Jeremiah's Story
Jeremiah "Jay" was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at age 3. He was non-verbal up to age 5 and had difficulty maintaining eye contact. Growing up different was very difficult for Jay. Other kids didn't want to play with him or even be around him. They called him names, avoided interacting with him, and bullied him.
At the age of 11, Jay started showing an interest in dance. He had been watching his younger brother Camaron dance in competitions, attend dance conventions, and book jobs dancing. When Jay would attend his brother's dance competitions, he would sit and watch every single team on the program perform. He would later come home and spend hours in the family room doing turns and watching dance videos on YouTube.
Dance has been a doorway to a whole new world for Jay. He consistently proves time and time again that his dance abilities outweigh his disabilities. He's won multiple first place and title awards. He's won Dancer of the Year, Senior Mr. Motiv8 as well as a scholarship to a local performing arts college. Dance has significantly improved his self-confidence. Jay is able to be his true self and express his emotions through dance. He wants to inspire others on the spectrum with his success showing them that nothing is impossible.
At the age of 11, Jay started showing an interest in dance. He had been watching his younger brother Camaron dance in competitions, attend dance conventions, and book jobs dancing. When Jay would attend his brother's dance competitions, he would sit and watch every single team on the program perform. He would later come home and spend hours in the family room doing turns and watching dance videos on YouTube.
Dance has been a doorway to a whole new world for Jay. He consistently proves time and time again that his dance abilities outweigh his disabilities. He's won multiple first place and title awards. He's won Dancer of the Year, Senior Mr. Motiv8 as well as a scholarship to a local performing arts college. Dance has significantly improved his self-confidence. Jay is able to be his true self and express his emotions through dance. He wants to inspire others on the spectrum with his success showing them that nothing is impossible.