COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA. (KMTV) — The American Midwest Ballet and Autism Action Partnership create a welcoming experience for all with sensory-friendly modifications to The Nutcracker performance.
- Everly and her mom Sarah Carlberg were among the excited atendees.
- Modifications included adjusted lighting, sound cues, a shortened performance, sensory kits, and a quiet space for breaks.
- "Everybody's just really understanding. It's less crowded. I feel like even though it's a sold-out show, people are good about giving you space, which is really nice."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's an inclusive version of a holiday classic Here at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs families are gathering for a sensory-friendly performance of The Nutcracker.
It's the fourth year the American Midwest Ballet has teamed up with Autism Action Partnership to put on this event. And this year... it's a sold-out show. 12-year-old Everly and her mom Sarah Carlberg were very excited to attend.
"It's a special time and this is my second time coming here. A very special time for her and me," said Everly.
"This is our only time that we get to come to the ballet. So that's really special and we get to dress up and we get to bring her aunt who she loves and it's just like a fun annual, becoming like an annual family tradition for us," said Sarah.
The ballet has a number of modifications to make it more welcoming for all, including adjusted lighting and sound cues, a shortened length of performance, sensory kits, and a quiet place families can go if they need to take a break.
"Some of the things we've heard is they say, we normally wouldn't go to the show because we don't wanna maybe disrupt someone else's experience. But here, this show is specifically for them. Everyone is welcome and they know that's the expectation," said Erika Overturff, Artisit Director and CEO of American Midwest Ballet.
"Everybody's just really understanding. It's less crowded. I feel like even though it's a sold-out show, people are good about giving you space, which is really nice," said Sarah.
Now, the American Midwest Ballet is working to be more sensory-friendly year-round.
"One of the things we learned is it's really helpful for people to know what to expect ahead of time. So with the show, we were able to maintain a lot of the magical elements and special features. It's just more about letting everybody know what to expect," said Sarah.
It's all about creating a comforting and welcoming environment so that people like Everly and her mom Sarah can make family memories that'll last.
"I wanna say that autism and ADHD are our superpowers. Our disabilities are superpowers and if you don't have superpowers, that's OK. You're still awesome and special," said Everly.
Autism Action Partnership will be hosting a few more events this holiday season that will also be sensory-friendly. You can find more information on their website here.
