Wheelchair Dancing Competition

ANCHOR:
Here is an interesting competition of sorts in Manila. Wheelchairs filled in for dancing shoes at a wheelchair ballroom dancing showdown. Lets take a look.

STORY:
Fourteen disabled contestants grooved to the jive, the cha-cha and the rumba with their able-bodied partners. They were competing for a prize of about a hundred dollars, and a chance to compete abroad.

The finalists included amputees and paraplegics, who maximized their arms and upper bodies to execute difficult dance moves.

Polio survivor Juanito Mingarine is a gold medal-winning pentathlete from the Southeast Asian Paralympics and a four-time MVP in national wheelchair basketball.

[Juanito Mingarine, Athlete]:
"I hope people don't judge us based on physical appearance. With the help of dancing, we can show our real emotions and share it with others."

His wife, Elkie found her groove in wheelchair dancing as well. A gold medalist herself, for table tennis in the Southeast Asian Paralympics, Elkie saw her dreams come true, ironically, when she lost a limb.

[Elkie Mingarine, Athlete]:
"Perhaps God had planned for my leg to be amputated because I had always dreamt of becoming an athlete for the Philippines. And maybe God wanted me to meet my husband."

Wheelchair dancing is popular in Europe, Australia and the U.S., and international competitions are held every year.

There are nearly one million persons with disabilities in the Philippines, around 135,000 of which have lost either or both limbs or are paraplegic.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• manila
• ballroom
• music
• arts
• sport
• disability
• social welfare
• cha-cha
• ruma

[rjohann56]

Wow this is awesome.. proud to be Pinoy. I terribly miss dancing!!!

[RobloxLordfoxx]

Im in a wheelchair, Its AWESOME.

[38lolomg]

wierd LOL O.o

[iGangstaBoo]

WoW o.o