By: Katelyn Chen

Last Saturday, dancers in wheelchairs from all over the world were invited to the “Dance Mobility’s Adapted Ballroom Dance Competition”, which gave them free lessons with professional ballroom dancers.

Dancers hope this adapted ballroom competition is the first of many in the U.S. Cheryl Angelelli, a Paralympic medalist and quadriplegic, said, “Representation matters, to be seen matters, to go into a room and see people that look like you is important,”

Eve Dahl believed that the competition was worth a seven-hour drive from Wisconsin with her partner Ernie Olivas. Dahl has brittle bone disease, causing her bones to be a lot more fragile.

”Familiar waltz, tango, cha-cha tunes along with more contemporary artists like Bruno Mars pumped through the speakers of the gym with a boisterous crowd cheering on each dancer.”