At first, Nicole just went to a few homes, schools and assisted-living centers to offer lessons here and there. But as she did, the more people wanted to get involved. And a one-woman operation blossomed into a nonprofit that now serves more than 1,600 students with more than 30 different disabilities and is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just thought I would be dancing with a couple of kids,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I tried to listen and grow. I\u2019m really just responding to a need.\u201d<\/p>\n
On a recent Monday afternoon, disco-pop music by Abba was pumping in the nonprofit\u2019s Maitland studio \u2014 and Hayley was at the center of it all.<\/p>\n
While Hayley\u2019s a wiz on a computer, she\u2019s also deaf, has trouble speaking and can\u2019t move her limbs the way she\u2019d like. So during class, instructor Sarah Briscoe helped Hayley\u2019s arms and feet do what they couldn\u2019t do on their own. Sarah beamed as she helped Hayley twirl and spin. There wasn\u2019t a hint of patronizing or pity. It was just two young women enjoying a dance class.<\/p>\n
Sarah, like many of the instructors there, learned sign language, so she can communicate with her students. And on this day, she was wearing a T-shirt Hayley designed with a logo for the school. (I told you she was smart.)<\/p>\n
![\"Tiem](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TOS-L-maitland-dance_2120f-2_6b0464.jpg\")
Tiem Strouse, center, performs during rehearsal at the Chance 2 Dance studio in Maitland, Monday, May 4, 2026. (Joe Burbank\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n
While Hayley and Sarah danced in one part of the room, 12-year-old Tiem Strouse danced in another. Tiem has a genetic disorder called ADNP syndrome that is so rare, it has been diagnosed in fewer than 500 people worldwide. He has autism spectrum disorder, speech delays and dwarfism in his hands and feet. Still, he loves to dance.<\/p>\n
Tiem\u2019s health insurance pays for basic physical therapy. But every parent wants more than just the basics for their child. Tiem\u2019s mother, Liz, sure did.\u00a0\u201cHe needed far more, and I needed to find fun ways,\u201d she said.\u00a0\u201cThis was it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two dancers were rehearsing for a big day next weekend \u2014 when Chance 2 Dance celebrates its anniversary with a \u201cDecade of Dance\u201d showcase performance.\u00a0I\u2019m excited to help host the event. These dancers deserve a spotlight.<\/p>\n
The school teaches everything from ballet to Broadway, serves everyone from young children to septuagenarians and doesn\u2019t shy away from students with profound needs.<\/p>\n
In fact, one of the most joyful parts of the job for Victor Wisehart, the studio\u2019s director of community outreach, is telling parents who\u2019ve been repeatedly turned down that Chance 2 Dance would love to welcome them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe answer here,\u201d he said, \u201cis always yes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The school even offers a dance team. That\u2019s Ryan Adamczak\u2019s favorite part.<\/p>\n
![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TOS-L-maitland-dance_2784f-2_25ab75.jpg\")
Ryan Adamczak, right, says: “Everybody deserves a chance to dance.” (Joe Burbank\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n
Ryan, 26, grew up in a house where his big sister danced, and he wanted to follow suit. But as a kid who struggled with autism, ADHD and anxiety, he didn\u2019t have many options, until his family discovered Chance 2 Dance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really is a family and a community here,\u201d said his mother Sue. \u201cEvery staff member knows every student\u2019s name.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s part of what makes the studio what Ryan calls his \u201chappy place.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a fun time,\u201d he said. \u201cI like the applause \u2026 and the way you feel inside your body. Everybody deserves a chance to dance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nicole hopes to provide that opportunity to even more people if her nonprofit can raise enough money to expand. She\u2019s already running programs for local schools that can\u2019t afford their own full-time dance instructors and has started a second operation in New York<\/a>.<\/p>\n One thing that both schools and parents find appealing is that Chance 2 Dance takes pride in setting high expectations. \u201cThey do real dancing here,\u201d said Hayley\u2019s mother, Donna. \u201cThis isn\u2019t some token class where kids go just to feel included.\u201d<\/p>\n When Ryan and his teammates go to dance competitions, they compete in the open categories against typical dance schools and have been known to take home medals.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t treat them like they have special needs,\u201d Nicole said. \u201cAre they going to be professional dancers? Probably not. But you never know. So why not shoot for the stars?\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/TOS-L-maitland-dance_3840f_9a22f5.jpg\")
A poster promotes the upcoming 10-year anniversary performance for the students at Chance 2 Dance. (Joe Burbank\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n