November 12, 2008 An amazing group of dancers Play video

(Ally Donnelly, NECN) - Norwood, Massachusetts teen Faye Jones, 15, is a student in the adaptive dance program at the Boston Ballet School.

"You can do whatever you want and love is... what you have in passion and all that," Faye said.

The program is a unique collaboration between the Ballet and Children's Hospital Boston -- designed to inspire a love of dance and creative expression in children with down syndrome.

Adam Lewis is your typical ninth grader. And just how did he get involved in dancing?

"Because I was brave," Lewis said.

Adam's parents -- Barry and Ann -- come often to the South End Studio, pressing their faces to the glass, watching their child sweat and sway with abandon.

"When you first find out you're going to have a special needs kid, you think, 'oh, it's going to be awful and all the things we can't do.'," Barry said. "It turns out there's a lot of cool things you can do and he's just a lot of fun!"

The adaptive dance program is the brain child of Mickey Cassella -- the director of physical therapy at both the Hospital and the Ballet. About seven years ago she thought there must be a way to blend the two worlds.

Gianni di Marco was singled out right away to teach the class. The longtime Boston Ballet dancer is a magnetic mix of empathetic teacher and daunting drill sergeant.

"They get to be a part of an institution that we always think is for the elite and the gifted, and it's not," di Marco

There are therapeutic benefits for these kids who often struggle with sensory and motor skills development. They gain a better sense of their surroundings, giving them self confidence as they grow in this world.

NECN's Ally Donnelly reports in the video player above.