For a class at Nashville Ballet, wheelchairs don’t stop kids from dancing — they’re part of the movement. This adaptive dance program is performing this weekend, in partnership with the Rejoice School of Ballet, and bringing to life a beloved children’s story of heroic perseverance.

It’s crunch time: the last rehearsal before dress rehearsal. And Lani, the lead in Rejoice School of Ballet’s production of The Little Engine That Could, needs to hit her mark. She has to finish a turn right in front of a little piece of tape that’s on the floor. For Lani, this looks a little different than most ballerinas. Because she lands her turn in her motorized wheelchair.

Lani is one of seven dancers from the Nashville Ballet Adaptive Dance program joining Rejoice for the piece. All of the seven are in wheelchairs, but as Lani explains, she’s still able to turn, skip, and run.

She explains skipping for her, saying, “I will go step, step, I’ll go high, and I’ll go step, step, high, step.”

This is where the adaptation comes in. Lani is dancing in her chair. The chair just gets her from place to place. She moves alongside dancers from Rejoice, matching their blocking and speed. She even had adults running to keep up with her. According to Rejoice founder Patricia Cross, collaborating with dancers who work adaptively for the performance fits right in with the company’s goal to be all-inclusive.

Rejoice School of Ballet company members perform ‘The Little Engine That Could’Colleen Phelps91Classical

“We have this amazing diversity of races, cultures, and economic situations, so I’m thrilled that we could do this,” she said.

Choreographer Gerald Watson agrees.

“We like to reach out to everyone and give everybody an opportunity to be part of what’s going on and to experience a love of the performing arts,” he said, “especially dance.”

Watson is a Nashville Ballet Company Member who works with both Rejoice and the Adaptive Dance Program. Both programs break barriers to entry in ballet – Rejoice takes away financial hurdles for students with a sliding fee scale, and the Adaptive Dance Program creates a space for kids previously sidelined by movement limitations.

Choreographer and Director Gerald Watson answers questions from dancer LaniColleen Phelps91Classical

Watson based The Little Engine That Could on a fairytale made popular in a book by Watty Piper. The book is known for the little engine’s mantra: “I think I can. I think I can.” With a score created from popular classical character pieces, like Carnival of the Animals, the dancers portray all the engines and toys stuck at the bottom of a mountain.

According to Watson, Lani’s precision has been inspirational to the Rejoice company throughout the rehearsal process.

“She’s bringing her A-game every single time so now they have to as well to keep it up.”

And will she hit that mark this weekend? Lani thinks she can.

Rejoice School of Ballet presents “The Little Engine That Could” Feb 21-23, 28-29, and March 1 at the 4th Story Theatre at West End United Methodist Church.