Tyumen Wheelchair Dancers Share Their Journeys

It’s hard to look away from Sabina. Her arms, thin and flexible, move smoothly to the music. Her long black braid flies from one shoulder to the other and twists as gracefully as her body. Sabina spins, her fingers tracing the spokes on the wheelchair wheels. After each turn, the question arises: how does she manage to do it?

We are at a wheelchair dance practice. The hall of the Tyumen Palace of Culture «Neftyanik» transforms into a training room three times a week, where adults and children from across the region come. We tell the stories of Tyumen residents who cannot walk but dance, participate in championships, and travel across Russia.

“The Wheelchair is Like a Football for Football Players”

Viktor Pogorelov, coach and president of the Wheelchair Dance Federation, became acquainted with this discipline during his first year at the Institute of Culture. However, in everyday life, the man does not need a wheelchair.

— I danced with a girl who was in a wheelchair. We became very close friends and danced well together. Over 10 years, we became champions of Russia. We were winners of the World Cup in wheelchair dancing, silver medalists at the European Championships, and finalists at the World Championships, — Viktor recounts.

He started coaching after suffering a traumatic brain injury. Viktor himself had to use a wheelchair for some time.

— Everything turned out fine, I got back on my feet. Through understanding all these experiences, I decided to dedicate my life to this field in our Tyumen region, — the man says.

Now, three coaches work with the participants: Viktor, Alexander, and Yuri. Athletes come from Tyumen, Kaskara, Tobolsk, Ishim, and Yalutorovsk. People of various ages and with different health limitations dance here.

— Yes, there are various musculoskeletal disorders, and some participants have mental health conditions. But we don’t have situations where, for example, we accept you but not others — go somewhere else, — Viktor explains.

The group includes dancers with musculoskeletal disorders, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and other conditions. There are also those who had to start using a wheelchair after a tragedy. But here, they never talk about the past.

— I don’t use the term ‘wheel up to me’ in my vocabulary. I always say: ‘Come here, move away from me. Turn toward me. Go over to that wall.’ That is, I don’t think of the wheelchair as separate, because for these participants, the wheelchair is like sports equipment, like a football for football players, — the man explains.

“I Used to Be Reserved. I Stayed at Home”

Seventeen-year-old Sabina Sazonova says that before coming to dance, she «was reserved and stayed at home.» When she was in second grade, Dmitry came to her school and told her about the classes. Her mother signed her up right away. At first, Sabina practiced on regular wheelchairs in the school gym. The dance wheelchairs they use now are lighter and more maneuverable.

— I danced alone. I was very small. I remember we went to our first competition. It was in Tyumen. I had this very voluminous hairstyle on my head. I was wearing a dress, and I still wore glasses back then. I looked at everyone and thought: ‘Oh my God, what am I doing here?’ — Sabina smiles.

Sabina has been dancing with a partner for four years. She says that over nine years of dancing, she has become more confident in herself and travels to competitions several times a year.

— We’ll be going to a championship soon. Of course, I’d like to win a medal after all. And for everything to go smoothly, — the girl says about her plans. — I’ve thought about studying to become a coach to work with kids too. I love children. And I think it would be easy for me to work with them.

“I Was Afraid I’d Push My Hand Under the Wheel Rim”

Maxim calmly repeats one movement several times. His mother stands nearby, showing him elements on her phone — when Natalya is on vacation, she always comes to classes with her son. Maxim Kunshin is 25 years old and has been dancing for six years. The young man can walk with the support of a cane, but performing dance moves is difficult. The wheelchair gives him that opportunity.

Maxim says his mother «was initially against wheelchairs.» But for her son to start dancing, Natalya insisted.

— I didn’t understand what it was or how it worked. I was always afraid that I’d push my hands under the rim and the wheel would… It was quite hard to control the wheelchair. Because I didn’t have a wheelchair, — Maxim recalls.

Maxim describes himself as a «non-active» person and explains that he «prefers and enjoys talking.» Now he is studying to become a social psychologist and works as a library assistant at the Central City Library. He loves sports for the people around him.

— We’re preparing for the Russian Championship now. I have a desire to just get energized. I get energized from the people, so to speak. And whatever happens… Whatever happens, happens! — Maxim says.

“This Was Her Dream”

Alena is called by that name at dance — it’s the name she was given in church. Before coming to this sport, the girl did arm wrestling for two years. She saw a championship in wheelchair dancing and decided to try it.

— This was her dream. We finished ninth grade, and after that, we didn’t continue our studies. And we were thinking about what to do next, — says Alena’s mother, Olga Yaremenko.

— I came, and the first category I was in was junior. I was 18 years old. And I saw it all for the first time! It was something new and interesting. A bunch of unfamiliar people, — Alena shares her first impressions.

Now Alena is 24 years old and has been dancing for six years.

— The more experience you gain, the more you understand the world. I realized that I can do something in this world myself. And it turns out, I can actually do something! — the girl says.

The Youngest Dancers

— Darina, tell us, what do you dream about?

— About winning! — Darina says brightly.

— In which competition?

— In St. Petersburg!

Darina is 7 years old and is the youngest dancer in the group. The girl started doing sports at age 5 — she says she adores sambo, slow dance, and jive.

— Honestly? There were no difficulties. She’s been in a wheelchair since she was one year old. First a small one, then a bigger one, — says Darina’s mother, Irina Shirkovets. — First of all, it’s rehabilitation. We gain some maneuverability, also attention. Discipline — that’s the very first thing she needs.

Polina Mazanova also started dancing at age 5. Her older sister does gymnastics, and the girl saw that «she has a lot of medals.» And she wanted to do sports too.

— With my mom, we started looking: what could I do? And we found wheelchair dancing. At first, I thought it would be hard. But it turns out, it’s fine, — Polina says.

At her first competition, Polina recalls, she was scared by the loud music and started crying. Now, when asked to dance on camera, the girl responds with a smile.

— Physically, of course, it’s free rehabilitation. They practice three times a week, strengthening their backs. There are performances. She really likes it when she wins places, those medals. It’s thrilling! She sees that there are many people like her. She’s not alone in this world, — says Polina’s mother, Elena.

Ahead, the dancers have training and preparation for the championship in St. Petersburg from October 24 to 26. Almost everyone we spoke to today said they hope to come back from there with medals.

Earlier this month, we published a major story about 10-year-old Varya, whose arms and legs were amputated after an illness. In this article, we told how Varya Protasova, a strong girl from Tyumen, is living and coping with challenges now.