"It's a religious experience," said a woman pastoral worker after watching Cleveland Ballet Dancing Wheels perform, "seeing how they care for each other, stretching your thinking and expanding your feelings of compassion."

"We were preaching to the choir in our disabilities workshops," said CTA Board Member Lena Woltering. "They were attended mainly by people already dealing with disabilities in some way." She recommended CBDW in 1997 in the hope that their unusual performance would draw a crowd who could gain new awareness of those with all kinds of disabilities. It worked. In both 1997 and 1998, the workshop was standing room only.

Inclusiveness is a large part of the message. CBDW often work with children, who don't have the same preconceived notions as adults. Having seen them work, audiences agree they never again see people in wheelchairs in the old way. "After a while, you don't even see the wheelchair," says one of the dancers. Just as sports for people with physical limitations have become widespread, they hope that someday performing arts will follow suit.

This year's trio consisted of Marcie Ryan, a "sit-down" dancer, and Edwina Anthony and Dang Ngoc Hoang, the "stand-up dancers." CBDW was founded by Mary Verdi-Fletcher. Born with spina bifida, she refused to accept the idea that her desire to be a dancer could not be realized. "It's about dreams," she says, about seeing possibilities instead of disabilities.

CTA is looking into grant money to bring the inspiring troupe to a future conference as a main-stage event.