[ Mid-tempo music playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Woman vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music fades ] [ Woman tsking rhythmically ] [ Tsking continues ] [ Singing in Korean ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking continues ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking continues ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Woman tsks ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking continues ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Woman tsks ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Continues singing in Korean ] [ Tsking stops ] [ Tsking resumes ] [ Exhales sharply ] [ Tsking, singing stops ] [ Tense music playing ] Darvensky: My name is Darvensky Louis.

If you're watching this, keep it safe, 'cause this is my story.

♪♪ [ Man singing indistinctly ] ♪♪ I was born in Haiti and grew up in New Jersey.

I had a great-grandma who was 106.

I lived with my grandparents, great-grandparents, my cousins, my aunts, my uncles in one huge house.

[ Bird cries ] The neighborhood we lived in wasn't the best neighborhood, so when you're outside... afraid that -- that your parents know that you're outside, 'cause if you get caught being outside without asking them... then you get a whuppin'.

A nice little whuppin'.

♪♪ Whatever I was doing seemed cool to everybody, so was thankful enough to not get pushed around for what I did.

♪♪ [ Coughs ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ The more you fight for that goal, the more you realize how far away you are from it.

We're -- We're drifting towards that...non-perfect world and realizing how many mistakes we've made in the past.

[ Harmonica blowing ] ♪♪ Oh, that's okay.

♪♪ A lot of times, the old heads say that they feel bad for my generation... Ha!

...but I thought that for the next generation.

[ Harmonica blowing ] 'Cause the world we live in is just like...it's getting worse.

♪♪ It's sad.

It's lonely.

It's dirty.

It's cold.

♪♪ We're -- We're trying to fight for this perfect place, but... it'll never -- it'll never be like that.

♪♪ [ Insects buzzing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Upbeat music playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Man scat singing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Scat singing stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music fades ] [ Music resumes ] [ Man scat singing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Scat singing stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music fades ] [ Mid-tempo music playing ] ♪♪ [ Tape tearing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Who are you?

I'm a woman.

I'm a dancer.

I'm a teacher.

I'm an educator.

I'm a wife.

And I bridge between races.

I bridge between genders.

Really, I bridge between cultures.

♪♪ When people see me, they think on the way to old, balding, gray white man.

If you knew me, you would know that I'm shy.

You would know that...

I'm lonely a lot of the time.

♪♪ What are your intentions towards me?

To get you to like me.

To get you to...trust me.

I want you to affirm me.

♪♪ My intention is to... to be fully myself with you and not code switch.

Black people don't tell white folks about their vulnerable places.

So I was raised to pretend about my strength.

I pretend to not be afraid.

A lot.

Or I hide that I'm afraid.

♪♪ Sarah, what do you need to feel safe?

I don't know if I believe in feeling safe anymore.

I think I believe in feeling brave.

Safety is something maybe that other people feel.

I think mostly white people in this country.

Maybe white men feel safe.

♪♪ ♪♪ Walking through the world as me is to always carry a very small, gay queer child.. who doesn't trust everybody.

♪♪ Doesn't trust men... as much as women... and doesn't trust nonwhite people as much as white people.

♪♪ What is it like to walk through the world as me?

It's to be misunderstood in a lot of ways because I feel like I'm always kind of proving -- like proving that I'm Black enough or, you know, down enough or angry enough or -- you know, all of this "enough."

♪♪ I mean, I've had moments where I'm just like...

I hate my Blackness or I hate my whiteness.

And I've spent anguishing times in that space.

I'm afraid that you're thinking that I'm not down.

I'm afraid that I could never make enough amends.

My fear is that you think there isn't a future that we're going in together.

♪♪ To admit my vulnerability, to admit my softness, to admit that... that I want to be in community with all people, including a white man, that's a big deal for me.

And so...

I feel like I'm going to lose my street cred with that.

♪♪ And yet we all lose if we don't have these conversations.

So if we can find that -- that spot that we're finding today with each other and challenge each other in a gentle way to do that work, then something real shifts.

And I believe... because I'm a -- a dreamer.

I believe that that's possible.

I believe that that's possible.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music fades ] [ Instrumental music playing ] Slow.

♪♪ [ Indistinct conversation ] Yeah.

I was born to do this.

Woman: You were?

I was born to do this.

[ Indistinct ] Hold it up.

All the way up to the side.

All the way up.

You know, everybody in life has limitations.

Everybody.

♪♪ What position of the feet is this?

Man: Elevated?

Man #2: First.

First position.

It was actually during roughly around this time of year in 2007 when Lynne Langrehr came to me and asked if I could donate some tickets to the special needs groups.

We had brought in a belly dancer, and they were really into the belly dancer.

And so we decided that we would see if we could get somebody to come in for ballet.

And I received a letter from Lena.

So all the special needs individuals that were interested went to "The Nutcracker."

Lena: She came to pick up the tickets, and it was Lynne that came up with "Did you ever consider teaching special needs groups?"

And I said no, because I really, you know, I just didn't consider it.

I just didn't think of that as an option.

She said, "Would you be willing to try?"

♪♪ Man: Dancing has that particular theme about it, you know?

When people dance, they're happy.

There's an old saying that don't worry about the storm, just learn how to dance in the rain.

And that's what this is all about.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Piano music playing ] All the way down there.

Good try.

Keep going.

Very good.

Bend, Leon.

You can do it.

You can do it.

You can do a nose bend.

Good.

And come up.

Oh, the dancers absolutely love it.

It doesn't make any difference if they're right in step.

They just, you know, get into it and they really know.

And their parents have just been -- they've never gotten an opportunity to see their children perform when they were younger.

♪♪ You know, they're not just a class at the ballet.

They belong to the studio, and they absolutely love it.

♪♪ ♪♪ Lena: Leon always wants to put the mats out.

He can't wait until adult ballet class is finished so he can go in and put out all the mats.

He doesn't put them back up, but he puts them out.

[ Chuckles ] Man: It helps me relax, focus.

Woman: It's relaxing.

And sometimes if you're not too sure, you can fall asleep -- it's too relaxing.

Man: Everybody who's joined the ballet is great.

Man #2: Exercises, and I lost a lot of weight.

Woman: So if we woke up this morning and you said to the mirror "You can do anything you want to," let God give you a helping hand, and if He don't -- I know God will.

God can do anything.

And if you need some help, just call me.

Woman #2: Leon is the one that... he's got this little, you know, swag that he does when he does it.

♪♪ Usually the volunteers will get to the studio a little early where they're before the buses come in with all the kids.

That way, when they come in, their shoes are out on the table ready for them.

We help them with putting their shoes on.

Then we wait for Lena to come in.

We all get on the floor, ready to do our floor exercises.

They know we're going to start with head down, head up, head back.

And then we're going to go to combinations in center.

Then we're going to do steps across the floor.

And then we might start working on a dance if we have a performance coming up.

Front, back.

You stay here.

Stay front.

Go back.

Stay front.

Go back front.

Front.

Back.

Front.

Back.

Front.

Back.

Front.

Back.

Front.

Back.

Alright.

Carmen: Right now, I'm finna do tables... so that I can get them way.

I'm Carmen.

[ Indistinct ] She is so much like me.

She's very strong willed.

This is very interesting to work here.

Very neat.

Very orderly.

Real loving.

This is Tim.

My friend Tim.

He does -- While I do the tables, he does the chairs.

So we both got jobs.

She's very protective of Robert and of me.

♪♪ This is my brother, Bobby.

When I was a kid, you know, it was just like, "Ooh," or they would like look at that person, like, say, "Oh, can they talk?"

Have you tried coming up to him and asking him?

Of course not, because if you feel like you're so much better than that person, no.

What you should feel like is maybe this person can be a friend.

And that's what this is -- a friend.

He stayed in the hospital a year, and he had five brain operations, but he's very intelligent, highly, highly intelligent.

Life is really enjoyable.

You know...

I feel kinda silly sometimes when I feel down low on -- you know what I mean?

That doesn't stop me.

No.

Nothing really stops you unless you let it stop you.

So... it's pretty cool.

Me and Tim like it here.

Right, Tim?

Tim: Yeah.

Yeah.

[ Chuckles ] [ Indistinct ] ♪♪ When I hear her say... Now, this will get me emotional.

Um...

Wait.

♪♪ [ Exhales sharply ] Um... She wonders what it would be like... ♪♪ ...to have a baby or to drive or... ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ I saw the world in a different light ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ All we need's a little understandin' ♪ ♪ All we need's a change in perspective ♪ ♪♪ ♪ All we need's a little understandin' ♪ ♪ All we need's a change in perspective ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Goodbye, black, white ♪ ♪ I saw the world in a different light ♪ ♪ Farewell to the ocean between ♪ ♪ I had a dream it was a puddle deep ♪ ♪♪ This is my -- This is my room.

This is me.

Beth: Lamont has an exercise named after him.

He's so good at it.

It's one that strengthens the back.

It's one of the floor exercises.

And so when Lena says, "Okay, everybody on your stomach, we're going to do the Lamont," everybody knows what that exercise is.

Bertha: His father was an abusive person.

By the time I found out I was pregnant, he still would beautiful me up, and I said, "Well, maybe he would change."

You know how women in love with a man, you're hoping and praying that he would change.

But he didn't.

So he kept beating me.

And I got in labor one night, seven months pregnant.

I had to go to the hospital, which he went with me.

Lamont come early.

He was not developed.

He was -- had to stay in the incubator for three months.

He was very small.

The doctors gave him up to die, but being if I was in a church, the church people got together and prayed, and the child survived.

And thank God he did.

Lamont never did know his father.

He was a baby.

So I was only one he had to depend on.

And that's the story of Lamont.

And I think he's a fantastic child.

Even though I'm his mama, but I will say he is.

[ Indistinct ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Lamont, would you like to go on stage and give the ballerina the flowers at the end of the show?

Yeah.

Would you like to do that?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

You need me to do it, just say so.

I'll do it.

Anything I say, you'll do?

Okay, 'cause you got to listen to me when we're there, and I'll tell you exactly when to go out and give her the flowers, okay?

Yeah.

Okay.

♪♪ ♪♪ We'll go on backstage.

We have to be real quiet backstage, okay?

♪♪ Lena: One day I think the weather was bad.

We had a very small class.

He had seen "The Nutcracker" already every year.

And so he was in class.

And we were just -- I was just playing, doing poses like partnering work.

And he had to play the part of the, you know, the male partner, and Sophie would do something.

And Lamont was so cute.

After he saw the pictures I showed him that we had taken, he said, "I'm just like the prince in 'The Nutcracker.'"

♪♪ Aww!

Oh, yes.

Are you nervous?

No.

Good.

You'll doing great.

Larry: Now, this is Lamont, right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Hey, Lamont.

I'm Larry.

It's nice to meet you.

It's good to see you.

I like your "Nutcracker" shirt.

It looks great.

I bought it on my own.

He did.

He bought that with his own money when we first came in.

I'm impressed.

Yeah.

Very good.

He saved the money, you know.

They were gonna give him a discount.

He goes, "No, I've been working."

Now, Lamont's the one who has the move -- he has the move named after him?

He does.

He does.

He has the arch, or...?

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's great, man.

I've seen him jump.

I have seen his leaps.

He does a great job.

♪♪ ♪♪ This is the first time being backstage.

Alright.

It's exciting.

It is.

It's nice.

Okay.

We'll go get the flowers and watch them from backstage, okay?

Mm-hmm.

You wanna do that?

We have a group photo, then I'll meet you over... ♪♪ Lena: Lamont, who really believes he was born to do this, this is where he belongs... to him, this means so much.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Indistinct conversation ] ♪♪ This is the ladies' dressing room.

Woman: Feel.

Feel it.

It's heavy.

See?

Yeah.

♪♪ Okay.

I'll see you in a little bit.

Have fun.

Okay.

Smile.

This way.

This way.

Lamont.

Lamont.

♪♪ We got to get the flowers.

♪♪ I just have to do this, and then we'll go on.

[ Indistinct ] ♪♪ Got to take the thorns off.

We have to take thorns off so he doesn't hurt himself.

♪♪ Lamont: [ Indistinct ] What?

I need a "Nutcracker" book.

You need a "Nutcracker" book?

We'll find you a "Nutcracker" book.

Okay?

♪♪ I'll carry them out and put them on a table until you're ready to give them, okay?

Alright?

Now, the rest of the time, there's still maybe 10 minutes left, but you're gonna watch from backstage, okay?

Yeah.

Alright?

Yeah.

You can stand that long?

Okay?

Fine?

♪♪ Lena: Last year, I realized just how important it was to Lamont.

We were standing in the waiting area before class, and he was just looking at the pictures that we have on the walls.

And he looked, and he had tears in his eyes, and he just came to me and he said, "You have no idea how important this place is to me."

♪♪ ♪♪ I'll give you the flowers, and then you'll go, okay?

Right now we're just gonna stay here and watch them, okay?

♪♪ ♪♪ To hear that kind of emotion from somebody, it's -- you realize that it's touched his heart.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause fade ] Good job.

I still have these innies and outies my circle.

Okay?

These are the innies.

Alright?

Alright, you guys don't go in so far.

You should be shoulder to shoulder.

Okay.

That circle has to look neat, you know?

And don't leave anybody out.

It's lonely on the outside.

It's crowded on the inside.

Lonely on the outside.

-Yeah.

-Okay?

Let's go back into our circle and just practice going in and out.

I really had no expectations.

My initial plan was just to do, like, movement for them, basically body conditioning and work with that.

But early on, I realized they all want to be on stage, just like everybody else that's taking, you know, dance or any kind of performing art.

And so the very first year I decided, okay, I will put them in our end-of-year demonstration to really go out on a stage with dancers.

This is the second year Daniel was with us.

When Daniel started, I really didn't think he was getting anything out of class.

I don't think he was too excited about the dance class at first because he does -- he doesn't like to move.

Lena: You couldn't hold his hand.

He didn't want, you know, anything to do with it.

He wouldn't want to go across the room.

He didn't want to do any of the exercises.

He just sat there.

But he always came back.

And they do this voluntarily.

It's not -- Nobody makes them, they say "you have to go."

"Do you want to go?"

Daniel always wanted to go.

Then we had a new student that came in six months later that happened to have been doing the exercises next to Daniel.

And, you know, I always tell them, like, lay down on your stomach or lay down on your back.

Daniel never said a word before that.

All of a sudden, the person next to him, brand-new, didn't know what to do.

And Daniel, very well spoken, said, "Lay down with your stomach on the floor."

Whoa.

The whole class noticed.

We didn't make a big to do of it.

You know, I just said, "Thank you, Daniel," and it kept rolling.

And then after the first performance of his, I got the sweetest note from his mom saying she just could not imagine him doing it, you know?

But she came to watch thinking she would have to pick up the pieces afterwards.

And she said he just enjoyed that music so much.

There was so much life and excitement to him after performing it.

And she said, you know, just thank you for all you've done for him.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Mary: I had Kathy when I was 32.

I was told not to have her, to have an abortion, by three doctors, and I kept her.

And when she was born, she weighed eight pounds.

And we raised her.

She didn't walk till she was four, but she talked at two.

I like being back here.

Some people -- Some people's not as fortunate like I am.

Yes, I'm very lucky I have a family that's been good to me.

I went to a doctor, a Black doctor we had here in Greenville, [indistinct], and he told me -- one day, he said, "Mrs. Hayes, I'd like to see you.

What is wrong with Kathy?

Have you been told what is wrong with Kathy?"

I said, "Nothing but a heart problem."

He said, "This child can do anything that anybody else can do, but you're gonna have to train her."

So we saw a trainer.

With the help of the neighbors, she was put in Sunday school at Rock Hill Church, where I worked, and sent my other three to school.

But Kathy can do anything but peel a potato [indistinct].

Yes, I have a son.

His name is Kenny.

Kenny, he's a very good son.

He weighed one pound three ounces when I had him.

He's very well mannered.

He works at Walgreens on Augusta Road.

There's a very humanitarian aspect to her.

You know, that's probably where I get it from, you know, doing a lot of humanitarian stuff and trying to -- just helping people out.

You know, I'm no stranger to giving people, you know, somebody ask you for a dollar, I give you a dollar.

You need something to drink, I'll buy you something to drink.

It's not an issue.

So that's probably where I get it from.

I probably get a lot of that from her, which I'm starting to realize as I get older, so... You know, that's just my mother.

That's how she's always been.

This is who she is.

I don't think any different of her or anything like that.

♪♪ Every week we try and build on what we did the week before.

[ Polka music playing ] Bounce, bounce.

Hands to your side.

Don't march.

Just bounce, bounce.

[ Indistinct ] Good, Martina.

Keep your feet still.

Stay with your feet together.

Good job.

♪♪ ♪♪ You ready for class?

Yeah.

You remember the dance?

Yeah.

You know we have a performance coming, right?

Yeah.

Hey, we're gonna smile and have fun, aren't we?

[ Indistinct ] Yeah.

Lena: Guess they're having problems getting a driver.

We'll keep 'em waiting.

I don't care if [indistinct] gonna take me back, I want to just get there.

We've got the show in a couple weeks right now.

Hi [indistinct].

Man: How are you doing, buddy?

You want me to come down there and see y'all?

Oh, man, I missed you today.

Where were you?

I'm up here working and stuff.

You see what I'm doing.

Oh.

I'm working up here.

Well, you should have came and danced, man.

We missed you.

I know that.

I know that.

We know you're the best dancer.

Wait a minute.

I'm gonna go -- Wait, hold up for a minute.

Okay, I'll hold.

Patty!

Woman: What do you like to do?

Snacks.

You know, it's nice to have people to say I love you in the morning and tell you goodbye and tell you they I can't wait to see you on Monday, you know?

An old lady my age, you usually don't get that.

But I have plenty of boyfriends and get plenty of compliments.

I've started out fresh out of college, working at a state institution for people with intellectual disabilities.

At that point in time, which was 1974, the idea was that the best thing to do, if you had a child with a disability, was to put them away