For me, the most rewarding benefit of teaching dance and fitness classes is seeing my students’ progress.  Each one has different challenges that they will face when they come to class. Some lack the stamina or strength to do all the moves in a combination. Others may not have all the flexibility they once possessed, and some find it hard to learn and remember the steps in a combination. So, I get excited when I see improvement in any of these areas. It’s gratifying to know that you are listening to my corrections and doing the hard work to make these advances.

While I love all my students, I have one special one named Laura, who is one of the most courageous people I know. Laura, who was in a very bad car accident, faces all of these challenges I just described as a result of Traumatic Brain Injury.
I’ve been teaching Laura ballet for almost a year and am amazed by the progress she has made. When Laura came to ballet class for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect. She walked into the studio with a cane and brought it with her as she walked to the ballet barre. At that point I was worried about what we would be able to accomplish, but we started out slowly.

The amount of ballet steps in the first classes was minimal. All movement was done facing the barre so that Laura could hold on with two hands. We did simple exercises such as bending the knees (plié) and rising up on half toe (relevé). I also had her point her foot out to the side (tendu), but standing on one leg was difficult. The rest of the class included stretching while seated on a mat. And the process of getting on to the mat and back up was painfully slow. Laura needed her mom’s assistance in order to stand back up.

In November 2012, Our Ability, an organization that mentors, connects and inspires people with disabilities towards education and employment, shot a video to share Laura’s inspirational story. The video also includes clips of Laura and me dancing. It’s wonderful to see the progress she had made at that point.

And what is even more amazing is the progress that she has made since then! Laura still holds on to the barre for most of the session, but she now is able to perform steps that travel from one end of the barre to the other.  She also does more of the traditional ballet barre work and is able to remember combinations and patterns of steps while at the barre.  At the end of class we also do some arm movement (port de bras) and standing stretching without holding on to the barre.

I’m truly moved by her determination and look forward to dancing with her every week. Our Ability has promised to do a follow-up video in the future, so that you can all see the progress that she has made.

I hope Laura’s story will inspire you to face your challenges head on and work to achieve your goals.