The Christian Science Monitor

At Born Dancing, different abilities – but all in harmony

Madison Ferris (l.) and Madeline Charles perform in ‘Third Party’ during a dress rehearsal for Born Dancing, a nonprofit founded on the belief that people of all ages and abilities should have access to every aspect of dance.

With a late afternoon glow filling the studio, dozens of dancers stretch and chat quietly. As the rehearsal starts with soft piano notes, their bodies form an ebb and flow, creating a sense of connection. But this rehearsal is less focused on well-worn repetitions of pirouettes and arabesques. Instead, it’s almost a fully fledged social experiment, offering a reinvention of who can dance. 

This is Born Dancing, which welcomes both those with disabilities and non-disabled individuals. Some are children with learning disabilities. Other older participants are struggling with the physical effects of Parkinson’s disease. Some are

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