Abby Props has been teaching dance for 25 years. She joined the Lafayette Area Gymnastics Club in the summer of 2012. She started dancing at the age of 3 at the YWCA in Lafayette, where she studied ballet, pointe, jazz, and tap. While at the University of Indianapolis, she joined their dance team and competed at the NDA nationals her senior year. She started taking classes and then teaching at Dancedreams School for Performing Arts in Indianapolis, where she entered the competitive world of dance for the first time. She believes all students should have the opportunity to dance and compete, and sees competitions as an opportunity to learn and grow as a dancer and individual, not just getting an award. While in Indianapolis, she studied ballet, pointe, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical, and modern and teaching ballet, tap, lyrical, and jazz. While teaching dance classes for the Tippecanoe Arts Federation’s After School Arts Program, she was asked if a child with autism was allowed in the class, because the parent had been told no by other instructors in the past. This sparked an interest to make sure all children were welcome in her classes. Dance is for everyone. Her training with Rhythm Works has given her more skills and knowledge to be able to make dance for everyone. She loves to watch the excitement on the face of students when they get a new step for the first time. As her children grew, they learned that they had special needs. One son was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD. The other son was diagnosed with ASD. She is happy that she never stopped putting them into activities just because they acted differently than the other kids. It has taught them that they truly can do anything. This is what she is hoping to be able to teach other children through dance. She has her MS in Forensic Entomology and currently works at the Animal Disease Diagnostics Laboratory in the Pathology Section at Purdue University. When she is not working or teaching, she is trying to spend time with her three college aged children.