Something beautiful happened on Nov. 12 at the Balboa Park Club. While pockets of protesters throughout the park were chanting angrily about the presidential election results, hundreds of people rolled or walked to the ballroom for a Wheelchair Dancer Organization (WDO) fundraiser.<\/p>\n
Master of ceremonies Sheri Malvestuto thanked everyone for coming to the \u201cThis Is How We Roll\u201d event, which was the fourth annual Dance Abilities Showcase.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur wheelchair dancers and dance volunteers have devoted many hours of practice time to perfect their dance routines,\u201d Malvestuto said.<\/p>\n Wheelchair dancers are dubbed rollers and the volunteers are called walkers. Malvestuto said the wheelchair dancers and dance volunteers have devoted many hours of practice time to perfect their dance routines.<\/p>\n \u201cOur dancers are all differently abled. We no longer use the word disabled. Maybe some of you were thinking you couldn\u2019t dance with wheelchairs. We are proving today that you can \u2014 and you can take every dance there is to the floor in a wheelchair,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The event was also a tribute to Joe Torres, the dance director who will be retiring and moving to Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is an emotional time for me. I have made life-long friends for the last five years. You\u2019re all invited to come visit me in Puerto Rico. But now let\u2019s dance!\u201d<\/p>\n Rollers and walkers from ages 7 to 70 got in on the fun.<\/p>\n Roller Angelo Sanchez, 7, did some fancy moves in his wheelchair while his sister Gracie, 6, danced around him and pushed and pulled.<\/p>\n \u201cAngelo has been dancing with WDO since he was 3 years old. He just always loved to dance, his sister, too,\u201d said Happy Sanchez, their mother.<\/p>\n \u201cDancing takes their mind someplace else,\u201d Sanchez said.<\/p>\n The WDO\u2019s motto is \u201cChanging Lives Through Dance.\u201d The weekly wheelchair dance classes have attracted many different abilities, from stroke, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida and spinal cord injuries.<\/p>\n Hope Baker, who is pursuing a doctorate in marriage and family therapy, has danced for a number of years as a roller with WDO. \u201cIt\u2019s changed my life because it has helped me to take care of myself,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I did not dance, I would not be getting any exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n The WDO dance lessons will be on break over Christmas. Baker said she planned to get out and socialize with others in a park near where she lives.<\/p>\n Another very important way that WDO has helped change people\u2019s lives for the better is the social benefit. That goes for walkers as well as rollers.<\/p>\n \u201cYoung people who have never tried rumba or tango or any of the beautiful dances can come here and learn some great things,\u201d Torres said.<\/p>\n Aitana and Gonzalo Allen-Perez, both walkers, have taken their dance lessons to a professional level. Their performance with rollers Emma Mondragon and Angelo Sanchez sent a chorus of \u201cwows\u201d around the ballroom.<\/p>\n The Dance Showcase featured a variety of ballroom dance styles including a lovely choreographed piece for Bev Weurding, founder of WDO, and Joe Torres. Weurding\u2019s face shone and eyes sparkled with joy as Torres spun her around in dreamy moves to the tune of \u201cI Hope You Dance.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"_topwebgracie-sanchez-and-brother-angelo\"](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/topwebGracie-Sanchez-and-brother-Angelo.jpg\")
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