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November 12, 2025
Texas Ballet Theater is joining other professional ballet companies around the globe to recognize World Ballet Day, a global movement that celebrates the joy of dance. This year’s theme is “radical accessibility,” with a focus on inviting people to experience dance in new transformative ways.
In honor of World Ballet Day, TBT is shining a spotlight on our Adaptive Dance Program to share the joy of dance with children of all abilities. Developed in partnership between TBT and Children’s Health, the program focuses on foundational ballet exercises combined with free movement to encourage creativity and self-expression in a safe and welcoming environment.
In 2025-2026, Adaptive Dance classes are offered on Fridays from 5:15-6 p.m. at the TBT Richardson School. They serve children aged 8-12 with Down syndrome, autism, or a similar diagnosis. The class size is kept small at just eight students to ensure that every participant receives personalized instruction.
Class begins outside the studio with the students lining up and walking in on their tip toes with their arms in fifth position. “We start with a warm-up based on the Brain Dance, followed by across the floor, next we do free movements to music, then we do exercises at the barre,” explained Illeana Garcia, TBT’s Educational Programs Manager and adaptive dance class instructor. “The students are learning the foundational arm and feet positions, along with ballet steps like plies, tendus, relevés, and sautés in first. We’re also working on important skills like coordination, strength, memory, and independence.”
The class ends with the “Dance Jam” where students share their favorite part of the class. It’s often the highlight of the class as the students gain confidence by openly sharing what they enjoyed most.
“We’re creating a space for the students to be themselves,” said Garcia. “Our goal is for them to have fun and dance.”
Central to the success of the Adaptive Dance Program is the partnership with Children’s Health, which provides volunteer physical and occupational therapists who offer one-on-one support to the students as well as valuable feedback to the instructors.
“It’s what sets our program apart from other adaptive dance classes,” said Alexis Leffel, TBT Company Manager and former Adaptive Dance instructor. “The PTs and OTs are medical professionals who are working with these children daily. They provide important insight into the students and recommendations for how to approach a movement or incorporate specific strategies to help develop a student’s balance, coordination, or other skill on which we are working.”
Occupational therapist Brittany Sullenger has worked with TBT since the beginning to help create the vision and curriculum for the program.
“As a former dancer and ballet teacher, finding a way to combine dance with therapy has always been a passion of mine,” said Sullenger. “Prior to the start of the program, I presented a brief in-service to Alexis and the current teacher to provide an overview of diagnosis-specific common characteristics, behavioral strategies, and strengthening ideas. We now have regular therapist volunteers who attend the class and guide the teacher on participation strategies, modifications for physical and cognitive differences of the students, and safety recommendations as needed.”
Beyond foundational ballet instruction, the students are gaining many skills they can take with them outside the studio.
“Dance is such an amazing combination of physical activity and creativity; it also helps the students to build self-confidence, increases their ability to focus, provides stress relief, and gives them a creative outlet,” said Sullenger. “Practicing how and when to move your body and follow the structure of a class is beneficial for all forms of learning.”
The parents of our adaptive dancers share the progress they have witnessed in their children since joining the class.
Matilda’s daughter Chloe, age 8, joined the class in spring 2023 after participating in our Adaptive Nutcracker Experience during the prior holiday season.
“Chloe looks forward to attending the class with excitement every Friday,” said Matilda. “Some of the benefits of class are learning about ballet and getting to dance in front of a mirror, which she loves. Another benefit is continuing to learn to wait her turn during class and to follow directions. Chloe has gained more confidence since attending, which is extremely helpful.”
For her part, Matilda describes the experience of taking Chloe to class as a “bit of a mixed bag of emotions of hopefulness, excitement, happiness, anxiousness, and joy.”
“As her mom, I signed her up for ballet since I know she has the ability to learn and participate in this type of art form,” said Matilda. “The learning process for her can be challenging at times but so rewarding when she actually does what she has been taught.”
Laila, also 8, is in her second year of taking the adaptive dance class.
“She’s moving and learning new things; she’s expressing herself and cooperating with peers,” her mom, Tamara, shared. “We love having an outlet where she can learn something new in an environment with similarly abled peers. She doesn’t feel left out or looked over. She is free to learn at the pace most comfortable for her.”
TBT is proud to celebrate World Ballet Day and honor the theme of “radical accessibility” with a commitment to making dance accessible to every child.
Our Adaptive Dance Program is a testament to that spirit of inclusivity—that dance is for everyone. If you would like to learn more about the program or enroll your child in an adaptive dance class at TBT, please contact Illeana Garcia at Community@TexasBallet.org.
Join us in celebrating World Ballet Day and making dance accessible to all children—because when we welcome everyone, the stage shines brighter for all of us.
