A Tragic Accident Left Her Paralyzed. Now She Dances on Wheels | Short Film Showcase

I don’t look at my disability as good or

I don’t look at my disability as good or bad or indifferent it just is so I don’t

bad or indifferent it just is so I don’t

bad or indifferent it just is so I don’t spend any time thinking about what I

spend any time thinking about what I

spend any time thinking about what I could have accomplished had I not had

could have accomplished had I not had

could have accomplished had I not had that accident I’m interested in what’s

that accident I’m interested in what’s

that accident I’m interested in what’s going on right now this is the body I

going on right now this is the body I

going on right now this is the body I have to dance in so if I want to dance I

have to dance in so if I want to dance I

have to dance in so if I want to dance I have to dance in this body at this time

you don’t know what’s going to happen

you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow because tomorrow hasn’t my

tomorrow because tomorrow hasn’t my

tomorrow because tomorrow hasn’t my accident that you don’t know what is

accident that you don’t know what is

accident that you don’t know what is around the corner I mean that day when I

around the corner I mean that day when I

around the corner I mean that day when I left my apartment to go to work that day

left my apartment to go to work that day

left my apartment to go to work that day it was a day like any other day until it

it was a day like any other day until it

it was a day like any other day until it wasn’t anymore no and two seconds in one

wasn’t anymore no and two seconds in one

wasn’t anymore no and two seconds in one piece of ice and my whole world changed

piece of ice and my whole world changed

piece of ice and my whole world changed so you just really don’t know what life

so you just really don’t know what life

so you just really don’t know what life has in store for you

dancing when I was a child it was it was

dancing when I was a child it was it was like a fairy tale for me it was a

like a fairy tale for me it was a

like a fairy tale for me it was a different reality I had a difficult

different reality I had a difficult

different reality I had a difficult childhood I came from a pretty

childhood I came from a pretty

childhood I came from a pretty dysfunctional family and so when I was

dysfunctional family and so when I was

dysfunctional family and so when I was dancing I was never afraid I could be a

dancing I was never afraid I could be a

dancing I was never afraid I could be a princess I could be Sleeping Beauty I

princess I could be Sleeping Beauty I

princess I could be Sleeping Beauty I could be myself as I got older and my

could be myself as I got older and my

could be myself as I got older and my accident happened and other things in my

accident happened and other things in my

accident happened and other things in my life I lost a child the ritual and the

life I lost a child the ritual and the

life I lost a child the ritual and the discipline of dancing helped me to heal

discipline of dancing helped me to heal

discipline of dancing helped me to heal and to recover my Center and to know who

and to recover my Center and to know who

and to recover my Center and to know who I was I’m always a dancer no matter what

I was I’m always a dancer no matter what

I was I’m always a dancer no matter what happens that stays constant

there’s a lot of discipline that goes in

there’s a lot of discipline that goes in to this that perhaps you’re not

to this that perhaps you’re not

to this that perhaps you’re not accustomed to because it seemed fairly

accustomed to because it seemed fairly

accustomed to because it seemed fairly lacks what I saw but this is going to be

lacks what I saw but this is going to be

lacks what I saw but this is going to be more like any regular dance class that

more like any regular dance class that

more like any regular dance class that you go to so if you want to do a showing

you go to so if you want to do a showing

you go to so if you want to do a showing before the end of the school year you

before the end of the school year you

before the end of the school year you have to be here it’s very frustrating

have to be here it’s very frustrating

have to be here it’s very frustrating for me to knock myself out to come and

for me to knock myself out to come and

for me to knock myself out to come and try to make sure that you have a chair

try to make sure that you have a chair

try to make sure that you have a chair and Michelle has a chair and then the

and Michelle has a chair and then the

and Michelle has a chair and then the wheels are popped up and all of that

wheels are popped up and all of that

wheels are popped up and all of that where else do you think you’re going to

where else do you think you’re going to

where else do you think you’re going to get that

get that

get that no we’re so all I can do is offer it and

no we’re so all I can do is offer it and

no we’re so all I can do is offer it and you come and you take what you can from

you come and you take what you can from

you come and you take what you can from it because I already know how to do this

it because I already know how to do this

it because I already know how to do this see I’ve been dancing for 57 years when

see I’ve been dancing for 57 years when

see I’ve been dancing for 57 years when I started dancing in my wheelchair after

I started dancing in my wheelchair after

I started dancing in my wheelchair after my accident there was no one to help me

my accident there was no one to help me

my accident there was no one to help me I had to do it all on my own so I wanted

I had to do it all on my own so I wanted

I had to do it all on my own so I wanted it to be an easier way for them to

it to be an easier way for them to

it to be an easier way for them to realize their full potential

realize their full potential

realize their full potential that just because you have a disability

that just because you have a disability

that just because you have a disability doesn’t mean you can’t dance so many

doesn’t mean you can’t dance so many

doesn’t mean you can’t dance so many people they only see the apparatus and

people they only see the apparatus and

people they only see the apparatus and they call us wheelchair-bound

they call us wheelchair-bound

they call us wheelchair-bound and you know that sounds like I’m tied

and you know that sounds like I’m tied

and you know that sounds like I’m tied into my chair against my will you know

into my chair against my will you know

into my chair against my will you know I’m not bound I’m unbound

I’m not bound I’m unbound

I’m not bound I’m unbound [Music]

years ago when I was a young student at

years ago when I was a young student at the Washington Ballet the great Agnes

the Washington Ballet the great Agnes

the Washington Ballet the great Agnes DeMille came as a guest artist now mr.

DeMille came as a guest artist now mr.

DeMille came as a guest artist now mr. mill she had a full figure she had

mill she had a full figure she had

mill she had a full figure she had bosoms and she had hips and a nice round

bosoms and she had hips and a nice round

bosoms and she had hips and a nice round bum and it was considered that mr. mill

bum and it was considered that mr. mill

bum and it was considered that mr. mill didn’t have the right body type I I was

didn’t have the right body type I I was

didn’t have the right body type I I was small I was short and I wanted to be

small I was short and I wanted to be

small I was short and I wanted to be taller so I fantasized about having a

taller so I fantasized about having a

taller so I fantasized about having a bone transplant in my legs and one day I

bone transplant in my legs and one day I

bone transplant in my legs and one day I asked mr. mill if she thought it was a

asked mr. mill if she thought it was a

asked mr. mill if she thought it was a good idea that I should get this bone

good idea that I should get this bone

good idea that I should get this bone transplant in my legs and she took my

transplant in my legs and she took my

transplant in my legs and she took my face in her hands and she said kitty

face in her hands and she said kitty

face in her hands and she said kitty dear you have to learn to dance in the

dear you have to learn to dance in the

dear you have to learn to dance in the body you have and that’s what I teach

body you have and that’s what I teach

body you have and that’s what I teach all the other people with disabilities

all the other people with disabilities

all the other people with disabilities that I teach if you if your body is your

that I teach if you if your body is your

that I teach if you if your body is your instrument and you are you are at war

instrument and you are you are at war

instrument and you are you are at war with your instrument you will never make

with your instrument you will never make

with your instrument you will never make anything beautiful you have to find

anything beautiful you have to find

anything beautiful you have to find peace with your instrument

peace with your instrument

peace with your instrument [Music]

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

and you want to write on your neck not

and you want to write on your neck not out here

out here

out here not drop look look down at the floor

not drop look look down at the floor

not drop look look down at the floor look on your just feel comfortable in

look on your just feel comfortable in

look on your just feel comfortable in the chair

the chair

the chair yeah yeah and it looks great on you okay

[Music]

[Music] non-disabled people feel that the big

non-disabled people feel that the big

non-disabled people feel that the big tragedy of my life was my accident and

tragedy of my life was my accident and

tragedy of my life was my accident and that’s not true

that’s not true

that’s not true the great tragedy of my life will be

the great tragedy of my life will be

the great tragedy of my life will be many years from now when I pass away and

many years from now when I pass away and

many years from now when I pass away and there’s a student sitting at the bottom

there’s a student sitting at the bottom

there’s a student sitting at the bottom of the set of stairs wanting to go up

of the set of stairs wanting to go up

of the set of stairs wanting to go up and dance and there’s no way for them to

and dance and there’s no way for them to

and dance and there’s no way for them to get there and no one to teach them that

get there and no one to teach them that

get there and no one to teach them that will be the big tragedy of my life

will be the big tragedy of my life

will be the big tragedy of my life [Music]

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]