Girl with autism starts her own dance studio in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - 13-year-old Leta Rundell co-founded the "Autistic Wings Dance Company" with her mom while training herself to become a professional tap dancer.
"Why do you like dancing?" KRDO 13's Bradley Davis asked Rundell.
"Because you go really, really, really fast, and you make a lot of noise and I can just ignore everybody's existence!" Rundell said.
"A "stem" is a subconscious movement that autistic people do to soothe themselves," Rundell's mom Amanda Trisdale said. "Leta's happens to be a very complicated three-point tap move."
Rundell said she's experienced frustrations while working with teachers in the past who don't understand why she is the way she is.
"They're like, 'Leta! Keep your arms to yourself!' And I'm like, 'I'm hitting no one. This is my bubble. It's in my bubble,'" leta said. "People say, stop talking like a baby!' Like, for some reason, I want to sound like a six or a seven-year-old, 24/7."
These type of challenges are what led Rundell and Trisdale to start Autistic Wings Dance Company. The non-profit launched in September.
"It's also a place, especially for those kids like Leta, who want to go pro, where they don't feel like they're "othered" and outcast for their autistic quirks," Trisdale said.
One of Rundell's and Trisdale's main goals is to create a space where people with autism don't feel like they have to "autism mask." Autism Masking is when people with Autism try to suppress their stems and other autistic quirks to seem more normal. It's incredibly taxing on the emotions, and the stress can shorten a person's lifespan.
Even while she helps run the dance company, it is also a sanctuary for Rundell.
"Just doing the dance, and learning how to actually speak actual English with people actually understanding me and not talking too freaking fast!"
Autistic Wings Dance Company is currently working out of the On the Break Dance Academy. Rundell and Trisdale hope to soon raise enough money to buy a studio space of their own.
Rundell and Trisdale keep their classes to five people or less. Class sign ups are on their website.
