Did Someone say DANCE?!?
A dance reflects so many elements of neurodiversity. Planning and executive function. Movement and regulation. Self-determination and bodily autonomy. And a fair amount of stress about things that might or might not go as intended.
3LPlace members, staff, and families leaned into all of that on a Friday afternoon in mid-June. We cleared the couches out of the milieu, rolled up the rugs, and held our first-ever dance. The work started well before – with weekly planning sessions beginning in March – and it focused heavily on giving members responsibility over the decisions and executing them.
“Staff and parents would ask things like ‘How are we decorating? What music are we playing? How are we preparing?’” said Meghan Montgomery, 3LPlace’s Co-Executive Director. “We had plenty of spaces for members to ask for help. But we mostly wanted to remind people that’s not the playbook on this one. This is members’ dance to create and enjoy.”
On the “create” side of things, members designed invitations and a special magnet reminder for everyone’s fridge. They made task lists covering things like who would take on particular clean-up duties and bring certain refreshments. They also brainstormed alternative activities that could go on during the dance, such as using a quiet space, working on coloring pages, and enjoying a game or puzzle.
But the most important list was, of course, the playlist. We came up with a ton of songs and made sure we knew everyone’s“ #1 Choice Song.” Must-haves for the dance included “I Like to Move It,” “Happy,” “Viva Las Vegas,” and “The Chicken Dance.”
On the “enjoy” side of things, we worked hard practicing our moves. We chose a set of songs with set choreography – think “YMCA” or “Cha Cha Slide” – so we could be ready on the day of the dance. We also left plenty of room for freestyling along the way.
“Do you have to follow the exact steps? No! Give yourself permission to be free in your body. Dance in a way that’s true to your body. Free-spirited movement is authentic and beautiful,” Meg said.
“When you live in a body that moves differently, you’re used to being told what’s ‘wrong.’ This was a space to be ‘right’ in your body. Everybody fits in. Everybody belongs.”
That attitude applied to the dance itself – not just the dancing. Who you dance with? How you dance? What time you leave the party? At every step, we said to members “You play a leadership role in your own life.” They embraced the opportunity and had a chance, as one parent put it, “to have fun, be silly, and make wonderful memories.”
