Inflight Dance Company

Dance Movement for the Challenged Dancer

Philosophy…

The Inflight Dance Co. offers performance opportunities and dance therapy to people with physical disabilities. Paula Gorman, the Artistic Director of InFlight Dance Co, feels a strong responsibility toward San Antonio's many people that have felt a physical disability was a barrier in the dance field. She now directs the only “mixed” ability dance company in the state of Texas. Her goal is to perform at able-bodied functions, as well as functions for the disabled community of San Antonio. The beauty of this unique dance art and the InFlight Dance Co. is the line and design of mixing physical abilities. We are about integration.

It is important for people to realize that because a person loses the use of their extremities due to illness or accident, this does not equate to their loss of the joy of movement. Movement for the challenged person is healthy/ movement to music therapeutic and movement set in choreography with a performance goal is a challenge, and challenge is what makes life interesting and fulfilling. Goal setting is important in building character, even the smallest of goals, such as lifting an arm off a wheelchair, turning a torso that hasn't turned in years, or taking one step.

The Dance Movement for the Challenged Dancer is about movement just for the pure joy of movement - it is not about perfect bodies and technique or uniformity of style. It is about dancers of all shapes and sizes expressing themselves through dance movement. It is about the integration of able-bodied dancers and challenged dancers. Neither part is “whole” without the other, nor complete without the other.

When you think about somebody inspirational and influential in your life, you do not think about their extremities, you think about their "spirit."  This is the reason it does not matter how little movement a dancer possesses. A small movement, even an awkward movement, if driven by the spirit, is powerful!

Who We Are and What We Do…

The primary focus of the Dance Movement for Challenged Dancer class is to demonstrate that a physical disability is not a barrier in the dance world.

By providing high quality modern, jazz and ballet dance instruction to disabled dancers in conjunction with able-bodied dancers, Inflight Dance Co. serves a community need previously unmet. That need is quality dance instruction and is offered in a pleasant and handicapped accessible facility, at a reasonable cost, and is available to any physically challenged person who has upper body movement. Dance for the challenged dancer is excellent because moving to music is therapeutic for the body and uplifting for the spirit. Movement set in choreography- to be performed publicly- offers a challenge, and challenge makes life interesting and fulfilling for these different ability dancers.

The InFlight Dance Co. performs through out the San Antonio area and the United States to demonstrate the importance of this type of program in our communities. Some of these venues include, but are not limited to: college demonstrations and performances, nursing schools, medical functions, the McNay Art Museum, public libraries, Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center, Jump Start Theater, private parties, and schools. The company is featured in a public television show on channel 20 called, A Door in the Wall that airs every three weeks.

The InFlight Dance Co. has gained national and international exposure in the past years.

The Company performed at the International Orthopedic Surgeon's Conference in Dallas, Texas in February, 2002. They were also the first dance company to ever perform at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. July, 2002 in a nationally televised broadcast.

On August 17, 2002, Inflight was a featured dance company at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The PRODANCE Production was televised on ESPN and spotlighted the professional NBA and NFL dancers. The InFlight Dance Co. was a featured group in this large dance extravaganza. The Inflight Dance Co. was the subject of a National Documentary on the Hallmark /Channel 53 Morning TV show. The segment was called, "Being your Authentic Self," and was about spiritual journeys. The documentary aired in 2004 and again in 2005.

About the Director…

Paula Gorman is the founder and director of the InFlight Dance Co. As a graduate of Texas Christian University, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and has performed professionally with the Dallas Summer Musicals, Fort Worth's Casa Manana, Houston Dance Theater, and David Rousseve Modern Dance Company from N.Y, N.Y. Ms Gorman's professional career performances include Can-Can, Most Happy Fella, Destry Rides Again, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Kismet, and Raymonda. She has performed with Chita Rivera, Opera Star Patrice Munzel, Juliet Prowse, Patrick Swayze, and many entertainment stars. During her senior year, Ms. Gorman was invited to teach classical ballet in the Texas Christian University 's Physical Education Department. She has taught and performed professionally in all styles of dance: modern dance, classical ballet, jazz, tap and musical theatre.

While in Corpus Christi , Ms. Gorman taught the first ballet class offered at Del Mar College, and founded the Portland Dance Theater, which performed throughout South Texas . Ms. Gorman's community involvement was recognized in the Corpus Christi Caller Times newspaper, where she was featured as a "Doer" in an article on her achievements in dance.

Ms. Gorman was a member of the San Antonio Dance Umbrella Board of Directors for several years and was on the Advisory Board for Very Special Arts San Antonio.

For more information, contact Ms. Gorman at PGorman@smhall.org .