AVON LAKE, Ohio– “We help these kids identify themselves with their ability levels. instead of, you know, focusing on the things that they can’t do.” Kellie Lightfoot of Inspirations Dance Academy says. 

Kellie Lightfoot was able to combine her love of dance and physical therapy when she opened Inspirations Dance Academy in 2017. There, she teaches adaptive dance classes, and those classes allow her students to forget about any disability they may have and leave it all on the dance floor. 

“They spend their lives at appointments and physical therapy or doctors offices, and that’s not really something that they feel a sense of pride about necessarily so I felt like, through my dance program, I could give them something that they could be really proud of.” She says. 

Lightfoot is also a physical therapist, and it was after physical therapy school when she realized dancing could be a complement to any physical or occupational therapy her patients were doing. 

“I oftentimes found that when I would include different fun dance games in my therapy sessions, the kids really loved it. “she says. 

The kids at Inspirations have so much fun in class; they don’t even realize how much their bodies are benefiting from it. 

“I understand the kids and their diagnoses and how they move. so not only can I adapt it, but I can also add in little tricks of things that I know they need to be working on.” She says. 

Lightfoot says people with Down Syndrome benefit significantly from dance because they tend to have lower muscle tone and strength. 

“Work on core strengthening and posture and coordination and balance, all of those things that our patients with Down Syndrome need… dance is kind of the perfect fit for that.” She says.

Lightfoot says she not only enjoys seeing her students clap, kick, and leap across the floor- she loves giving the parents an opportunity to sit back and see their kids live a limitless life. 

“He is the epitome of dancing like no one is watching. And this is really good. I have the opportunity to do something he loves in an environment that is welcoming to him.” Kristin Cavicchi & Tiffany Sinsel say. 

“They get to do performances, they get to dress up, they get to do what every other kid in dance does. and once you see them connect with the audience, you’re just like, yay.” Kristin Cavicchi & Tiffany Sinsel say. 

Each Inspirations class varies in size, but they all take part in public performances, lightfoot says they allow the community to see past disabilities and focus on capabilities instead.

“How cool is it that through this program they’re proving to everybody else just how much they can do. so one of my biggest hopes for them is just that people don’t underestimate them, and that people include them because they deserve it and they’re so capable.” Lightfoot says. 

Inspirations dance academy holds classes in three different locations - Avon Lake, Warrensville, and North Royalton. Check out their website for more information.