Arts/Cultural Response: Ill-abilities Crew Dance Performance

When my Lionettes teammate Alicia asked if I would accompany her to a dance performance I couldn’t say no. I breathe, sleep and live dance here at State College, at work over the summer teaching dance, and at home taking classes. When the rare occasion comes that I can actually watch a performance rather than be in it, I snatch that opportunity as if I were a thief.

            The performance of a group I had never heard before started in Heritage Hall in the Hub at promptly 8:30 pm, which was perfect because dance practice ended just a few minutes before. We shuffled into our seats and waited for the show to start.

            To my surprise, came out a man who was physically handicapped. He used crutches that aided him in walking. He resembled the South Park character Jimmy for he had weak legs and these crutches. When this man Luca introduced himself “BBoy Lazylegz” I was even more shocked. This is the dance performance I came to see? I wasn’t against it at all I was just confused. I was unsure how someone with such physical strain and deformity.

            My shock turned into amazement as I saw him move. He used his crutches as an extension to his arms. Gracefully he took them off and started breakdancing on the floor spinning in large circles and finally springing up on his hands in a stall or freeze like motion. Then piled four more “handi-capable” members of the crew.

Each member of Illabilities has a unique handicap. Luca “Lazylegz” was born with Arthrogryposis, a condition that affects the bones and causes stiffness in the joints.

Jacob or “Kujo” is completely deaf in his right ear and lost most hearing in his left. He is able to dance by seeing people clap out a beat or feeling the vibrations of the bass.

Smallest member of the crew Sergio or Checho was born with a major malformation in his legs. His feet are at knee level and his condition is unknown. Although this difficulty, he uses his arm strength for many of his motions and help him to appear as if he is floating.

Crew member Redo was born with several malformations such as no right hip, his right leg shorter than the other, as well as his right arm being shorter and lacking an elbow joint. He has a total of five fingers and wears prosthetics to support his hip.

            Final member of the crew Tommy wasn’t born with a disability but rather diagnosed with osteosarcoma and needed to amputate his leg to get rid of the tumor. Now with a prosthetic leg he moves and groves just as well as he could before.

            Along with each unique handicap, each member of the crew has a unique style of break dancing that cannot be mimicked by any other dancers because it is specialized to their physical. This is what I found to be most intriguing.

I’m glad I was able to go to this performance because not only was I entertained, but it taught me a lot about the strength that people have inside of them.

The main message that I left with after this performance was never let anyone from stopping you from doing what you love. Though these men had many hardships in their lives especially with their bodies that never stopped them from following their dreams of dancing. No limits, no excuses.

http://www.illabilitiescrew.com