How the Xtreme Stars Dance Troupe is breaking barriers and building dreams in Canberra
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A local dance troupe for adults with disabilities is breaking barriers in Canberra as it fosters true inclusion in the industry.
The Xtreme Stars Dance Troupe started in 2015 when Canberra parents – dissatisfied with the lack of true inclusion at traditional dance schools – came together to create a grassroots initiative that’s transformed into a powerful force for change in the local performing arts scene.
Now, a decade later, they’ve been taking the stage to show the world what they can do – performing at the Raiders NRLW half-time show and currently preparing for a Stage 88 performance at Floriade on Saturday 27 September.
Empowering its members with opportunities for growth, and building a vibrant community through performance and support, dance teacher Cheryle Henry is extremely proud of her rising stars. But she says that it hasn’t been an easy journey.
Joining the Xtreme Stars Dance Troupe with a background in education and disabilities and a love for dance, Cheryle wanted to help create a space where adults with disabilities could feel empowered and supported.
She also wanted to help build something that other dance schools don’t offer for those living with disability who are interested in taking the stage.
“A lot of dance schools have disability crews, but for a lot of them, it’s not their focus,” she explains.
“The disability stuff is to tick that box or include them, but if they’re not the focus of the dance school. My focus is 100 per cent on my crew – not just their disabilities, but just what they can achieve as humans and as adults.”
Offering Xtreme Stars Dance Troupe everything that’s normal for other dance troupes, but isn’t always included for performers’ disability groups, Cheryle says that she wants to make sure that the Xtreme Stars Dance Troupe isn’t getting judged by their disabilities, but by their talent.
Discrimination is something the troupe still faces and something Cheryle helps them battle daily.
“We get judged. We were discriminated against massively by a band…they pulled out and said they didn’t want to degrade the quality of their band by being associated with our dancers,” she explains.
“I look at all parts of them, like how can we include them so they’re not just getting judged by their disabilities – making sure they look the part, and making sure their costuming is above and beyond.”
Working to the skill levels of all her dancers and building a community where they all support each other both on and off the stage, Cheryle says that at the end of the day, the Xtreme Stars Dance Troupe simply wants to be seen as professional dancers.
Working harder than ever to put on their biggest, brightest, most inclusive show yet for Floriade, she’s proud of how far they’ve come.
But with personal goals to become famous and go viral (it’s a long-held dream of the team to perform on the now-cancelled Australia’s Got Talent), for Cheryle, the end goal is just really about making sure that the troupe has genuine people around them who love and support them.
“They have big brand dreams, but they’re really actually quite simple at the end of the day…they just want people to see them and know they’re good. And without sounding cocky, they are. They’re pretty amazing.”
As an independently run organisation, the troupe welcomes donations and support. Follow @xtreme_stars_dance_troupe to see what they do next and learn how you can support them.
