The Power of Dance

Ball State University says they create a dance program targeted around preprofessional training, within a liberal arts setting. But for one student in the department, they’ve found so much more.

Robert Weatherington is starting his sophomore year at Ball State and has a desire to dance, little to nothing can deter.

“I really just think about it throughout the day. If I’m waiting in line, I’ll wait in a passe. If I turn around, I’ll do a little two step change. If I get nervous, I’m stretching. At least at this point in my life, it’s always going to be something that’s going through my head,” Weatherington said.

After being diagnosed with tourette's at 13, he tried whatever he could to help control his tricks. But, it wasn’t until his Junior year that Weatherington found what made him feel whole again.

“Even though I would not have a good day at school. I would spend like half of the day in the nurses office. I could still go to dance and participate fully because I didn’t have to sit out. If I was dancing, then I wasn’t ticking,” Weatherington said.

Now, a dance major, Weatherington dances every day and not only uses the art form to express himself but also as a form of therapy.

Amy Hourigan runs The Prism Project here at Ball State for students with special needs. The program uses the Arts as a platform to give students an opportunity to grow through music, theatre and dance. Hourigan says the Arts provide a number of benefits people simply can’t see from the stage.

“What we see behind the scenes is astounding, what the Arts can do and open up opportunities for kids they can’t do other places,” Hourigan said.

For Weatherington, the Arts have opened a door for him he never would’ve thought possible. After taking pills to keep his ticks under control, dance has become the only medicine he needs. For a year now, Weatherington has been completely medicine free and says without dancing everyday, that wouldn’t be possible.

Oh God no, no. No, I needed the constant therapy. That’s how I view it. Especially being on stage, I feel very free. I don’t tick when I’m on stage. I don’t tick at all when I dance. You can definitely see a difference when I am dancing and when I’m not dancing. There will never a time when I’m dancing and I’ll be ticking,” Weatherington said.

Also a social work major, Weatherington hopes to one day use his passion for the Arts to help others discover the true power of dance.

The next performance Weatherington will be in is It Can Happen Here which will be shown at University Theatre December 7-9 and December 10.