At nearly 90 years old, Diane Kennedy is still dancing, a testament to resilience and a lifelong passion undimmed by a childhood battle with polio. Kennedy, who contracted the virus in 1944 at the age of eight even as living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, lost the utilize of her legs but refused to let the illness define her.
Polio, an infectious disease that attacks the nervous system, was a significant public health concern in the mid-20th century. Before the development of the polio vaccine, outbreaks caused widespread paralysis, particularly among children. A 1953 outbreak in Canada impacted many, and a woman named Dianne Kennedy, living in Victoria, Australia, recalls the fear and disruption caused by the epidemic, including the loss of a young playmate to the disease. (polio.org.au)
Kennedy’s early experience with polio involved hospitalization and the initial need for assistance with mobility, including being wheeled to school in a wagon. However, she experienced nerve regeneration and regained her ability to walk. “As soon as I could walk again, I went right back to dancing,” she says. Her dedication to dance was fostered by a creative upbringing; her mother was an artist who had studied in Paris, and her father was a tenor soloist in their church choir.
Dance lessons were a requirement for Kennedy and her three sisters, though her siblings chose piano, she opted for dance. “If I hear music, I can’t help but dance. It’s my language,” she explains. This passion led to a career that included performing, and teaching. In 1953, at 17, she became the Assistant Ballet Mistress at the Canadian School of Ballet in Alberta, instructing dancers and preparing performances. She also performed with Manitoba’s Rainbow Stage in productions of Brigadoon and The King and I, recalling a particularly memorable, albeit slightly frightening, dance on a high platform during The King and I.
Later in life, Kennedy focused on teaching, offering classes to youth, adults, and seniors in various Ontario communities including Penetanguishene, Midland, Orillia, and Victoria Harbour. She operated her own dance school, Diane School of Dance & Fitness, for a time, and also taught at locations like the Georgian Manor and Bethel Baptist Church.
Currently, Kennedy teaches “On The Move,” a fitness program at the Midland YMCA, since 2015. The class is designed for seniors and focuses on mobility and muscle conditioning exercises performed while seated. Kennedy choreographs the routines and selects the accompanying music. “I always notify people they’ll be moving from their head to their toes. And they can come and do as much or as little as they can,” she says. Chair exercise provides a low-impact way for seniors to maintain strength and balance.
The YMCA has turn into a central part of Kennedy’s community, and she was recently recognized with a volunteer appreciation award for her 15 years of service. Despite nearing her 90th birthday, Kennedy has no plans to retire. “I sense that the Lord has kept me here for a reason. I consider it’s to teach people to dance and to move,” she says. She encourages others to stay active, emphasizing, “Get out and get exercising. It doesn’t matter which way you want to do it, just move!”
