Dance captain for "The Wiz" held dance workshop for CPS students at Nederlander Theatre

Some Chicago Public School students got a firsthand experience on Wednesday, learning Broadway choreography from the musical "The Wiz."

Dance captain for the show, Jesse Jones, led the way, with one foot in front of the other.

"We're just here to have some fun today," Jones said.

Breaking down Broadway choreography stemming from this iconic 1978 musical starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

"A lot of our generation and the newer generation don't get to see ourselves on TV, especially doing musicals. It's the 'great white way' more recent. So now you get to see yourself on stage. 'Mom, I can do this too,'" Jones said.

Thirty-five students with disabilities from the Ray Graham Training Center filled the rehearsal room in the basement of the James Nederlander Theatre.

Patricia Montez-Livera said keeping up was a little tough.

"It's hard to keep up. It's really hard. I was like wait, what are the steps?" she said.

They recently put on a school production of "The Wiz." Special education and theatre teacher Sharon Toi Overton directed it.

"It was so successful. They enjoyed the dancing, and the music, and the story. The story itself, because this applies to all of you," Overton said.

"Step by step, Jones is teaching these students how to master "Ease On Down the Road" from the musical. They've done that flawlessly, and he's hoping this will be a lasting memory for these students."

"I want them to take away that they can do whatever their mind is set to. That dance is fun no matter what, and as long as you have an open heart and an open mind, you can leave full," Jones said.

"It was really good. Even when I did it on my own. Even with the new steps with it, I did my best I could. It was worth it," said student Sandria Tate.