Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara` Ankele
Hi Barbara`, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Inclusive Movement and Dance was founded in 2013 with the mission to provide movement and dance training and performance opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. We became a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in 2019.
Our classes are a mixed-ability inclusive form of dance. We learn all kinds of dance, modified to accommodate our dancers, including ballet, tap, contemporary and improvisation. We have recently added rhythm dances, flamenco and tango. Our dancers enjoy the creativity, the excitement, and the joy of moving and working together to create dances and performances. There is such delight seeing the dancers smile and enjoy themselves while learning to dance!
We are an accepting, friendly, non-competitive place where we learn to work as a team and where each dancer is a valued member of the Company.
We have performed seven shows and are currently preparing for our eighth show that is being performed on March 15, 2025. We have also performed dances and demonstrations in other venues as well. Each show has a theme, and the dance stories are all connected to that theme and told through our amazing dancers.
Our dance instructors/choreographers (Ms. Maria, Ms. Tori and Ms. Kristin) and our volunteer dance assistants (Avianna, MacKenzie, Mallory, Amanda and last year Sarah) provide group and one-on-one direction and help to our dancers. Everyone is patient, kind and caring. The instructors have professional dance experience and also experience working with special needs children and adults.
During each class we warm up and then work on movement and many genres of dance. Our upcoming show on March 15 will include a wide variety of dances, including ballet, tap, lyrical, and a modified tango piece! In most of our classes, we’ll film what the dancers are doing, especially when we have them do improvisation. Some of the dances we perform at our shows use many of the dancers’ own movements.
All ages attend classes together. They love to dance as one group, and we also have them work not only on all company dances, but solos, duets, trios and small groups. We have all ages in our Company–from kindergarten to teens to adults. Two of our instructors work full-time in the special education departments of our local public schools.
For the last three seasons, we have raised enough funds, through the generosity of our donors, to cover the cost of the shows we perform, so the dance families do not have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses for their dancers to participate. In addition to our ongoing goal of covering 100% of show and other performance expenses, we also raise funds to help underwrite some of the tuition cost for the dancers.
As mentioned earlier, our next show, HOPES AND DREAMS, will be performed on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. The performance will be at the Golden Bear Theater at Temecula Valley High School in Temecula, CA.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have been various challenging times here and there, but we had our vision and wanted to make Inclusive Movement and Dance a dance company that would make a difference in the lives of disabled kids and adults who want to dance.
The lockdowns during COVID presented one of the biggest challenges of all. One of our instructors/choreographers, Ms. Maria, created online classes on Zoom to continue teaching our students. We were able to offer these classes for free, due to the generosity of donors who continued to support us through that difficult time.
We were blessed–our company survived! Getting back together in person and dancing in the same room was so exciting. And those dances we learned through Zoom? They became a major portion of our 2022 show, “A Gathering for Dance”. Our dancers learned their dance movements in their homes and put it all together when we were able to meet in person again.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I own my own business teaching piano to children and adults, including those with disabilities, for over 30 years. My musical background included being an accompanist, part of a trio of piano/cello/violin and being the children’s choir director at my church for 12 years.
I also have extensive business experience, working in various industries, including banking. I hold a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Finance from San Diego State University and have done extensive volunteer work serving on various boards and in professional organizations. I also was involved in the community, serving on various committees for the City of Murrieta and for one of the local water districts.
As the President and Business Manager of Inclusive Movement and Dance, I not only manage the day to day business of the dance company, but the work of the non-profit as well.
I am most proud of being mom of my disabled adult daughter. Amanda is an amazing young woman, a beautiful dancer, and the one of the main reasons I co-founded Inclusive Movement and Dance.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes–keep going and find alternative ways to accomplish one’s mission! As mentioned earlier, our dance instructor/choreographer, Ms. Maria, held Zoom class sessions for our students during the lockdown.
I was also able to teach piano remotely through Zoom and FaceTime and although not ideal, my students made progress and we discovered that if one can’t attend a lesson in person, especially due to illness, one can take a piano lesson remotely!
Pricing:
- Tuition: $60/month for one class per week
- Tuition: $105/month for two classes per week
- Annual Administrative Fee: $45/year
- See website for information on additional sibling discounts and other details
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inclusivemovementanddance.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inclusivemovementanddance
