Ariel Wallace

Ballroom Dancing(Box Step)

Sources
Mandelbaum, R., Triche, E. W., Fasoli, S. E., & Lo, A. C. (2016). A pilot study: examining the
effects and tolerability of structured dance intervention for individuals with multiple sclerosis.
Disability and rehabilitation, 38(3), 218-222.

Hill, K. (1976). Dance for Physically Disabled Persons: A Manual for Teaching Ballroom,
Square, and Folk Dances to Users of Wheelchairs and Crutches.

Allen, J. (2002). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Ballroom Dancing. Penguin.

Supplies Needed
An equal amount of participants so everyone has a dance partner.

Activity Description
1. Introduce yourself and the activity to the group of participants.
2. Have all of the participants select a partner for themselves to dance with.
3. Have the participants chose the partner who will lead and the partner who will follow
while dancing.
4. Demonstrate the proper posture and partnering techniques to the participants ie; Standing
up straight and holding each other properly.
5. Demonstrate, to the group of participants who are leading, by teaching them a sequence
of steps. Left foot front, right foot side, left foot side, right foot back, left foot back, left
foot side, right foot side, left foot front, right foot front. These steps should create a box.
Have the leading partners practice these steps until they have mastered it
6. Demonstrate, to the group of participant who are following, the box step by teaching
them a sequence of steps. Left foot back, right foot side, left foot side, right foot front,
left foot front, left foot side, right foot side. These steps should create a box. Have the
following partners practice these steps until they have mastered it.
7. Have the participants join together and perform the box step together and help guide them
needed.

Leadership Considerations

1. Additional cuing may be needed during this activity if participants are not
understanding the box step. Allowing the partners to practice the box step on their
 own before joining their partner will help individuals be successful during this
activity.

2. Adaptation: Ballroom dancing has been proven to help with motor skills and coordination
in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (Mandelbaum, R., Triche, E. W., Fasoli, S. E., & Lo, A. C.
(2016). Ballroom dance can also help these individuals with memory and cognition as they are
required to remember the steps during this activity. This activity will also help with social
interaction patterns as participants are forced to dance with other people. An adaptation that
could be made is to give the participants breaks to rest during this activity as individuals with
MS are prone to fatigue.