And They Danced!

Here's what we did in 2013. Stay tuned for 2014! 

Team Hotwheelz – Dance Demo and Workshop
Ballroom and Latin Wheelchair Dancing Demonstration and Workshop
Bethune Theatredanse Performance and Mini-Class

Team Hotwheelz – Dance Demo and Workshop

What do you get when you take seven talented young dancers whose zest for life outpaces any challenges that come their way, including the life-altering events that put them on wheels?

You get Team Hotwheelz. And you can see them in hip-hopping, blood-pumping action at Abilities Expo!

In the tradition of wheelchair dancing troupes like Colours~n~Motion and AXIS Dance Company, Team Hotwheelz is revolutionizing the world of dance and dispelling antiquated notions of what it is to be a dancer. Their success and rising fame echo the sentiments of wheelchair dancer and Abilities Expo veteran Auti Angel when she says, “Dance is a state of mind and an attitude, not just a physical motion.”

Led by Chelsie Hill, 20-year-old co-founder of Team Hotwheelz and featured character on the Sundance channel’s hit docu-series Push Girls, the dancers were initially drawn to each other by their injuries, but continue to flourish and inspire because of their indomitable spirits and love of dance.

Hill’s fellow dancers hail from coast to coast and include Joanie Carter, Maria Gast, Katie Estrella, Kaitlyn Staten, Mia Schaikewitz and Ali Stroker. You may know Schaikewitz as one of the four Push Girls and Stroker from Oxygen’s The Glee Project where she was a finalist in the summer of 2012.

“These are all girls I’ve met the last two years since being injured,” said Hill. “These girls have gone through some pretty traumatic things like their injuries, but they have all switched it around to being completely positive. We all love to dance, so we decided to start a team with all seven of us. It’s pretty cool.”

Team Hotwheelz is presented by the Walk and Roll Foundation, which Hill founded with her father after she was paralyzed in an alcohol-related automobile accident. The mission of the foundation is to “help spinal cord injury survivors recreate their dreams, develop their talents and abilities, and live a full life within their reach.”

Don’t miss your chance to not only watch Team Hotwheelz tear up the dance floor, but also learn a couple hot, hip-hop moves yourself! The Team looking forward to meeting you at Abilities Expo!

Want to find to out more about the Expo? Check out other must-see events and workshops!

Ballroom and Latin Wheelchair Dancing Demonstration and Workshop
Saturday, March 16: 1:00 - 1:45 pm

Learn wheelchair dancing from the first organization to offer classes in Southern CA! First, sit back and enjoy two great dance routines including the Batchata Dance. Then it's your turn to learn some steps! Attendees of all ages and mobility levels are welcome to join us to learn some steps and put together Abilities Expo's first, official Flash Mob. Able-bodied individuals are welcomed! Wheelchair Dancing crosses the boundaries of age, gender, and physical ability and includes individuals using manual or power chairs with varying levels of ability. Learn more at www.wheelchairdancers.org.

Bethune Theatredanse Performance and Mini-Class
Friday: March 15: 4:00 - 4:30 pm

Bethune Theatredanse is the first professional dance company in America that created a participatory program for disabled youth. Today the organization offers dance and drama classes, together with the thrill of confidence-building performances, to children who are physically, emotionally, and cognitively disabled. By participating in the worlds of dance and drama children with disabilities affirm their unique capabilities and enjoy the creation, the sharing, and the partaking that is the beauty of dance. Enjoy two performances by members of the company followed by a mini-class for Abilities Expo attendees. Learn more at www.bethuneinfinitedreams.org.