Street Beat Masters Hawaii Dance Experience

By Adrienne Damicis

My name is Adrienne Damicis, I’m thirteen years old and I’m a camper at the ACA youth camp. I have been an amputee since fourteen months old due to a congenital problem in my right leg. This spring I received an email that changed my life. Derrick Stowell, from ACA, sent me an email informing me about a hip-hop dance convention in Hawaii that would be taking place in late June. The dance convention was to be held by Street Beat Masters in Waikiki, Hawaii. Street Beat had decided to donate part of their profits to ACA and as part of their donation they were willing to sponsor one kid to attend the dance convention.  I was chosen to be that one.

This trip was very special for me because I have taken dance classes for ten years now and I am about to begin my eleventh year. The first classes I started with were ballet and tap. Around five years later I picked up jazz and three years ago I began taking hip-hop and street funk classes. Hip-hop and street funk are by far my favorite types. Dancing is so much fun because you get to spend time with your friends, listen to music, and exercise all at once. Hip-hop is particularly enjoyable because it is so free and because it isn’t structured you can always add your own flare to it.

Photo Courtesy of Damicis Family

While I was in Hawaii I had so much fun at the convention. I took master classes for two days in a row and attended a dance crew battle. My favorite experience in Hawaii was meeting all of the master dancers and the Jabba Wockeez. The Jabba Wockeez were the winners of a major competition on MTV. The show was called America’s Best Dance Crew. It was something I never imagined would happen to me. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Just being able to go to Hawaii was incredible. It was a lot of fun but it wasn’t always so easy. Keeping up with the teachers was definitely the hardest part of the convention. In one hour the instructors would teach you a routine that was a whole minute long. It doesn’t actually sound that long but it takes a long time to learn the dance steps and then actually memorize the routine. Normally you would work all year for a routine that was three to four minutes long.

Over the years that I’ve danced, I have faced some challenges. Because I can’t move my ankle I have trouble sometimes in ballet particularly. You have to go up on your toes and I can’t really do that as well as other people. Whatever challenges have faced me I’ve found a way to overcome them. That is why when other people see me dance they are so amazed. Every year my dance studio has a big recital in spring and I get so many compliments at the end because people never knew someone like me had the capability to dance. It feels really good to have other people recognize that I can do anything that they can do. The advice I would give to other amputees is to try out everything. If dance is something you’re interested in, don’t feel scared to join classes because it’s a sport that anyone can find a way to do. If you find a sport that you want to try it’s best to just go for it otherwise you’ll never know what you’re capable of.

My family is very supportive of my dance. My parents have driven me to all of my dance classes and paid all the money. Besides my parents the one other member of my family is my brother Patrick. All three of them came to Hawaii with me and we stayed for a week to make a family vacation.  I am very thankful for the opportunity given to me by ACA and Street Beat Masters.  Besides being an amazingly fun trip, the experience has helped me grow as a dancer.  In addition to this dance opportunity, I have also enjoyed attending the ACA Youth camp for the past two years.

Photo Courtesy of Damicis Family

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