Kurtis is hardly your typical dancer.
Born with spastic quad cerebral palsy, the 11-year-old has been in a wheelchair all his life. He is also autistic and deaf.
"After seeing his sister dance in Buchanan's studio, he told me, 'Kurtis dance'," recalls his mother Lori-ann Engle. "He wanted to do a solo on a happy song."
At that year's spring show, sure enough, Kurtis performed alone with his walker.
"The whole room cried," said Engle. Magic moments like this have been created largely thanks to dance instructor Morri-Lynn Buchanan's ability to see the beauty and grace in everybody.
Since the start of her remarkable initiative ten years ago, she has taken on board disabled adults as well as children with autism, or physical challenges such as cerebral palsy.
By bringing these unique dancers to the stage, she has taken them out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
Now, one grateful mother, Marilyn Wilson, is stepping up for Buchanan, launching an online donation page to raise money to send the inspirational teacher to the 33rd World Dance Conference, to be held in Greece mid-November.
Focusing on dance therapy, the conference will allow Buchanan to effectively expand the techniques she uses with her developmentally disabled dancers. Ultimately, both her and her students will benefit from an academically substantiated approach, according to Wilson.
"The conference is close to my heart, because therapeutic dance is what I do," Buchanan said. "I integrate all ages and stages in my classes; I mix special needs dancers with typical ones. Now I have the opportunity to see how other teachers are managing and to learn from them. In the end, the information I bring back to Richmond will benefit everyone, because therapeutic dance is not only for people with special needs."
Since Buchanan's choreography is designed around her students' strengths instead of their weaknesses, she is able to bring out the best in them.
As a result, they have qualified for world competitions and have won several awards.
In 2010, she was granted the Richmond Arts Award for artistic innovation. Her winning dance, "Missing Pieces," has since been performed frequently, raising awareness about autism to the general public.
"I'm honoured (the fundraising) is happening," said Buchanan. "Financially, I had decided this wasn't the right time for me to participate in the conference. So I'm very grateful for the people that have taken the time and effort to set up the donation page. Even hearing the amazing responses makes me feel like I've made a difference."
Although she couldn't fulfill her dream of becoming a ballet dancer, Buchanan feels blessed with where life has led her. "I'm lucky to have the best job in the world - but I'm even luckier to have met all those fabulous people to teach along the way."
If you want to make a donation to send Buchanan to the World Congress on Dance Research, visit www.eventbrite.ca/ event/2150544336.
