Wheelchair dance program offered at Riley Park Community Centre

September 9, 2008 (No. 52) - Riley Park Community Centre is offering classes in ballroom and hip hop to wheelchair dancers this fall. This is the first time that wheelchair dance has been made available to Vancouver residents.

Wheelchair ballroom dancers participate together with a partner without a wheelchair who assists the
wheelchair participant with turns, spins and arm movements, while hip hop is done individually. Both dance
disciplines offer participants the opportunity to move to the music that matches the dance style.

Wheelchair dancing is for everyone with a desire to learn to dance, with no restrictions on previous
experience or level of mobility. Classes at Riley Park Community Centre begin Wednesday, September 24 and run for 8 weeks. Ballroom is from 11am to 12 noon and is for ages 16 and up. Hip hop is from 3:30-4:30pm and is designed for youth aged 12 to 17. Registration is $99. There is no charge for ballroom
partners/volunteers.

Register online:
Ballroom dance
Hip hop

"Wheelchair dancing is a phenomenal program that gets everyone moving to the music," said Park Board
Commissioner Heather Holden who also represents the Board on the City's Advisory Committee on Disability
Issues. "The Park Board is committed to making parks and recreation universally accessible. Dancing is a
program that has not traditionally been available to those in a wheelchair and so we are very pleased to be
able to offer this opportunity."

Instructor Toni Triplett began offering wheelchair dance instruction last year at her Lower Mainland-area
dance academy after including residents from a nearby nursing home in her dance classes.

Wheelchair dance is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee and is practiced in over 30
countries. The 2008 IPC Wheelchair Dance Sport World Championships are being held October 24-27 in
Minsk, Belarus with competitions in several categories.

Call the Riley Park Community Centre at 604-257-8545 or visit www.rileypark.ca for information or to
register.

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For more information contact Barb Floden, Communications Coordinator, at 604-257-8438.
www.vancouverparks.ca

Related web links
Wheelchair dance competition on YouTube
Canadian Wheelchair Dance Academy
International Paralympic Committee
Wheelchair Dance Sport International Championships
Canada Dance Sport

 

The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation maintains 220 parks and 40 major facilities throughout the City of Vancouver. The Park Board's mission is to provide, preserve and advocate for parks and recreation services to benefit people, communities and the environment.