These classes offer adults with autism the opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of dancing with others and to experience physical self-expression, agency, freedom, fun and community.

Many people with autism experience apraxia, making it difficult for them to control their body to perform motor tasks on demand. This can make it difficult or impossible for them to participate in normative dance classes that rely on verbal commands and demonstrations.

Our Dancing with Autism classes make dancing possible and fun. They blend contemporary improvisation tools with partnering, physical cueing and props to help participants locate their bodies in space and self-initiate movement.

As a choreographer and dancer, dance has been the central ongoing investigation in my adult life; for the past 20+ years, my life has also been anchored in parenting my autistic son. This class brings together these joys and ongoing creative endeavors. In 2019, I began collaborating with two movement specialists with a history of working with the autistic community, and with adult participants at Eden Autism Services (Princeton, NJ), to create meaningful alternatives to traditional dance classes.

Our classes are decidedly not therapy, or about “getting the step.” Our aim is to collaborate with adults with autism to explore ways of moving and experience the joys of dancing together.