Dancing Moves the Soul

As I have been reading about the state of those with disabilities, information about inclusive education has been overwhelming. It seems like many advocates of children with disabilities are putting all of their eggs into the basket of inclusive education, as if being incorporated into a classroom with students without disabilities is all that is needed to open a child up.

At the beginning of December, I caught a news segment on the Shimmy Club, a program that teaches visually impaired teenagers how to tango. Founded on the concept that dancing doesn’t require vision, only feeling the music, two women implemented the program in their community.

These two women have empowered the teens by helping them gain self-confidence. The teens have broken out of their shells and are now bold enough to ask someone to dance. Tango, in fact.

Imagine what could be done in the lives of visually impaired teenagers if there was a program like this in every community. The end that many are seeking, inclusive education, would greatly benefit from being paired with a program that teaches self-confidence to students with disabilities. And, as these two women have proven, it doesn’t require action on behalf of a school system or the government to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. It just takes a vision and the dedication to see that vision come to fruition.

What is your vision?

To read the article visit: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/22147757/