Villars is in the College of Education and Human Services and will conclude her classes at United Rehabilitation soon in order to start classes in the fall. The class she teaches was funded through a performing arts grant by URS.
However, URS officials said that they plan on bringing Villars back to teach during the evenings when she is out of class or not teaching another ballet course.
“It’s the fun kind of medicine,” Villars said.
“I think our youngest student that we worked with was about 18 months and the oldest is about 60s here. So every class is different, you start with a plan and you change it as the class goes along and whatever your students need,” Villars said.
The special ballet classes focus on movement with music, and this helps the attendees coordinate their brains and muscles.
Officials said classes like Villars’ that are creative give their clients an opportunity they would not normally experience.
“We serve around 2,500 to 3,000 kids and adults with disabilities a year. Around 450 a day. So whenever we can bring people in to share a different experience, we love doing that,” Dennis Grant, the executive director for United Rehabilitation Services, said.
News Center 7’s Caroline Reinwald contributed to this report
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