Danceability Inc.

The story of Danceability began in January 2007 during a conversation between two friends, Christine and Robin. Christine, a special education teacher, and Robin, a hospice social worker at the time, shared a lifelong passion for dance—Robin had been dancing since the age of three, while Christine began at five. Both women felt that dance needed to remain an integral part of their lives, despite their other career choices.. They understood the profound impact dance had on their childhood and the life lessons dance class had taught them, and they wanted to share that experience with others who might not have the opportunity.

With this goal in mind, Christine and Robin embarked on an adventure to create Danceability, a program aimed at providing dance classes for individuals with special needs. While they were not the first to develop programs for people with disabilities, they aimed to elevate dance beyond a therapeutic art form into a transformative experience. They wanted to create a space that belonged to their dances and that they would be excited to come to each week; a space for fun, friendship, mentoring, exercise, healing, learning, support, inclusion, and respite.

To turn their vision into reality, Christine and Robin dedicated many long evenings to learning how to run a business, something neither of them had ever done, budgeting, marketing, leases, and building permits, all while maintaining their careers. Before the popular GoFundMe became a reality, they reached out to everyone they knew, through letter-writing to share their vision for a program originally called Breaking Boundaries, and asking for donations of $5 to secure their studio’s security deposit. They successfully reached their goal, signed a lease, and secured their space in July, just two months before Danceability was set to open.

The next phase involved a lot of hard work. Family and friends joined forces with the two women to prepare the studio. They scraped floors, installed new ones, painted walls, hung ballet barres, and set up mirrors. From the dust and chaos emerged a small but warm and welcoming dance studio, thoughtfully designed with the students’ special needs in mind.

During the first registration weekend in mid-August, many new dancers and their families visited the still-incomplete studio. Using a camping lantern to illuminate the folding table in what would soon become the waiting room, they welcomed 64 families who signed up to be the inaugural members of Danceability. In the midst of preparations for launching a nonprofit and creating an inclusive dance program, Christine and Robin forgot one small detail: to have the electricity turned on. However, they promptly contacted the electric company first thing the next day. They were thrilled that all 64 families remained enthusiastic despite this minor oversight.

Since that first year, which welcomed 64 dancers and 40 volunteers, Danceability has grown beyond their wildest dreams to serve hundreds and hundreds of dancers and their families with the help of hundreds of volunteers for the past 18 years. Enrollment this past season was over 200 dancers, ages 3 – 73. Danceability welcomes everyone regardless of age or ability, yet their expertise lies in helping those with special needs, including but not limited to autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Selective Mutism, intellectual challenges, mental disorders, and seizure disorders, to name a few.

Over the years, danceability has moved and expanded three times from its original one-room studio to a 3-studio facility with multiple waiting rooms, both for families and a dedicated sensory space for students.

The program has also expanded beyond dance classes to include a 6-week summer program, a full year Fitness Frenzy, 2nd Generation Theater classes, and its newest addition, Caregiver & Me.

Danceability hopes to continue sharing its love of dance and its love of community for many years to come!

Danceability is an individualized dance, fitness, and movement program serving the special needs community of WNY—all ages and abilities are welcome. Our studio is led by qualified staff and dedicated volunteers who create a nurturing environment that empowers our students to flourish and grow while promoting a healthy lifestyle, and we have a little (okay, a LOT of) fun along the way!