Amanda Trisdale

Mother of the Founder of Autistic Wings Dance Company, and CEO (Since Leta's only 12 and can't run her nonprofit.)

I am the mother of an autistic daughter, Leta. Leta was diagnosed with ASD around her third birthday. At the time, Leta was diagnosed as nonverbal. She didn't understand words at all. We spent the next few years practically living in therapy clinics as she received intense OT and SLP. Yet, nothing seemed to help. Leta continued to struggle with everything.

Finally, her physical therapist (for Leta's bad hip) suggested we enroll Leta in dance classes. His reason was that Leta's major stim happened to be a three-point tap move. He figured that enrolling her in dance classes might help her connect with something. It took a few months, but Leta's expressive and receptive languge skills started to improve. (As did her motor skills.) Dance truly was a lifesaver for us, allowing Leta a way to express herself.

Leta fell in love with dancing, but as a child on the Spectrum, there wasn't really a place for her in dance studios. ASD/Adaptive classes are designed for kids who will never do anything with dance. Leta was "too good" for those classes. Yet, the traditional classes aren't designed with the neurodivergent dancer in mind.

Simple things Leta does as someone on the Spectrum were seen as disrespectful to her teachers. Not holding eye contact when talking. Using a higher pitch voice than her fellow classmates. Stimming during class breaks. Using her headphones in between classes to deal with the sound sensory overload. Not being able to read and write like the other students due to her severe dyslexia. Even skipping classes so Leta could go do medical tests was seen as being disrespectful.

Teachers were quick to point out all of Leta's flaws, thinking they were helping Leta. They told Leta to sit to the side, because they thought that was what was best for her. They let Leta be shoved in corners. They told Leta to just read, because dyslexia didn't interfere with anyone's ability to read. All while saying they were doing this because they cared for Leta.

This all lead to Leta being bullied by her fellow dancers, as well. The other kids started pushing Leta to the side because it would protect Leta. They teased Leta about not being able to read, and called her names, thinking they were helping Leta.

The dance studio should have been a safe haven, but it became somewhere to fear. It became a place where Leta would have panic attacks just driving by. We would pull her out of one studio, and try another one, just to be met with the same issues.

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