Community Corner

Impulse Angels Inspire Through Dance, Raise Autism Awareness

Inspired from personal passion, Impulse Dance Center owner asks children with autism to dance.

With bare feet she glides across the room. It’s the first time she takes these steps, but she makes them with grace.

A little off the beat from the instructor and seasoned students, but her heart is in the right place. She wants to be a ballerina, so she keeps trying.

After a brief stumble, she holds her leg and resumes her position.

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“Being a ballerina is hard,” she said.

Her mother looks on proud and filled with hope. Many activities have been tried, but maybe this would be the one to captivate her little girl. Arianna Hinojosa, 7, was diagnosed with autism when she was 2 years old. Through an early intervention program she has made a lot of progress, her mother Nidia Hinojosa said, but she is still looking for more outlets to help her daughter grow.

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The ballet class was fun, but what came next was even better.

Impulse Dance Center held their first Impulse Angels event Sunday giving children with autism a chance to take a variety of dance classes. The center’s owner—Alexa Beebe, inspired the event, which included a bounce house, barbecue lunch and an assortment of 30-minute classes.

Beebe’s brother has autism and loved playing with his big sister’s tap shoes when he was growing up. As the event started, she couldn’t wait for her brother to arrive. Talk About Curing Autism (TACA)—a non-profit dedicated to supporting and educating families impacted by autism, had an informational booth at the event.

Violette Prentice, development director for TACA, said dance therapy has helped many children and adults with autism.

“They like the repetitive motion and the rhythm to the music,” she said.

TACA focuses on helping the families that have already been diagnosed with autism. Prentice said they are there to “hold the hand” of the families and give them hope. She added that children who are diagnosed early have a better chance of recovering from the symptoms. While every child is different and responds differently to the methods of treatment, Beebe hopes dance will be the outlet and inspiration needed to help them.

After a short break, Arianna prepared for her next class. With maybe a bit of frustration from the ballet class, she entered the studio ready to dance. Beebe found a pair of ballet shoes in her office that were just Arianna’s size.

Arianna was happy with her new shoes. She began her lesson. With much focus and determination, she followed the dance teacher’s instruction. Looking through the window at the class, Nidia could tell right away that jazz suited her daughter.

“These steps are much more focused. That works better for her. The shoes made the difference,” she said with a smile.


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