About Dwayne Scheuneman
Dwayne Scheuneman is Co-Founder, Artistic Director, Inclusive Dance Educator, and Dancer with REVolutions Dance.
Shortly after becoming paralyzed in a diving accident in 1995, Dwayne began competing in wheelchair track and field. In 2002 he was looking for some sort of cross-training activity when a friend suggested he try taking a dance class. He started taking classes and was invited to perform and, from there, the rest is history. While dancing, he discovered two things that he had not otherwise experienced in sports, a broader range of physical challenges and a deeper and more meaningful connection with his fellow dancers.
“Dance, specifically the creative process involved in dance, has led me to a deeper understanding of myself and my perspectives. Connecting and creating with other people has encouraged me to consider and formulate my place in the world and what impact I want to have on it. Physically speaking, managing my disabilities is never-ending, and dance is always helping me in developing my ability to move through the world.”
Dwayne received his BA in special education from the University of South Florida. He has been a professional dancer since 2002 and has conducted workshops around the US and the world having completed eight tours in six countries.
Being a former wheelchair athlete and having strong connections to the disabled community, Dwayne began reaching out to his disabled peers and inviting them to participate in different dance activities. In 2005, Dwayne along with his colleague Amie West decided to make it official and together they formed the nonprofit organization, REVolutions Dance.
REVolutions Dance believes in creating a safe learning environment that provides opportunity for all students to grow at their own pace. REVolutions Dance draws from research-based teaching practices such as student-centered teaching and differentiated instruction to highlight and draw upon the interests and individuality of the students. REVolutions Dance strives to create opportunities for collaboration between students as well as collaboration between students and teachers.
“Dance is important to our community because it has the ability to help people understand each other beyond the restrictions of language and personal biases. It provides a tool for people to find similarities in their cultures, experiences, and lives in a creative and energizing experience and allows us to expand our humanity.”
