Para Dance Sport Makes North America Debut

Gorgeous, bedazzled costumes shimmering under the bright lights, perfectly coiffed hair and make-up, hours of rehearsed choreography being performed in perfect unison to heart thumping music…welcome to the world of competitive wheelchair ballroom dancing, also known as Para Dance Sport.

Never heard of Para Dance Sport? Well you’re not alone. The sport has been slow to find its footing in North America, but is wildly popular in other parts of the world. Para Dance Sport originated in Sweden in 1968 for recreational and rehabilitation purposes. From there the sport’s popularity grew and in 1975 the first competition was organized in Sweden featuring 30 couples. Today it’s practiced in nearly 40 countries, with multiple competitions taking place every year in Europe and Asia.



Cheryl and her dance partner Tamerlan in a previous competition in 2021

I was first introduced to the sport following my retirement from Paralympic swimming in 2015. My local Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Michigan had advertised on social media that they hired an instructor from Europe who was trained in teaching ballroom dancing to wheelchair users. Dance was a love of mine prior to my spinal cord injury in 1983, so I was intrigued. After a few lessons I was hooked and had my sights set on competing. But I soon found there were no sanctioned competitions for Para Dance Sport in the United States, we would have to fly out of the country if we wanted to compete. My standing dance partner, Tamerlan Gadirov, and I made our international Para Dance Sport debut in Germany in 2017, and earned a silver medal at our very first competition for our freestyle routine to the theme song from the movie “Dirty Dancing.”

Since the beginning of my Para Dance Sport career, it has always been my dream to compete on American soil. In 2022, in partnership with the Reimagine Life Foundation and multiple sponsors, we submitted a bid to host the very first, sanctioned Para Dance Sport competition in North America. It took two years of non-stop planning but on August 10-11, 2024 in my hometown of metro Detroit, we made history.

Not only did I help plan this first ever competition in North America, but Tamerlan and I competed as well. The competition attracted some of the best Para Dancers in the world including the world champion team from the Philippines who dominated the podium. In all, nearly 80 dancers from 15 countries competed. Because it was the first sanctioned competition in North America, Canada was represented for the first time at a Para Dance competition, as well as many new dancers from the United States. This representation is vital for the future growth of Para Dance Sport in North America..


Photo Credits: Paul Stoloff Photography

On the first day of competition, Tamerlan and I won a silver medal in International Standard and a bronze medal for our freestyle routine performed to the Whitney Houston’s, “I Will Always Love You,” from the movie The Bodyguard. On day two, we placed fourth in Latin.

 
Photo Credits: Paul Stoloff Photography

About Para Dance Sport

Para Dance Sport athletes are classified into either class 1 or 2 based on their impairment. Athletes competing in class 2 have less impairments than those competing in class 1. For example, I am a C6 quadriplegic, and I compete in class 1.

Dancers can also compete in Combi, Duo or Singles. I compete in Combi, which means a dancer in a wheelchair competes with a standing partner. In Duos, both dancers use a wheelchair and in Singles, dancers compete solo.

Photo Credits: Paul Stoloff Photography

Para Dancers compete in International Standard which includes Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot and Quickstep. In Latin, dancers compete in Samba, Cha Cha, Rhumba, Paso Doble and Jive. In freestyle events anything goes. Dancers perform hip hop, lyrical, folk or other styles of dance.

Many of the dancers use a wheelchair specifically designed for dancing. The wheelchairs are light weight, and the wheels are cambered (set on an angle), allowing the wheelchair to turn and spin more quickly. Some dancers also have a third wheel in the back of their chair to prevent it from tipping backwards. Para Dance includes manual and power wheelchair users.

A Whole New World

Para Dance is so different from the Para Swimming world I came from. First, swimming is an individual sport and when I transitioned to dance, I had to learn to work with a partner. In addition, swimming was something I was naturally good at from a young age; dance really challenges me because it is not something that comes naturally to me. It is also a very expensive sport so I am only able to practice about 90 minutes a week. Dance allows me to express my creative side, but it is a subjective, judged sport, whereas in swimming a clock determines the outcome.

Photo Credits: Paul Stoloff Photography

And there is a whole lot that goes into packing and preparing for a wheelchair ballroom dance competition. There is pre-competition prep like nails being manicured and spray tanning. Then there is packing make-up, jewelry, hairpieces, shoes and let’s not forget costumes for every event, which with all the crystal stones can be pretty heavy to carry. There is also my dance chair that I need to travel with in addition to my every day, Motion Composites’ Apex carbon fiber wheelchair. Oh how I miss packing for a swim meet when all I needed was a bathing suit, cap and goggles.

Dance competition days usually start very early. Sometimes I am in hair and make-up as early as 5:00 a.m. because I have it professionally done. The competition itself can be 6-7 hours long or more. But between watching all the amazing dancing and catching up with friends, the time seems to fly by.

Learn to Para Dance

When I started dancing, I experienced so much joy that I wanted to share it with others. So I co-founded Dance Mobility, a free, learn to wheelchair ballroom dance program for persons with disabilities funded by the Reimagine Life Foundation. It’s a beginner program, so whether you just want to dance for fun or you’re interested in competing, it’s a great place to start. My partner Tamerlan and I also travel around the country and bring the Dance Mobility’s introductory program to studios, rehab hospitals and students who are interested in learning about inclusive wheelchair ballroom dancing. Fred Astaire Dance Studios around the country have taken our Dance Mobility concept and created a curriculum for persons with disabilities to learn to dance, so that is another option to explore.

To learn more about Para Dance Sport click here.

Photo Credits: Paul Stoloff Photography

About Cheryl Angelelli

Paralympic medal winner, World Record holder, and Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame inductee, are just a few of Cheryl Angelelli’s many accomplishments. She is also a professional ballroom dancer and works in healthcare marketing.