b'Life with MSDDoonnttGGiivveeUUppoonnDDaanncceeBBaallllrroooommddaanncceerraaddaapptteeddttoocchhaannggeessiinnaabbiilliittyyHi, my name is Susan Hart; I am 51 years Dance Studio.I went to my rst competitionold. I was diagnosed with MS in 1989. I was and I was hooked. Through dance I workedin a wheelchair from the get-go for about 10 out all my emotions and frustrations till theyyears. With a lot of prayer, determination, no longer had a hold on me. Dance can be soand physical therapy, I was able to get out the expressive and moving. I thank God everywheelchair. It was a process but I did it. day for giving me a way.I was a big fan of Dancing with the Stars. I believe it was 2016 when things startedIn 2014, I discovered ballroom dance lessons to change. I was participating in my secondbeing taught here in Cape Coral, Fla. where ash mob dance and halfway into training,I live, as well as in nearby Ft. Myers by USA my legs no longer wanted to work. TheDance.Ive always loved to dance; since I was a instructor at Akis was so wonderful about it.little girl, it was my passion. I could be whoever I had a power wheelchair at the time I wasI wanted to be, express whatever I wanted still learning how to use. Between her and I,through dance, and no one was the wiser. I we choreographed the dance to adjust thewas going through a bad divorce and I was timing for the wheelchair and to allow for thehurt and angry and so many other emotions dierences in tempo of the dance. My partner,and I needed a positive outlet. For me, that Michael was phenomenal at participating withbecame ballroom dance.me through all of this, as it was unknownI started out once a week, then twice, and territory for everyone. Not only did we performthen numerous times between Cape Coral for the studio, we also performed at the localand Ft. Myers.I was in my element once again, malls in the area for the public. Boy, was iteven though I didnt know how to ballroom liberating and empowering to still be alloweddance.I was told things like youre a natural. to dance despite my dierent abilities. I wasI wanted to learn more and do more. I started on cloud nine! Then it came to an end.participating in local shows that the studio I wasnt able to nd anyone for the longestput on, and performing around town at time that would be willing to let me dance,dierent functions, and even doing skits. I adapt,andlearnattheirstudios.It wasjoined in doing ash mobs and worked with unknown territory and something that hadntother studios like Rhythm in Motion and Akis been done in my area. Even though I wasmsfocusmagazine.org 38'