Whether you are in a wheelchair, or you are going to prom with someone who is, you probably have some questions about dancing. This doesn’t have to be the intimidating task you might be picturing. If you’re in a wheelchair and haven’t danced at a formal event before, it may be a good idea to check YouTube or some other sites for videos of other people dancing in their chairs, whether it is a powered wheelchair or a manual wheelchair.
Here are some tips to make the most of your big night:
- Safety first! Make sure you have your anti-tippers down, and move armrests and other parts of the chair out of the way to prevent you from falling, or preventing your date from tripping.
- Practice! You may be able to practice ahead of time with your date, a friend, your parents, therapist, whoever! You can incorporate twirls, spins and holding hands into your “routine” more easily if you’ve done it a few times before the big day.
- Think about whether you are going to move your chair, or just dance in your chair. You can utilize any movement you have to move along to the beat—there is no right way to get down.
- If you have one and are able, bring your mechanical stander. This will give you the chance to dance a few dances while you are “standing up.”
- Smile! Facial expressions are also a huge part of dancing. If you look like you’re having fun, no one is going to worry about “how” you’re dancing!
Want some inspiration? We picked out a few of our favorite videos, embedded below. If you want even more, check out these sites:
- American DanceWheels Foundation
- DanceAbility International
- Wheelchair Dancers Organization
- Axis Dance Company
Over the past few days, we’ve talked about picking out that perfect wheelchair fashion, adaptive ways to do your own make-up, and the oh-so many ways to tear up the dance floor in a wheelchair. Now that it’s time for the big day, we wish you all a very fun and safe prom!
If you take a close look in this video, you can see former patient Frankie LaMacchia getting down with the Push Girls!
