Rangeview High School's Adaptive Dance Class teaches students of all abilities
Only in its second year, the Adaptive Dance Class offered at Rangeview High School continues to grow in popularity. The class, started by Katie Termeer, helps special needs students realize their potential when it comes to dance and movement.
"It lets them feel free to do what they can or cannot do and learn the dances and let them be accepted into the dance community just like anybody else," said Termeer.
For student Ivy, this is one of her favorite classes.
"I like this class because of all the dance moves that they do," she said.
The class starts off with light movements and stretching before going into choreography.
"So they come in here, and we have a nice, tight schedule that's very repetitive to keep things normalized. They know what to expect," Termeer said.
We spoke with another student, Malachi, who said the class is growing on him.
"I like to dance… and the music," he said.
For Katie, being at Rangeview is a homecoming. Termeer graduated from Rangeview in 2004 and was a member of the school's poms team. But eventually advanced in her love of dance.
"I went to dance for CU Express at Boulder. I was a Radio City Rockette, a Denver Broncos Cheerleader, and I got to compete in Miss America as the Colorado state rep," she said.
But coming back to Rangeview, teaching this class became a calling.
"This is what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to lead by example and mentor and influence," said Termeer.
The class is only in its second year and is the only one of its kind that's offered within Aurora Public Schools. Last year, five students were part of the class. This year, it's increased to eleven students. And interest continues to grow.
"Dance is universal. Anyone can dance. It will look different. That's what makes it so special," she said. "They just light up. And they dance bigger for Rangeview than they will ever dance for me. But the important part is that they are part of the dance community."
