Blind Ballet

Dancing with grace and poise is a challenge for any dancer. But the challenge is amplified exponentially if that dancer happens to be visually impaired. 
Brazilian ballerina and physiotherapist Fernanda Bianchini created the Association of Ballet and Arts for the Blind in 1995 as a way to help students improve their posture, balance, spatial sense and self-esteem—as well as reduce stigmas about people with handicaps. Amazingly, Bianchini was just 15 at the time. Yesterday, her students performed Corsario and Paquitas at the Italo Theater in São Paulo. The performance photos are beautiful and inspiring, and a documentary, Looking at the Stars, is in production for an in-depth look at this unique and innovative organization.