Little Girl With Developmental Delays Now Dancing In Viral Video
BOSTON (CBS) - A cell phone video of a little girl dancing has caught on in the cyber world.
What's the big deal? Well for her family in Hamilton, the picture is worth way more than a thousand words.
Not too long ago, two year old Callia Range couldn't do, well, much of anything.
"She was 10 months old and sitting, but barely moving, not rolling, not meeting her milestones, not able to even put her hand to her mouth," says Callia's mother Laura Range. "Basically she lived her life with her arms off to her sides and her legs out straight. She was unable and also fearful to move outside of that."
Callia has what's called "significant gross motor delays." But thanks to an early intervention program and therapy through the Northeast ARC, an agency that works with people with disabilities, Callia has made great strides, literally.
"Not only has she gained the ability to move, she's also gained confidence. Now she is running and jumping and dancing," Laura says.
And become a bit of a social media star because of a video taken by Laura. They were at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem visiting the new Rodin exhibit.
"Callia saw a dancer as part of the exhibit and she sat down, took off her shoes and went over and started dancing," her mother told us.
The dancer from the BoSoma Dance Company was Jessica Flynn. She didn't miss a beat, changing her movements just for Callia, so the two year old could easily copy her.
"It was like she had interacted with an angel. She was inspired by the dancer. She wanted to imitate her. I've never seen her dance like that before, but I've seen her dance like that many times since then," says Laura.
Thanks to early intervention and hard work, who knows, maybe Callia will one day take the stage herself.
"On the one hand it's so simple. It's a toddler dancing with a ballerina. And on the other hand it represents over a year's worth of hard work and practice and strength building," Laura says.
Check out the video above.
