Community Champions: Move and Groove
Meet Your Instructor
Mary Hodorowicz brings years of experience supporting children and young adults with disabilities through her work as a paraprofessional. She also brings the meaningful perspective of being a grandmother to a child with additional needs. An avid dancer herself, Mary combines her love of movement with a warm, supportive approach that encourages every participant to feel successful, connected, and included on the dance floor.
Orchid & Ivy enrichment programs are approved providers through CLTS and IRIS allowing eligible participants to use waiver funding for enrollment.
Program Highlights
Each week follows the same predictable class structure to build routine, increase independence, and support regulation through consistency. Familiar transitions, repeated expectations, visual supports, and a consistent flow allow participants to know what comes next, reducing uncertainty and creating more space for confidence, connection, and learning.Designed by pediatric occupational and speech therapists with expertise in supporting children and adults with diverse learning, communication, and sensory needs.
4-Week Course Outline
Week 1: Find Your Rhythm
Get comfortable on the dance floor while exploring rhythm, basic steps, body awareness, and movement through fun, adapted dance activities.
Week 2: Step by Step
Build coordination, motor planning, and sequencing by learning short dance combinations with visual modeling, repetition, and individualized supports.
Week 3: Move Together
Practice familiar dances while building endurance, memory, communication, and social connection through partner and group movement activities.
Week 4: Community Dance Celebration
Put it all together during a fun dance celebration focused on confidence, independence, social participation, and the joy of moving together.
Targeted Skills
Coordination, balance, and body awareness
Motor planning, rhythm, and movement sequencing
Executive functioning, attention, and memory
Social communication and group participation
Emotional regulation, flexibility, and confidence
Physical endurance and functional movement
Independence and community participation
Take-Home Benefits
Children will:
Grow confidence through real responsibilities
Strengthen fine motor and communication skills
Build positive peer interactions
Develop a deeper connection to nature and food
Take home plants, produce, and a graduation certificate