Appeared March 2, 2007 in the State Jounral Register. (reprinted with permission 3/06/07)

In a 2005 address to two national Down syndrome organizations, Dr. Dennis McGuire of Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge painted a picture of "what a rich and interesting world" it would be if people with Down syndrome were in charge. Among other things, pretentiousness and procrastination would be out; hugging and honesty would be in. And people would get married more often. That last point may seem a bit odd to you, but it makes perfect sense to Sande Hilst. "Wedding receptions are Michael's favorite thing to do," she says. "All the girls love to dance with him." Michael is her son. He is 22 years old and has Down syndrome. Michael loves to dance, and now he doesn't have to wait for someone he knows to tie the knot before he can cut a rug. Michael's not as busy now that he's out of school, but his mom makes sure he stays engaged. One of his former teachers, now retired, comes by to tutor him a couple of afternoons each week. On Thursday and Friday afternoons he goes to work at McDonald's, a job that he loves. And then on Friday evenings, even if he's a bit worn out from wiping down tables and picking up trays, Michael heads to dance class. "No matter how tired he is, he always gets fired up when it's time to go to class," Sande Hilst says. There's a book sitting on the counter of the Turnout Movement Arts Studio in the Laketown Shopping Center that contains a quote by humorist Dave Barry: "Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance." Those are encouraging words for bashful dance students. Michael and the seven other students who gather at the studio on Friday evenings, however, are not the least bit self-conscious about moving out onto the dance floor. The class, which began this year, is called Getting Down. It was developed by the studio's director, Tracey Sims, for people with Down syndrome. According to the research manager of the National Down Syndrome Society, it is believed to be one of a few in the United States.

On a recent Tuesday evening, more than a dozen kids were jumping, dancing and kicking their way into better health rather then vegging out in front of a television or computer screen.

They were participating in, and by all counts enjoying, a session of HipKick, an innovative exercise and dance program developed by Amy Giles of Progressive Kenpo Karate and Tracey Sims of TurnOut Movement Arts Studio.

HipKick melds together martial arts movements and hip hop dance, along with some basic exercise techniques, as well as games and trampoline work.

"The kids love it," Giles said. "The classes are getting bigger and bigger. It's not a set program that involves a certain technique. It has lots of movement, punching and kicking, and they don't have any idea they are getting a lot of really good exercise."

Kristen Tonjes, 12, and her sister, Mallorie, 5, have come to three different sets of HipKick classes.

"Kristen saw a presentation at her school about the program, and she wanted me to bring her here," said her mother, Annette. "Her sister had to come, too.

"If they weren't doing this, they would be sitting at home playing video games. They look forward to this all week."

Shannon Allman said her 8-year-old daughter, Isabelle, started coming to HipKick with her friends and now wouldn't miss it.

"I think it's improved her coordination," Shannon Allman said. "She'd just be watching TV right now if she wasn't here."

"I think this is great — especially this time of year when there's no organized sports or outside activities they can be involved in," Michelle Bretscher said. Her daughters, Katy, 9, and Ellie, 8, were involved in a sort of kickball game involving large bean bags instead of balls.