The Adaptive Dance Series is a virtual weekend of free dance workshops designed specifically for children and adults with emotional, cognitive, and physical disabilities. Participants will connect with a community of movers from across the country through a variety of dance styles, including contemporary, jazz, ballet, and latin styles. Regardless of previous dance experience, participants will gain a unique virtual experience through adaptive movement workshops.
These workshops are presented by Attack Theatre, ComMotion, Joey’s P.A.W., and Yes, You Can Dance. This free weekend series includes a kick-off information session (featuring a mindful movement activity with Open Up Pittsburgh) on Friday at 5:00pm, an entire day of workshops on Saturday, and three afternoon workshops on Sunday finishing with special guest speakers, Tanya and Boone, at 4:00pm.
All classes will be conducted via Zoom at the times listed (Eastern Standard Time).
Audio Description, a descriptive narration service for people who are blind and low vision, can be provided for all sessions. Please contact allison@attacktheatre.com to request AD. To learn more about audio description, visit Arts Access.
Schedule
Saturday
Modern Movement
Saturday, June 4 | 9:00-9:45am
Attack Theatre is pleased to host instructors Davian “DJ” Robinson and ShaLeigh Comerford, of ShaLeigh Dance Works, for Modern Movement. This is an immersive dance-theatre experience that does not require the viewer’s sight, but rather all their other senses. Participants will explore the intersection of movement and language using modern dance styles and individual thoughts and interpretations. The class will finish with a collective preview of DJ and ShaLeigh’s piece, enVISION: Sensory Beyond Sight.
Participants: Middle school ages and up; all ages, levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info: Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructors: Davian “DJ” Robinson and ShaLeigh Comerford
Yes, You Can Merengue!
Saturday, June 4 | 10:00–10:45am
Merengue is a fun Latin dance. If you ever dreamed about ballroom dancing, Merengue is a great place to start. No experience is necessary. We will start with the basic steps. If you have a partner, that is great. You can join in the fun without a partner as well. Please bring something to wear around one wrist. It can be a watch, bracelet, ribbon, or string.
Participants: High school and up
Accommodation Info: While all are welcome to participate, the Yes, You Can Dance! Adaptive Ballroom curriculum was designed specifically for standing, young adults with cognitive disabilities. However, throughout the class, modifications will be demonstrated to ensure that our friends with physical disabilities can still participate. Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor: Dmitriy Kuzmenko
Dance to the Classics
Saturday, June 4 | 11:00–11:45am
Let’s move to some of the best music from different decades. Sitting down or standing up, get your groove on to hits from James Brown, Diana Ross, Bruno Mars, Michael Buble and more!
Participants: All ages, levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info: Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor: Andre Avila
Hip-Hop Funk
Saturday, June 4 | 12:00–12:45pm
Hip-Hop Funk is a feel-good class for all levels of movers. This class starts with a warm-up full of freestyling and stretching to get the blood flowing and the body ready to move. Participants will then explore choreography combining old and new school Hip Hop. Sneakers are encouraged but not required.
Participants:Middle school ages and up; all levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info:Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor:Darrin Mosley
Yes, You Can Disco!
Saturday, June 4 | 1:00–1:45pm
Have some fun learning a Disco Routine. No experience is necessary. We will start with the basic steps. If you have a partner, that is great. You can join in the fun without a partner as well. Please bring something to wear around one wrist. It can be a watch, bracelet, ribbon, or string.
Participants: High school and up
Accommodation Info: While all are welcome to participate, the Yes, You Can Dance! Adaptive Ballroom curriculum was designed specifically for standing, young adults with cognitive disabilities. However, throughout the class, modifications will be demonstrated to ensure that our friends with physical disabilities can still participate. Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor: Dmitriy Kuzmenko
Andre's Extraordinary Playlist
Saturday, June 4 | 2:00–2:45pm
Let’s learn some of the most iconic choreography from movies, musicals, and pop culture.
Participants: All ages, levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info:Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor: Andre Avila
Musical Theatre Jazz
Saturday, June 4 | 3:00–3:45pm
Musical Theatre Jazz is a dance class for all levels of movers, dancers, singers, actors, and musical theatre lovers. This class uses stylized character movement and basic choreography to explore storytelling through movement and authentic connection to the dance steps.
Participants: Middle school ages and up; all levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info:Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructors:Lydia Clinton
Ballet for the Family
Saturday, June 4 | 4:00–4:45pm
Enjoy breathing through movement with this accessible exploration of classical ballet. Class will begin with a breathing meditation, followed by an embodiment of the breath through bends, stretches, and balances. Class will culminate with choreography and a traditional reverence. Reverence (ray-vay-rahnss) is a French word that refers to paying respect to someone (yourself, your family, and fellow dancers) by a curtsey or bow.
Participants: All ages, levels, and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info: Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor: Miranda Nichols
Rhythms of the World
Saturday, June 4 | 5:00–5:45pm
We’ll “travel” on a virtual tour of a variety of countries. Experience these vibrant cultures through dance, music, fun facts, and beautiful images.
Participants:All ages, levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info:Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor:Andre Avila
Sunday
Rhythms of Nature
Sunday, June 5 | 1:00–1:45pm
Explore the rhythms of the wild! Become one with nature and the creatures within.
Participants:All ages, levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info:Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor:Andre Avila
Creative Critters
Sunday, June 5 | 2:00–2:45pm
Creative Critters will explore the basic rhythms and styles of dance. This class is a movement exploration designed for all levels of movers in grades K-5. Family, friends, and pet participation are encouraged!
Participants:All ages, levels and abilities are welcome.
Accommodation Info:Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructors:Sarah Zielinski and Allison Popieski
Dance Party!
Sunday, June 5 | 3:00–3:45pm
This class is the perfect dance blend! We’ll recap highlights and sequences from all our classes and put them together into one dance class experience.
Participants: All ages, levels and abilities are welcome
Accommodation Info: Specific accommodations are available upon request.
Instructor: Andre Avila
Closing Session with Guest Speakers Tanya & boone
Sunday, June 5 | 4:00-5:00pm (pre-recorded)
tanya Diable
Tanya Diable is the President and founder of Joey's P.A.W.. She started this non-profit in the hopes to make a difference in the lives of dogs who need assistance in mobility. Tanya and her husband, Charlie Diable, founded Joey’s P.A.W. after caring for Ella Grace, a paralyzed puppy who was wheelchair bound, and adopting Joey, an abused, maimed dog who has a prosthetic leg and had been on an adoption list for almost a year. Tanya was recently awarded the National INDIE Excellence Awards Children's Non-Fiction Winner after writing her first children's book, Bow Tie Boone. Outside of her work with Joey's P.A.W., Tanya spends a lot of time volunteering with Boone in schools, children's hospitals, as well as the Pittsburgh International Airport. For those close to Tanya, her other favorite passion is everything Christmas, especially Hallmark Christmas movies!
“All dogs, especially those that have suffered from abuse or neglect, deserve to be happy and healthy. We want these dogs to be adopted into their forever homes. We strive to educate people about the charm of special needs dogs and make it easier for potential owners to adopt by providing these dogs with a prosthetic or wheelchair.”
Boone
Boone is one of Tanya’s six special needs dogs who has recently passed his Therapy Dog training. Boone is also the inspiration and star of Tanya’s first children’s book, Bow Tie Boone. He uses a wheelchair, due to his previous owner’s abuse, and became an ambassador of Joey’s P.A.W. to educate the public about the joys of owning a special needs dog. Follow Boone’s story on Instagram @a.miracle.named.Boone.
Meet the Instructors
Andre
Avila
Dmitriy
Kuzmenko
Allison
popieski
lydia
Clinton
Darrin
Mosely Jr.
sarah
Zielinski
shaleigh
comerford
Miranda
Nichols
Rachel
Ehtesham
Davian
Robinson
About the presenting organizations
Attack Theatre
With a core belief that movement is an essential part of living and learning, Attack Theatre conducts arts education programs in school and community settings throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. The company builds community with artists and audiences through the production of dance-based performance, creative learning programs, and interdisciplinary collaborations. Through deliberately interconnected programs, Attack Theatre seeks to demystify the artistic process, fostering a philosophy of social engagement designed to nurture creativity and connect communities.
ComMotion
ComMotion implements virtual and in-person dance and movement classes for over 10,000 students of all ages and abilities with the goals of improving strength, flexibility, and coordination while reducing pain, depression, anxiety, and stress. The organization specializes in programming for four specific populations: military veterans with PTSD, cancer survivors, seniors and people with disabilities, and Pre-K - 12th grade children.
Yes, You Can Dance!
Yes, You Can Dance! is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of dance. We partner with community organizations, dance professionals, health professionals and educators to design and provide dance opportunities for individuals with special needs, people with Multiple Sclerosis, and more.
The benefits are unmatched when it comes to being part of our mission, as we strive to provide growth in areas of patience, compassion and living in the moment. Not only is dance great for physical health, but it also plays a large role in both mental and emotional health as well. Our curriculums bring about positive changes to emotions and attitudes through dance, as an instantaneous outlet for stress relief and enhanced motor skills.
Joining Yes, You Can Dance! improves overall self-esteem and attentiveness in most of our individuals, as dance therapy is known to increase confidence, social and communication skills.
We want you to be imaginative and creative, and that’s exactly what the power of dance allows you to do.
Joey’s P.A.W.
Joey’s P.A.W. Non Profit was started because he has changed our lives so deeply that we knew we wanted to help other dogs relieve there help so they could touch other people’s lives. We will provide partial or full funds for Dogs that are in need of (P.A.W) Prosthetics or a Wheelchair so they can have a chance at a more mobile life. We have a underlying message of the joy of owning a special Needs dog along with a section of dogs that are Special Needs and are in need of adoption. We hope to be able to help them find a Furever home just like Joey did.
