Christina and other athletes were inspired by Special Olympics Hellas’ participation in the 2021 World DanceSport Championship to start their own team. Her goal is to use dance as an opportunity for people with and without intellectual disabilities to be part of the same team and to promote fitness, joy and above all, friendships.

This project will start with team development and bonding, and over 9 months, participants will train together and prepare for a theatrical performance at the close of the project. Aside from improving their physical well-being and health through dance, Christina wants to provide the dancers with the chance for everyone to express their feelings so they can come to understand one another and build meaningful relationships. By establishing this dance club, Christina is setting them up to continue dancing and competing in performances well after the project deadline. Christina believes that participating in the Unified Dance Team will help other youth to find the same sense of belonging and acceptance among peers that she has through Special Olympics, since “being part of a Unified Team gives us hope for a Unified Future.”