As the first contestant with Down syndrome to take part in the Dancing With the Stars fundraiser for the Hospice Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, Cameron Gordon felt “blessed” to have taken part in the event, and even reported “I almost cried a little bit,” after the routine, according to CBC News.
However, the reality is that the audience, and those of us who caught the dance online, are the ones who are truly blessed to have witnessed the exuberant performance by Gordon and Megan Connors, his dance partner.
The dancing duo performed a more child-friendly version of the dance that was featured in the hit film Dirty Dancing. It was fitting that the pair was dancing to The Time of My Life, as Gordon, donning the Patrick Swayze-esque black shirt and trouser combo, seemed full of confidence and joy.
“The crowd was over the moon and that makes me feel like I can do anything. And I’m so happy right now and I’m so blessed,” the young dancer shared.
The dancers didn’t just wow the crowd, they also impressed the judges, who awarded them with the Judges’ Choice Award, raising an impressive $9,000 for Hospice P.E.I.
But it’s not the first time Gordon has shared his physical talents with the world. He happens to be a trained powerlifter and has competed in the Special Olympics Canada — something that will definitely have helped him pull off the famous “lift” in the dance.
Gordon has also been dancing for seven years, under the instruction of his dance partner, Connors.
“Cameron continues to blow me away just with his dedication and empathy as a person. And he’s just so lovely to be around, and he’s such a treat to have in class because he works harder than anyone else,” she explained.
Dancing is very important to Gordon, who explained: “When I’m dancing I feel happy and powerful.” And the song choice for their performance reflects the way Gordon and Connors feel when they’re on the dance floor: “Me and Cameron, every time we’re in this room we’re having the time of our life, whether it goes well or not.”
Gordon’s mom, Catherine MacInnis, is understandably very proud of her son and his abilities:
“Years ago, people with Down syndrome were thought not to be able to do a lot of things. And there are people all around the world like Cameron … who are showing us that they can do anything that they put their mind to.”
For Gordon, the event was “really amazing.” As he said, “I raised a lot of money, and I had a whole lot of help. I’m just happy and I just had fun.”
Take a few minutes to experience the contagious joy brought to you by the talented Gordon and Connors:
And today we celebrate...