Our Inspiration: I CAN! Dance
By: Matt Mosler, KARK 4 News
Updated: August 31, 2012
There is a time to dance, but for many parents of special needs children, dancing is just one more casualty of their disability.
But one Central Arkansas mom's faith has led to a dance revolution.
"Katie's older sister, Ellie, was taking a dance class and Katie, just before she turned 3, wheeled up to me in her tiny little wheelchair and said, 'When can I take a dance class?. I said, 'Katie, when you turn 3. Katie turned 3. She still asked for the dance class. I had to hold to my promise," says mom Julie Mayberry, founder of I CAN! Dance.
But Julie couldn't find a studio that would teach dance to a little girl in a wheelchair. So she started her own.
Well, she tried. To her surprise she found it quite difficult convincing other parents to join.
"They have heard from all the professionals; the doctors, the therapists, the whatever in their life telling them their child can't do this, so they set very low expectations," Julie explains.
Ashton Duke's family was one of the first to take a chance on dance.
"It has given her more self confidence. She loves to dance. She loves the movement which reinforces the physical therapy she has during the week," says Susan Sharpsmith, Ashton's aunt.
Soon, other parents followed, like Taisha Froman, who's daughter Izzy was born missing a chromosome.
"Miss Izzy's balance has increased. You just don't think about being able to stand on one foot for four seconds until you can't put your own pants on," Taisha says.
Today, more than 80 girls, and boys, are experiencing the joy of dance at I CAN! studios in Conway, North Little Rock, Hot Springs and the new arts center in East End.
While Julie's promise to Katie has made an eternal difference for so many, she adamantly deflects any praise. But those whose lives she's touched, including her husband, love to heap it on!
"My wife inspires me each and every day to do that much more to make that much more of a difference," says Andy Mayberry.
"Absolutely, the sky's the limit, but it takes one person with a vision and an idea and that was Julie Mayberry and I and my family are very grateful," says one parent.
"A lot of times kids with disabilities, people don't even ask them what do you want to be when you grow up because people don't expect them to be anything. Well, that's wrong. They can do anything. They can be anything. With God's
help they can accomplish huge goals," Julie says.
Click here if you'd like to learn more about the I CAN! Dance program.
But one Central Arkansas mom's faith has led to a dance revolution.
"Katie's older sister, Ellie, was taking a dance class and Katie, just before she turned 3, wheeled up to me in her tiny little wheelchair and said, 'When can I take a dance class?. I said, 'Katie, when you turn 3. Katie turned 3. She still asked for the dance class. I had to hold to my promise," says mom Julie Mayberry, founder of I CAN! Dance.
But Julie couldn't find a studio that would teach dance to a little girl in a wheelchair. So she started her own.
Well, she tried. To her surprise she found it quite difficult convincing other parents to join.
"They have heard from all the professionals; the doctors, the therapists, the whatever in their life telling them their child can't do this, so they set very low expectations," Julie explains.
Ashton Duke's family was one of the first to take a chance on dance.
"It has given her more self confidence. She loves to dance. She loves the movement which reinforces the physical therapy she has during the week," says Susan Sharpsmith, Ashton's aunt.
Soon, other parents followed, like Taisha Froman, who's daughter Izzy was born missing a chromosome.
"Miss Izzy's balance has increased. You just don't think about being able to stand on one foot for four seconds until you can't put your own pants on," Taisha says.
Today, more than 80 girls, and boys, are experiencing the joy of dance at I CAN! studios in Conway, North Little Rock, Hot Springs and the new arts center in East End.
While Julie's promise to Katie has made an eternal difference for so many, she adamantly deflects any praise. But those whose lives she's touched, including her husband, love to heap it on!
"My wife inspires me each and every day to do that much more to make that much more of a difference," says Andy Mayberry.
"Absolutely, the sky's the limit, but it takes one person with a vision and an idea and that was Julie Mayberry and I and my family are very grateful," says one parent.
"A lot of times kids with disabilities, people don't even ask them what do you want to be when you grow up because people don't expect them to be anything. Well, that's wrong. They can do anything. They can be anything. With God's
help they can accomplish huge goals," Julie says.
Click here if you'd like to learn more about the I CAN! Dance program.
