Recently, we started a new program for adolescents and young adults with autism to learn ballroom dance.
These group lessons came at the request of Lisa Price, the co-founder of Jack’s Place for Autism with her husband Jim, who is a former Detroit Tiger and now does play analysis for Tigers games.
Their nonprofit foundation aims to help primarily teens, adolescents and young adults with autism, recognizing that as people age beyond the public school system, resources diminish.
Children with autism get a lot of attention and help, but older individuals with autism often “get forgotten” as they age out of the system, with no more independent education plans or teachers guiding them.
We don’t want that to happen, so Fred Astaire Dance Studio linked up with Lisa and Jack’s Place to create a program for individuals needing connection and guidance.
Learning the steps, sequences and styles of dance is of benefit to anyone, but for people with autism, ballroom can provide much-needed socialization opportunities to learn how to appropriately and easily interact with others.
Lisa also hopes this program will guide individuals toward integration and inclusion in social situations where they might otherwise feel awkward or uncomfortable.
Our program began on May 6th with an evening group lesson. It will continue weekly for a trial six-week session, with hopefully more to come after that pilot project finishes.
Let us know if you’d like to participate or if you know someone who would!