Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists

   

VOLUME 6(3), MAY/JUNE 2004

Shall we dance?
Dianna Mah-Jones & Brian Lam

Imagine sweeping across the dance floor to an English waltz in the arms of a debonair man. Or shaking your booty to the sensuous beat of the rumba, transfixed by the smouldering eyes of your partner as she spirals towards you. Such was the spectacle of the wheelchair ballroom dance demonstration at the Snowball Classic, February 2004.

In Vancouver to promote wheelchair dance sport were Ed van der Vall and Sandra Kuipers, world champion Standard ballroom dancers from the Netherlands (pictured above), and Piotr Iwanicki and Dorota Janowska, world champion Latin dancers from Poland (pictured below). Both couples dance in the combi style, where one of the partners is in a wheelchair and the other is able-bodied. As Class 2 manual wheelchair ballroom dancers, Sandra and Piotr have good upper body strength, trunk rotation and flexibility.

Sandra’s chair is a lightweight rigid model with a medium height back, fixed footrests, high-pressure tires and a fifth wheel/anti-tipper. She puts on her “dancing shoes” by changing her front casters to 3-inch polyurethanes. The combination of the small casters and cambered wheels enables the wheelchair to be very responsive for cornering. As they perform the waltz, quickstep and tango, it looks like her partner is the power behind the dancing. But the grace with which Sandra executes her turns belies the postural control and muscular effort occurring at her pelvis, trunk and arms. “She is doing 50% of the work and I am doing 50%,” said Ed.

Piotr and Dorota exude sexuality and energy, a hallmark of exceptional Latin dancers. Piotr’s chair is also a lightweight rigid frame but the wheels are oriented vertically. The back height is very low so he can bend backwards for his more acrobatic manoeuvres. He moves across the floor with great style and spins with amazing speed and agility. His superb spatial judgement and sense of timing bring him dangerously close to the audience before he dramatically pops a wheelie. His upper body flexibility matches Dorota’s as they undulate to the rhythms of cha cha, rumba and jive music. In comparison to Standard ballroom, more of their steps are complementary or in parallel, i.e., not holding hands. One slick move is when Piotr discreetly locks his brakes and then puts  his hand out to support Dorota in a backbend.

The 2004 Wheelchair DanceSport championships will take place in Tokyo. There are presently two categories for the sport. Class 2 wheelchair dancers, such as Piotr and Sandra, have the ability to move fully through their upper torso and arms. Class 1 wheelchair dancers are limited to head, neck and hand movements. In Europe, power wheelchair ballroom dance competitors, with the aid of their joystick, head-rims or sip and puff devices, lead an active wheelchair ballroom lifestyle. In addition to the combi dance (wheelchair user and an able-body partner), there is also duo dance (two wheelchair users dance together), group dance (wheelchair users only or together with able-bodied partners dance in formations or free performances) and single dance (a wheelchair user moves alone).

Competitive and exhibition dancing aside, wheelchair dance sport is first and foremost a social and recreational activity. Started in Europe approximately 20 years ago, it is immensely popular around the world with more than 5,000 dancers (4,000 wheelchair users and 1,500 able-bodied partners) in over 40 countries enjoying wheelchair dance sport as a pastime or a passion. Surprisingly, it is non-existent in Canada. A key objective of the couples’ trip to Vancouver was to generate awareness and interest in wheelchair dance sport among the disability and health-care communities. Audiences at the MediChair Education Day and at G. F. Strong Rehab Centre found it eye opening and awesome! A discussion forum, chaired by Grethe Andersen, Wheelchair DanceSport Committee, International Paralympic Committee, was attended by two-dozen curious and potential dancers to learn about the sport’s possibilities. As Grethe said, “Dancing is dancing, whether you are standing or sitting. Rhythm and music are from inside the body and the mind.” Some of the participants had the opportunity to dance with Ed, Sandra, Piotr and Dorota — their faces were radiant with joy in the newfound pleasure of ballroom dancing.

A seed has been planted. Watch it grow! If you would like to help cultivate it, contact Brian Dudley by e-mail at: chair@snowballclassic.com.


Regardless of which type of dancer you are, the physical and psychological effects of ballroom dancing are undeniable. The physical benefits of wheelchair dancing are for all ages. For the elderly, wheelchair ballroom dancing assists with the maintenance of physical balance, flexibility, range of motion, coordination, and it enhances respiratory control.

The psychological effects of ballroom dancing are beneficial too. The sharing of a mutual experience is a foundation for friendships. Social interaction and the development of relationships are commonplace in ballroom dancing. For social dancers, it is an opportunity to engage in a fun and a friendly event with others. For competitors, it may assist in the development of fair play, sportsmanship and communication skills. In Europe, wheelchair ballroom dancing for children is gaining popularity. This form of dancing may instil discipline and the concept of gender equality. For the elderly, ballroom dancing may assist with increasing socialization and prevent isolation and loneliness. It may also assist with reminiscing and long-term memory recall.

For the rest of us, wheelchair ballroom dancing is a unique activity that truly integrates the wheelchair user and able-bodied person. Combi dance is the integration of both disabled and able-bodied worlds at its highest form. In dancing with Sandra, I experienced this philosophy to its fullest extent. I was a bit unsure initially as to how she would respond, however, after just a few bars the wheelchair disappeared and I was left dancing with Sandra. It is here that wheelchair ballroom dancing has its greatest contribution to society, the integration of disabled and able-bodied people.
— Brian Lam



 

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