Two years ago, the directors of the Walltown Children's Theater were asked if they would teach dance to special needs children. Wonderful idea, they said, but who's going to teach it?
That person turned out to be Duke junior Brandi Stewart.
Trained in ballet for most of her young life, Stewart had taught dance to young children and teens at the Walltown Children's Theater during her sophomore year. This year she took an even greater challenge in teaching the mentally and physically challenged children dance skills that would help them develop greater agility and better communication.
For her work, Stewart was named the winner of the Lars Lyon Volunteer Service Award, given annually by the DukeCommunityServiceCenter for exceptional community service.
"For Walltown Children's Theater to create this program was an easy task, but finding the right person to lead it was nearly impossible," theater director Joseph Henderson said. "This is an emotionally difficult situation in which to teach and there was no one on our staff who could make it work. Just as I was about to say no to the assignment, I got a visit from Brandi. She agreed to try it, and has been in that position ever since."
Stewart works with two groups of students at the LyonParkCommunity Center. The less disabled generally have some emotional or developmental issues that allow them to try more difficult physical activities. The second group comprises more severely disabled children. Henderson said some of the students are disfigured; others cry out in anger or need repeated hugs.
After nearly a year of work with these children, Stewart said she has learned not to call them "disabled" or "challenged."
"They are anything but 'disabled,'" Stewart said. "They have obstacles to overcome, but this class has been as successful as other classes that I've taught. They have fantastic spirit, and they do anything I ask them to do, or they try to do it. No matter what is going on in my life, I leave their class feeling very happy."
Teaching dance is a natural step for the English and African and African-American Studies major. Born into a dancing family -- her father was a professional with the Joan Miller Dance Company in New York -- Stewart developed a passion for the form as a child.
"When you love dancing as much as I do, you want to share it with others," she said.
She connected with Joseph and Cynthia Henderson and the Walltown Children's Theater as a freshman and soon started teaching classes there to elementary-school-age children and teens.
Then came the opportunity to teach special needs children.
"The timing was impeccable," Stewart said. "The offer came when I was in New York last summer doing an internship with a magazine. I was researching a story on non-profits that were using dance as therapy for special needs children. I thought it was an opportunity for me to work with a population of children that I hadn't previously worked with.
"I understand how therapeutic dance can be for anyone. Whenever I have tough times or I'm frustrated, my natural inclination is to get to the studio and dance whatever it is out of me."
She keeps it simple when working with the special needs children at LyonPark. There are games “ freeze dance, for instance, where the students stop their movement upon command. Or she'll have the students sit in a semi-circle and call on them individually to dance whatever comes to them.
For the most disabled, the dance may be nothing more than the youth being spun around by Stewart or one of the LyonPark staff. But the parents who visit tell her that the training and movement is improving the children's agility.
"The important thing is just to have them move and develop more coordination," Stewart said. "The more advanced class is also learned to enjoy dance as a form and as an opportunity for freedom of expression. We always start off with some regular movements to warm up, and they'll call me out if I don't do it in the correct order. I think they're learning discipline."
Teaching at Walltown and at LyonPark has taught Stewart as well.
"When I started working at Walltown, I was confronted by all of these 7 or 8 year olds who were all riled up coming from school. I learned how to connect to them, calm them down and get them focused on dance. I'm not an authority figure, but I've learned how to talk to them and in the process show them that dance is an art form they can enjoy and respect."
She makes it sound easy, but after years of teaching children, Joseph Henderson knows better. "This works calls for a firm hand and the heart of an angel," he said. "Brandi Stewart is such a person."
The Lars Lyon Award is given in honor of Lyon, a Duke mechanical engineering student who died in 1988 of a rare cancer. While at Duke, Lyon made several contributions through community service. Among his efforts, he served as vice president of a group that helped the handicapped, raised funds for charity through Circle K, helped a project to aid victims of Hurricane Gloria and worked at the Ronald McDonald House. A memorial endowment fund in his name was established by friends and family to support the award.
In addition to Stewart, student Margaret Andrews was recognized for her work with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The employee award went to Jacqulyn Podger of Learning and Organization Development for her work with Duke Hospice. Special recognition went to Bob Newlin, an information technology specialist in AllenBuilding, for his work with Durham Congregations in Action.