Jeffrey R. Ballard
The Kehl School of Dance, located in a shopping mall off Verona Road, is open, but inside it’s deadly quiet. That is, until Mari Koopmans bursts in in her wheelchair, golden retriever Olive in tow.
The 10-year-old is here for her weekly sitting ballet class. It’s her second year. “It’s fun,” she says. “I think ballet is my talent, so I like to do it.”
Mari used to take regular ballet classes, but at age 3 her body started showing signs of a neurological condition, which progressed until she needed to use a wheelchair most of the time. “The class is a challenge,” she says, “which is good for me.”
As her father puts her ballet shoes on, Mari explains that Olive has a job. “She helps me pick up stuff that I drop, turn on lights, open doors. I say commands, and she jumps and does what she’s told.”
Claire Spitz, 12, has been coming for two years. “I’m a pretty good dancer,” she says. “But the classes make me better. I also [build] arm strength, and it’s nice to get to know the other girls.”
A third sitting dancer, Caitlyn Ianne, quietly slips into the studio, as do the three standing dancers who are rehearsing with the sitting dancers. Caitlyn loves to dance, says her mother later. “We thought it would be a fun class where she’d be able to dance to the best of her abilities.”
Although Caitlyn usually sits, in the upcoming recital she will perform standing. Caitlin says that she loves having the opportunity to express herself. She enjoys dancing and likes to work with the other girls. “It can open all kinds of things for us,” she says.
The instructor, J Matzner, known here as “Miss Jo,” had a life-threatening illness. A longtime dancer with a degree in dance from UW-Madison, she looked for an accessible ballet class upon recovering. She could find none so started this class.
“This is a group of empowered young students,” says Matzner.
Like the girls, Matzner is dressed in leotard, tights and ballet shoes. She lines the six dancers up and gives instructions. “Remember, we have an audience with us today, so do it for real. Smile!” They do, and Claire waves at yours truly, the audience. As “Singing in the Rain” fills the space, Mari takes a big breath before her standing partner wheels her in. It’s off to rehearsal. There are pink umbrellas and wheelchairs making circles, fists bumping and reminders of the right rhythm. Raise one arm to the count of four, raise the other to the count of two. Down 1-2 and whistle and ahhhh! We’ll do it again.
Claire’s standing partner brings her back “on stage,” starts leaving, then comes back to lock the wheelchair. Time to start the routine again. The girls are all smiles and joy, and Claire is now singing with the music. Towards the end of the hour, the parents are invited to come in and watch. There’s applause, and Olive bursts in. She is afraid of umbrellas and had to stay in the outer room, but now her tail wags forcefully, and she, too, is all smiles.
This is a great opportunity for the standing dancers too, says 13-year-old Emma Cushman. She started dancing six years ago and has been working with the sitting dancers since January. “It’s really inspiring and moving,” she says. “They really want to dance; it’s really cool. I enjoy dancing with them and want to continue doing it.”
When did the sitting ballet classes start? January 2014
How many dancers have participated so far? 14
What do sitting ballet dancers learn? The same arm movements and French vocabulary as standing dancers. They use their hands and arms to simulate the movements of the legs and feet of standing dancers
How to join the class: Call the Kehl School at 608-819-6501 for more information or read more at kehldance.com/dance-classes/all-abilities
