Hailey, a shining star!

Hailey, my shining star! Last night was the night that Impact Dance Co. did their interpretation of Hailey’s life through dance. For over 5 years now the founder of Impact dance company Meghan Mccaffrey had visions of Hailey Inspired dancers in her head. What a fine job she did! Her choreography was spot on and her dancers did an unbelievable job at manipulating their bodies to capture Hailey’s unique and quirky movements that are characteristic of her affliction with Cerebral Palsy. She even seemed to include some of Hailey’s involuntary movements in a whimsical fashion with style and grace embracing her challenges and raising awareness of C.P. When the dancers first learned that they would be teaming up with Hailey, they watched videos of her everyday life, they included Hailey in numerous rehearsals and they researched Cerebral Palsy. The education they got was life changing and Hailey’s smile, her grace and total sweetness touched the heart of each dancer in the company.

The opportunity that Meghan gave to Hailey was also prodigious. Because of Meghan Hailey not only felt included in such a beautiful dance, but when Hailey is in the studio, she feels free, I can see it in her presence, the way she moves her arms to the music, the way she remembers on cue to drop her body all the way to the floor and become part of the dance.

She is totally in her element, as a grandmother to a child with special needs. All I want is for Hailey to be accepted and included for who she is. Last night she was not only included and accepted but she was a shining star! Though every dance performed told a beautiful story, Meghan Is particularly fond of the piece that best explains Hailey’s movements and her C.P. and would love to show her piece to others willing to raise awareness for Cerbral Palsy. She and her company would be willing to perform for elementary schools, organizations and the like. If you know a school or organization that would like to help raise awareness of Cerebral Palsy through dance. Please contact Impact Dance Co. or leave a comment below.

This poem was written by a friend of mine who's son has Cerebral Palsy just like Hailey. In this poem she is writing about her sons (and others with the same diagnosis) She summed it up perfectly, but Jenny Long "Team Long Brothers" My Wants By: Jenny Long My wants are not everything. My wants are not much. It doesn't take much to feel my touch. The touch of my hand that needs you. Needs you to understand my everything's. The everything's that exist in my world. The world of a listener, something not like you, the talker. A world of stares and assumptions, Assuming I know nothing of the causal whispers being passed around almost as casually as my faded jeans and sneakers, that fit perfectly over the braces that help my feet work more like yours. Your wants don't even come close to my needs. See in your world wants and needs get taken for granted, not here will they. My needs come before my wants. My need to be accepted, to be understood, to live, breathe, feel, share, speak, walk, talk, run, love, and WANT. So will you want to understand my world more before you need to pass judgment on me? My want is of that. For my everything; Cayden I will fight for your everythings!