Let the dancing begin!
On Feb. 4, the Kainos Home and Training Center and Art on the Square had an art festival to send the Kainos dance team to the Special Olympics World Winter Games to be held in Austria. The Special Olympics provide year-round sports training and competitions for children and adults with mental disabilities.
Kainos Home and Training Center in Redwood City is a program for adults with intellectual disabilities. Kainos offers housing, job training, and community events.
Andy Frisch, the executive director of Kainos, hopes to bring the Kainos dance team to the Special Olympics as an exhibition. Currently, the Special Olympics does not view dance as a sport but Frisch is hoping to change that.
“When the Special Olympics see the dedication and talent that goes into this performance, I think they are going to recognize it as a sport,” said Frisch.
Since the Special Olympics only provides funding for sanctioned sports, Frisch knew he would have to find a way to raise money.
After being approached by Beth Mostovoy, the owner of Art on the Square, Frisch decided to partner with Mostovoy to hold an art festival to help raise money for the dance team.
Mostovoy said, “We are pretty jazzed about it because Redwood City as a community has always been pretty positive about pulling together for things.”
The Valentine’s Day-themed art festival called H’ART Squared featured several vendors, a raffle, and even a special preview performance from the Kainos dance team.
Their performance in Austria will not be the first time the dance team has performed. The team has performed in local exhibitions and state competitions and has been practicing around the clock to prepare for their performance. According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, the dance team will travel to Graz, Austria to perform and then tour Vienna for 3 days before returning home.
Students are also excited for the dance team.
Carlmont student Kylie Mcpherson said, “I think it is cool that they are fundraising for this. It is sad that dancers do not get enough credit and that it is not seen as a real sport.”
