Autistic girl finally gets accepted to ballet school after 12 rejections

By Elizabeth Hunter via SWNS

A girl turned down from ballet schools because of her autism has finally achieved her dream to be a ballerina - and inspired a class for kids like her.

Emilie-Rose Tricker, five, is non-verbal but began to say "ballet class" after seeing an episode of Teletubbies featuring the dance.

Her parents Emma and Kenny contacted numerous ballet schools to ask for accommodations for their daughter.

They say 12 schools turned her down because of her additional needs.

Thankfully after reaching out to dance teacher Tracy Maguire at the Dance Depot in Kilwinning, Scotland, the family received some good news.

Tracy told the family that "everybody deserves to dance," and within a week had started a class designed for children with additional support needs.

It became so popular that they now run multiple times per week and are more structured and routine-focused to suit the children's needs.

Emma said: "Emilie-Rose loves the Teletubbies, and her favorite episode shows them taking a ballet class.

"She kept going back and repeatedly watching it over and over again, and she taught herself how to say 'ballet class'.

"She'd repeat ballet class over and over again, and when we asked her if she wanted to be a ballerina, she'd try and repeat 'ballerina.'

"We contacted ballet schools to explain that she's autistic, non-verbal, and not toilet trained, but she's taken an interest in ballet.

"We asked if there was any chance we could bring her along to a class, but we kept getting told no for those reasons.

"Me and her dad offered to be there in the classes, but they said no. It was really disheartening for both me and her dad.

"There were tears shed, because we just wanted our wee girl to be able to be included in something she wanted to do."

Emma described a lack of resources in Ayrshire for children with autism and said that Tracy's classes "mean absolutely everything" to their family.

"There's nothing in our community for our children – whether that's dance or any other kinds of class," said Emma.

"There's nothing for us to do – no after school activities, and hardly anything within our community that will accept our children.

"My husband and I are involved in a local additional support needs parents and children support group.

"We knew this dance class was needed – we knew lots of other parents looking for classes, but there was no one willing to accept these children.

"After talking to Tracy, within a week, a class was running on Tuesday nights. It now runs on Saturdays as well because it's so popular.

"Tracy's even had other dance schools asking to come along and observe to take pointers for their own classes.

"Tracy meets every child on their level and goes with how they're feeling – and not many people take the time to be patient and work with our children, while Tracy absolutely does.

"It means absolutely everything to us.

"It's hard to go to places as a parent of a child with additional support needs, because people judge you.

"You get terrible stares, and when people hear the words 'autism' or 'meltdown,' they think the worst.

"I know that these classes mean the world to our family, because we'd be so isolated within the community without them."

Tracy, who has also opened a sensory play area for children with additional needs, said that feedback from parents has been extremely positive - and says the response from the children has been "unbelievable."

Tracy said: "When Emma contacted me, it was no different than any other parent contacting me.

"Emma and her husband Kenny explained that she was non-verbal, not toilet trained, and they offered to sit in in the classes.

"I said absolutely, bring her along to the class and we can see how she gets on.

"That night, she came along.

"Very quickly, we realized that the class wasn't going to be suitable for her, so we spoke to Emma, and within the next week, we had set up a class that was suitable for any children within the community with ASN. Within a week, we had two fully booked classes

"It was quite overwhelming and also quite sad. There were so many parents out there who needed these facilities, and they just weren't given the opportunity.

"The parents are fighting for it as much as possible. It's them that are driving it forward.

"When you get the feedback from parents about how their children have responded really positively, it's just amazing.

"Every other week, we introduce something else to give the children an element of surprise, but we do keep it very structured so they know what to expect week to week.

"The kids have taken to it so well - and they've even performed on stage in our annual show this year.

"Since I've started the classes, there are now other dance schools offering ASN classes, which is absolutely fantastic."