Golden Opportunities

Dancing Wheels is premiering an insightful new show next weekend, right here in Cleveland. And joining us today for a preview is Mary Verdi-Fletcher, president and founding artistic director of Dancing Wheels.

Question: I understand that Dancing Wheels is unveiling a new dance next weekend. Can you tell us a bit about it?

Answer: Yes, "Helen Keller: A Tribute to Her Teacher" is a new dance that is opening next weekend at the Tri-C East Campus on Harvard Road.

Question: How did the idea of creating a dance based on Helen Keller come about?

Ansswer: One of our volunteers also works with the Sight Center and the Hearing and Speech Center and asked if we were interested in learning more about Helen Keller. He's really become a historian on her life.
Through learning more about her, we realized that there are many aspects of her life beyond the "Miracle Worker" time period that many people just don't know about. For example, she was involved in vaudeville, was a speaker at the World's Fair, traveled the globe, met many heads of state, and was a huge advocate for both disability rights and women's rights.
Christopher Fleming, who choreographs for ballet companies throughout the country, researched and choreographed the dance. The music contains some classical pieces (such as Vivaldi) remixed, and also includes some vaudeville music-music that corresponds to the different parts of her life.
The dance is framed as a flashback. I play Helen later in life, and she reminisces on her past. Rachael Rish, a standing dancer, plays the younger Helen. Many of the roles have such non-traditional casting. The dance aims to transport the audience to another vision, where male/female, young/old, etc. does not matter. Photos of dance.

Question: You mention untraditional roles. Can you give us a demonstration on how a dance step can be translated from a dancer who is standing to a dancer who is sitting?

Answer: {Demonstration with Mary, Rachael Rish (who plays the flashback Helen Keller) and Armond.}
Really, anyone-of any age and ability-can dance. We have dancers, both disabled and not, from preschool age to seniors, who take lessons at Dancing Wheels. It's a great way to both get the exercise you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.and to have fun.

Question: Where can people take classes?

Answer: Our studio is at the old Masonic Temple on 36th and Euclid. We have classes in ballet, ballroom dancing, modern dance, and jazz.

Come celebrate an extraordinary life, and maybe even begin your own dancing career. Call the number that's next for ticket information or for classes at Dancing Wheels. My thanks to a true visionary in the field of dance, Mary Verdi-Fletcher, and her colleague Rachael Rish.