellence of people with Down syndrome and contributes to improving their quality of life.
“The program is a terrific example of how outreach can produce a significant contribution to individuals with Down syndrome and their families,” said Suzanne B. Shea, president of the MDSC.
Adaptive Dance, now in its fifth year, is available to children from ages 6 to 17. It began as one class with 11 children but has grown to four classes with 48 kids.
“The class not only provides a great deal of fun for the children but has fostered many long-lasting friendships between families and students,” said Michelina Cassella, director of Department of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Service at Children’s Hospital. “The Adaptive Dance Program has brought tremendous joy to all the staff involved.”
All Contents © 2006 Boston Ballet
Credits | Privacy Policy.