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Autistic tap-dancer lets his feet do the talking

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Autistic tap-dancer lets his feet do the talking

From Volume 3 Number 8, 2003

KANAWHA CITY, West Virginia, USA: Sporting top hat, tails and a red rose

boutonnière, McDonough tapped and twirled for his fellow students at

Kanawha City Elementary School .

After he had darted and clicked for four minutes to " The Sunny Side

of the Street, " the audience smiled, whistled and clapped enthusiastically.

, 11, then winked at his friends, thrust his right thumb high and bowed

graciously.

has autism. His long-rehearsed number, along with 17 other

acts, helped the children celebrate the last day of school. " I'm very

proud of him, " said Rose McDonough, not a family relation but his tap dance

teacher at RM Productions, a studio she owns and directs. She danced the duet

with .

's autism means he has difficulties with communication and

social interaction. But tap dancing has helped him in a surprising number of

ways.

He has learned how to think in patterns, remember sequences, adapt

to the limelight and feel comfortable performing.

" Absolutely, it has helped him, " McDonough said. " It helps

communication-wise. It has improved a whole, whole lot. He's able to express

himself with more confidence. "

McDonough, who administers arts grants for the state, said dancing

worked well as a form of therapy for people with developmental disabilities. A

former ee Hills " Creative Expressions " instructor, she would like to see

more participation in such programmes in West Virginia.

" It really helps open them up, " she said. " Dance is another form of

communication. "

started taking tap lessons a year ago. But like most kids,

he had a love-hate relationship with the demands of discipline, said his father,

Steve.

But after taking a few classes, watching videos of past recitals and

examining costume books, 's interest blossomed.

After fitting for the rented tuxedo, asked if a big, black

car would be calling for him, said his mother, . He also wondered if the

recital audience would carry signs with his name on them.

also enjoys the computer, reading, video games, swimming and

spelling bees.

His autism mentor, Jeanette Higginbotham, accompanies him to Rhonda

's fourth-grade classroom during school, to help to direct and keep

him on track. An itinerant teacher, Betsy Fleshman, helps to round out his team.

Earlier the same month, portrayed the fairy-tale character

of Rumpelstiltskin for a class play. " He was very good, " said.

's mother puts his relatively high degree of functioning down

to intense work since his diagnosis with autism at the age of two-and-a-half.

But it helps that is a bit of a ham.

" When he does a class play, he's very dramatic, " says his mother.

" He makes up stories. And he always does voice animations. "

Home page Subscription form Index of topics Contact editor

Selected articles Online order form Autism books Enquiries

Search this site

BACK ISSUE CONTENTS AND FRONT COVERS

VOLUME 1, Number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 VOLUME 2, Number: 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

VOLUME 3, Number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 VOLUME 4, Number: 1 2 3 4

5