They've got the moves

A team of wheelchair-bound students proved they have every bit as much spunk as able-bodied folks by winning the grand prize of Bt10 million on “Thailand’s Got Talent”.

The group eight students, known as Wheelchair Dance, delighted viewers as they performed handstands, wheelies and various other acrobatic feats that left the judges open-mouthed.

“Congratulations to Wheelchair Dance on winning this year’s ‘Thailand’s Got Talent’,” said Patcharasri “Kalamare” Benjamas, one of the four judges, immediately after the winner was announced. “We have all witnessed their development from the first round through to the final. They’ve been daring enough to do something different and improve as they go along. They are truly an inspiration to others.”

The group’s act was not without its calamities though, with Kalamare and her fellow judges visibly moved when Chatree Kampang, one of the eight disabled students from Sri Sangwan Chiang Mai School, fell flat on his face while performing a wheelie. The studio lights were momentarily dimmed as he was helped back into his wheelchair and the plucky youngster shrugged off his fall, giving credence to the group’s motto of never give up, as the music to Boyd Kosiyabong’s “Chai Chana” rang out.

“We want to be an inspiration to others, whether disabled or able-bodied,” says Chatree, who has no legs, as his teammate, Nathapong “Pong” Saewang adds, “We also want everybody to know that we can do the same as them. This is a success beyond our expectations.”

Falls are all part of the experience for the team, who got into wheelchair dancing as a form physical therapy. It’s a recognised sport in the West, with the first competition held in Sweden in 1975.

The Chiang Mai youngsters have also been pitting themselves against others and have brought home several gold medals. They are part of the Education’ Ministry’s Arts and Craft programme that seeks to enhance the imagination and help disabled students to express their personal visions.

“Wheelchair dance is a type of work-out for disabled students that helps them avoid bedsores. It is a way for the students to lift their bodies,” says school director Phoungtong Sriwilai. “And we perform to say thanks to the visitors to the school who often bring us food.”

“Since 2013, our team has consistently scored more than 70 out of a possible 100 points in competition. Early this year, we were awarded 97 points and that’s we decided to go up against the able-bodied,” adds teacher Parisa Ubonchinda.

Wheelchair Dance has developed their show to include break dancing in addition to aerobic moves. The b-boy addition was initiated a few years ago by Chatree, Pong, Thanawat “Noom” Khangkhan, and Vichai “Ball” Yebieng.

The four started by studying YouTube videos, practised the moves them posted their performances on the social networks. Other b-boy dancers were quick to offer suggestions and they have continued to polish their act.

“I wanted to do something more than sit still in my wheelchair and I’ve been have practising lifting up my chair and turning around it for the best part of a year. At the beginning I was forever falling because I couldn’t get the balance right. That was discouraging but thanks to the encouragement of my friends, I started to get it right” Chatree says. 

“After that we moved on to wheelchair acrobatics. I suffer from acrophobia [fear of heights] and I was so scared on being on the top and doing a handstand,” adds Chatree, who hopes to earn a living by working as an electronic or computer technician.”

“For me, the hardest is the handstand. It really hurt my arms at the beginning but that improved when I started lifting weights and doing push-ups,” says Pong. 

“At school my favourite subject is science. But, I would like to be a mechanic and have my own garage.”

“Every step of wheelchair acrobatics is difficult for me. I had problems with the backspin dance. But after months of sold practice I could do it. We never dreamt that we could become the champions but now we have and it feels great,” adds  Noom.

“I didn’t feel excited when we were competing against other disabled individuals but going up against able-bodied contestants has been a fantastic experience,” says Ball.

Other members of the team are Supaporn “Poon” Chaimool, Phumirin “Bank” Wongsa, Uthomporn “Am” Prathumpai and Thasanai “Te” Boonmee.

Bank, who’s been taking part in wheelchair racing since age 11, is now a member of the national youth team. “I brought my experience and techniques to the two-month training camp held before the competition,” he says.

Other members struggled at first.

“I felt awkward about joining the wheelchair dance club. Doing a wheelie in a wheelchair is hard but I never felt downhearted,” says Poon. “I’m now studying computers and would like to make this my career. My motivation comes from my parents who have always told me to fight.”

Teammate Te also “had a lot of problems with the wheelie but despite the disappointments, I never felt discouraged. I’d like to be like Bank and a member of the national team”.

Am hopes the talent-show experience will lead to other opportunities. “My ambition is to be a photographer like my older brother and focus on landscapes. I’ve already taken photos during a trip to the mountains with my parents and they turned out well.”

They are all quick to shrug off suggestions that Wheelchair Dance was awarded the win out of compassion.

“There’s nothing we can do about the way people think. These students were born with disabilities and they accept them. I am aware that Thais look on the disabled with pity but I think our group won because viewers recognised their abilities,” says school director Phoungtong. “The cash prize will be used wisely. We intend dividing it into education scholarships for each of member of the team as well as contributing to the education fund for other students.”