Wheelchair Dancing with the Axis Dance Company
A few years ago I had the opportunity to see a performance of the Axis Dance Company. I’m not usually the type of person that really enjoys modern dance performances, but the premise of the Axis Dance Company really intrigued me: blending performers in wheelchairs and with mobility disabilities with able-bodied dancers. Their mission is to make dance accessible to all – and they do it in a creative, innovate, and often beautiful way.
They have several videos up on YouTube so I’ll let the dancing speak for itself, but I will encourage you to take a look and see what is being done to push the boundaries of the perceived limitations of the disabled. The work of the Axis Dance Company is inspiring to watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMIgEO4vmcY&feature=related
Healing Through Exercise
June 1, 2010 by Aaron
Filed under Blog Posts
We’re always happy to find new nonprofits focusing on helping those with spinal cord injuries. Recently, we heard about Journey Forward, whose mission is to better the lives of those with spinal cord injuries through exercise. Journey Forward’s program is similar to physical therapy regimens, but last much longer, because typically those with spinal cords injuries need long periods of time to develop muscle they have lost and see benefits from therapy.
Just as persons without physical impairments can benefit from regular exercise, persons with disabilities can improve their health through regular exercise as well. Unfortunately for those with SCI, regular exercise can be very difficult, so a program like that provided by Journey Forward can have a large impact on people’s lives.
As a fairly new nonprofit Journey Forward is still working to raise awareness of what they do. Even so, they have helped many people improve their lives, and it was inspiring to hear about some of the positive experiences of people who have worked with Journey Forward. Hopefully, we will see more programs like this all across the U.S.
