Girl to dance at Olympics
Belief and a positive attitude has enabled a Rockingham girl, who has mild cerebral palsy, the opportunity to dance at the Special Olympics 2013 Asia Pacific Games opening ceremony in Newcastle next weekend.
Secret Harbour 11-year-old Gemma Boyd is one of 17 girls from Beverley Margaret School of Dance, who will leave for Sydney this week to perform two dances in front of an audience of thousands on December 1.
Gemma’s mother Natasha Boyd said her daughter was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler, but the movement condition had not stopped her chasing her dance dreams.
“It affects the right-hand side of her body, so that is where her difficulties are — getting her arm and leg to do what she wants them to do,” she said.
“She has been dancing since she was about four... I think the dancing works well with the physiotherapy.”
Gemma said it was difficult, at times, to fit in with the other children in dance class.
“I love jazz and tap... tap is hard because I can’t hop and can’t do the beats clearly, but I concentrate with the other kids and catch up really well,” she said.
“In ballet I can’t point my toes, which is quite difficult as well.”
The Secret Harbour Primary School student said she was “excited” for the trip and grateful to her dance teachers for helping her reach this point with dance practice.
“I love my dance teachers because they push me to be the best I can be,” she said.
Dance school owner Beverley Margaret said the school was told of its inclusion in the ceremony three months ago.
“What’s particularly moving for us is we have our own disabled dancer performing in this event,” she said.
The girls, aged between eight and 16 years, will be among 10,000 dancers performing in the televised event.
