Today I read an interesting articular, about the word "disorder". It made me start thinking, there are many controversy's about "Label's". Should you label your child or anyone for that matter? Well, in my opinion if you have a friend or family member who is a fast runner, in fact he is so good that he has won many medal's, do you introduce him as " This is Joe he has running man syndrome"? Well I personal would have to say no, but it would be great for a laugh.

My son has 18 diagnoses, and before I knew all of his diagnoses he was just my little man, who was clumsy, quite, ear's like a hawk, fickle, and so forth. After his diagnoses he was/had, CP, dyspraxia, , Apraxia, SPD, Autism and on and on. Now that being said I know that without knowing what my child diagnoses are I would not be able to help him be the best he can be. But where do you draw the line, where do you see you or your child as just you or your child and not a DX? That is a question we all must ponder but here is some food for thought. 

In the means of art's, it is the common denominator, you can be "nerotypical" or can have a "disability" and you can either dance or you can't, you can draw or you can't, you can sing or you can't, you can act or you can't. Well you get the point, regardless of your abilities they do not define who you or your child is. It does not determine what they/you do great, or what they/you do differently. It is just like anything else, we all have our quirks our talents, the things that drive our spouses crazy, makes someone fall in love with us or just make you, YOU. So be proud of all the things that are different and unique about you/your child, there is only one like them!

 
 
 
In general, partnering is "an effort by both the male and female dancers to achieve a harmony of movement so that the audience is unaware of the mechanics, and simply enjoy the emotional effects. Also known as pas de deux, or dance for two."

For a male dancer, partnering includes lifting, catching, and carrying a partner, also assisting with jumps, promenades and supported pirouettes (turns).
DXDA company members Tavon, and our newest addition Jazmin, did just that today-- and it was truly epic in nature! As a teacher, director and choreographer,  I am always proud of my dancers but today I was beyond proud. The things that many aka "typical" dancers take for granted, are treasured milestones we accomplish with every bit of DXDA dancers being.  

Why is this a big deal you may ask?
 
 
I wanted to touch base with all my parents; progress is sometimes hard to see when we, as parents, see what our kiddos are up against. Over the past month and a half I have seen such huge steps that have filled my heart with such joy. I know that some families feel that their kiddo is not moving along as fast as we parents tend to desire, but just like with most new things-- it takes time. Dance promotes cognitive, emotional, social and physical health in individuals and benefits to our children in so many ways outside of dance. These five things do not happen or change over one, ten, or even twenty 45min classes-- they happen as baby steps, unique to the moves and shakes of each individual.
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 As a personal note; my son Uziah who has 17 DX has always been the one who stands in the background, does not interact with strangers and is not the dancing type. The first few classes my youngest, Gideon, jumped right in and was ready to move, shake, and get his dance on, as Uziah sat and watched. I felt so sad that he didn't want to join in with the group, and that he didn't enjoy it like I wanted him to. But I knew, just like most things with Uziah, he is an individual and does things at his rate. His first words at 5 years old were music to my ears after being told he would never speak, but if I would have said to myself, "well, he is never going to talk" then where would we be today? And potty training was a mess to say the least, I knew that if I just kept trying new approaches, then he would get it, and almost a year ago today he is potty trained. Why I bring this up is because we are a breed of parents that seek to give our children what any parent wants, and that is to fit in and be proud of who they are. I know that each and every one of us is proud of our children. We are lucky to have the understanding to see the accomplishments, wonderful milestones and beautiful gifts of our children as they open in front of us when we least expect it.

Just to explain further the benefits of dance, below are a few things that dance provides to our children: