700 Section - Feasibility of an Adaptive Bollywood Dance Program as a Culturally Tailored Community Rehabilitation Model for Children with Developmental Disabilities.

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Presenter(s)

Niña R. Carmela Tamayo, DO MS MPH (she/her/hers)

DO MS MPH
Prime Directives PM&R, Cleveland, OH and PAPA
Lakewood, Ohio, United States

Co-Author/Coautor(s)

DP

Devanshi Pandya, BS

Medical Student
Saba School of Medicine
Brooklyn, New York, United States
PP

Purvee Patel, n/a

Medical Student
UNT Health Fort Worth
Plano, Texas, United States

Co-Author(s)

AA

Alina Abraham, n/a

Medical Student
NYIT College Of Osteopathic Medicine
Glen Head, New York, United States
SS

Sona Santy, n/a

Medical Student
NYIT College Of Osteopathic Medicine
Glen Head, New York, United States
SB

Supriya Baskaran, n/a

Medical Student
NYIT College Of Osteopathic Medicine
Glen Head, New York, United States

Objectives : Children with developmental disabilities often lack access to inclusive, culturally relevant movement programs. Bollywood dance offers rhythmic, expressive movements that can be adapted to support motor skills, participation, and cultural connection. This project explores the feasibility of an adaptive Bollywood dance program as a culturally tailored community rehabilitation model.

Design: A student–clinician team implemented a full Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. This framework was selected to support cycle evaluation of feasibility, acceptability and implementation considerations prior to broader dissemination.

Plan: A literature review found no published Bollywood-based adaptive dance programs. A culturally tailored workshop was then created utilizing universal design and recreational therapy principles. Choreography used repetitive patterns, narrative gestures, and low-impact options. Caregiver input shaped music, sensory supports, and psychological safety. Engagement and feasibility measures were developed.

Do: The workshop was piloted at a community dance studio (Danceability Niagara) with instructors, caregivers, and one child participant. Facilitators employed visual modeling, predictable routines, graded progressions, and flexible pacing. Data were collected through surveys,facilitator field notes, and observations.

Study: Data were reviewed to assess participation, enjoyment, cultural resonance, accessibility and implementation challenges.

Act: Refinements included adjusting choreography, adding visual and verbal cues, enhancing sensory strategies, and expanding caregiver coaching with plans for scaling.

Results: The one-hour Adaptive Bollywood Dance session demonstrated strong engagement and easy participation. The lead instructor implemented the modified routine in her class reporting increased excitement, improved cue-following, enhanced self-expression, positive family feedback, and greater social interaction.

Conclusion: This initiative demonstrates the feasibility of a culturally tailored adaptive dance program as a community based rehabilitation model. Future directions include expansion to a Ballet–Bollywood fusion program in Texas and iterative testing in additional community and outpatient rehabilitation settings, supporting broader dissemination of culturally responsive movement-based rehabilitation.