A weekly swing dance class in Kelowna allows people the opportunity to move their bodies to the rhythm of music without relying on sight.
Black Press attended the beginner West Coast Swing class at the Sharon Sebo Dance studio to learn how and why people with disabilities, including visual impairment, dance.
Luke Jukes is a dancer, outdoor enthusiast and entrepreneur who is also legally blind. Jukes said that growing up he had always been active but did not start swing dancing until after he was severely injured in a car crash.
@kelownacapnews Dance based on movement , music and connection, not sight, at Kelowna’s Sharon Sebo Dance Classes. All are welcome. West Coast Swing classes are held every Wednesday night. ##westcoastswing #blinddancer #visionlossawareness ♬ original sound - Kelowna Capital News
Jukes was hospitalized for months after the incident and underwent intensive treatment including many surgeries to recover from a brain injury, skull and facial fractures and damage to both eyes.
“The hardest part was right after the accident,” said Jukes. For two and a half years Jukes, who is a self described ‘mountain goat,’ and active person, was unable to return to work or physical activity as a result of his brain injury that needed time to heal.
“It was a lot of sitting around, and that was probably the hardest part of it.”
During the long period of waiting and recovery, Jukes said that he experienced feelings of isolation stemming from his inability to work due to his brain injury, and his progressive vision loss. The impact from the crash caused complete sight loss in one eye and progressive sight loss in his other eye.
After two long years spent undergoing treatments and surgeries and waiting to be able to return to work and activity, Jukes was finally given the O.K. from his medical team. He said that he knew he needed to make a change.
That is when Jukes took a chance and joined a dance group in Vancouver.
“At that time I came to realize that West Coast Swing is probably one of the best dances I could have ever focused on learning. It’s a dance based on connection. I can close my eyes and through a hand-based connection know exactly where my follow is, what they’re doing on the dance floor and when they’re ready.”
Jukes now lives in Kelowna and regularly attends the West Coast Swing class with the Sharon Sebo Dance studio.
“Dance is an incredible social environment…Everyone is just there to socialize.”
Jukes started dancing before becoming legally blind and continued to improve his dancing abilities while experiencing vision loss.
“I’m blessed with the fact that I’ve always been an optimist,” he said with a smile.
Jukes said that as he was experiencing vision loss, he had to re-frame his thoughts to not compare his current abilities with what that he had done before.
“I had to chose to go into situations with no expectations.”
Jukes said that now, he has built a supportive network of friends including highly competitive Paralympians, blind, Deafblind and partially sighted people with whom he can relate and share and compare experiences. He said that finding a supportive and understanding community has been important on his journey with vision loss.
Jukes encourages all people, but especially those who are Deafblind or experiencing sight loss, to get active in their community and try out a new activity, like dance. Is also participates in the weekly and free November Project events in Kelowna.
“I can’t say that you can do everything that you used to do. But, I can say there are a lot of things that you can still do.”
The Canadian National Institute for the Blind offers programs and resources for people who are Deafblind across the country. To learn more about resources that are available and to get involved visit cnib.ca and select your region at the top left of the webpage.
To learn more about West Coast Swing and to get involved in Kelowna’s dance community, visit sharonsebodance.com.
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