How to Dance in Ohio

-Woman: One-two, one-two-three. -(feet shuffle to count)

One-two, one-two-three.

Man: Sidestep once to your right.

Walk forward.

Okay, can you open?

And just, like, blink on there.

Yeah.

Marideth Bridges: I feel nervous.

Very nervous.

No. Just feeling awkward for me.

I'm... I'm kind of an introvert.

Not a very social person.

Caroline McKenzie: Well... in my mind,

I'll screw up a lot or just not know what to say.

I'm wanting you to see this as a chance

to face your fears to some degree,

to just simply cope with the moment.

Terry Sullivan: (sing-songy) You're gonna be gorgeous.

Jessica Sullivan: Well, I didn't really understand

this whole concept at first.

We like to socialize, but it's just, we don't know how.

Dr. Emilio Amigo: Come on in, guys.

Welcome, welcome.

Hey.

Come on in, guys.

I want you, as best you can,

to express how you're feeling about the spring formal.

So, who wants to go first?

Who wants to go...

Oh? Last?

Yeah, you want to go last?

Yeah. Do you wanna go last?

Okay. So, who wants to go second last?

Okay, Sarah. Who wants to go third last?

Okay. Who wants to go fourth last?

Drew, okay. You can be fifth last.

Who wants to go sixth last?

You do? Okay, then you're seventh last.

That means you're first.

Do you feel nervous? Frightened?

Suspicious?

Yeah?

You guys wanna take a guess?

Man: This is the quietest part in this day.

I know!

Okay, I'm gonna go and say

you're "quietly..."

Girl: Uncomfortable? Uncomfortable, yeah.

All right, awesome. Thanks.

And do you know when I feel quietly uncomfortable?

It's when I don't know what's going on

or I don't know what's gonna happen, right?

So, okay, you're next.

How are you feeling right now?

A little anxious.

Yeah, okay. A little-- I'm really anxious.

Okay. Little-- Like I'm gonna get sick, anxious.

Amigo: Oh, okay. Little to like, maybe, sick, kind of.

Christian, how about you?

So, how about this?

I think we need to-- Everyone take a really deep breath.

Okay? And then hold it for three seconds,

and then we're gonna let it go.

And we're gonna do that, like, five times, okay?

Amigo: What we do here is social skills therapy,

where individuals living with autism can learn how to communicate,

how to relate to one another.

Let's do it again.

For many of them, there's like a giant wall between them and everybody else,

and the simple task of learning how to say "hello,"

make eye contact, be in a back and forth conversation,

can be incredibly difficult, if not crippling.

All right. You can line up by the door.

Over the years, we designed these exercises and these activities

that are tremendously challenging for them.

And this year, we're gonna have a dance,

a formal dance, at a local nightclub.

How many of you guys would say you're comfortable

-slow dancing? -(others groaning)

Now, come on, come on, come on.

See...

Wait, guys, you're mature, young adults.

Girl: I don't like touching other people.

Well, we're gonna break you of that.

Don't you guys agree that when you have Asperger's and autism,

it's probably easier when you're a kid,

but when you become a teenager,

then you realize, "Oh, this social thing's kind of challenging," right?

I think I was diagnosed when I was like, in...

kinder-- must have been in kindergarten or something like...

around that age.

I've been coming here since I was in second grade.

And this has helped me get along better with people.

Amigo: Walk around a little bit,

like, to the other side of the room, just kind of mix.

You know.

Go ahead.

Saundra: Just follow him.

Marideth: I'm not that good at interacting with others.

Sometimes I feel like I have to socialize.

Amigo: Okay. What I want,

is for you to be facing somebody.

Umm...

Ashley: Yep. Can I help you two? Okay.

Christian: You guys match perfectly!

I am trying to help you!

I'm gonna help you, okay?

All right? Okay.

This hand goes on his shoulder.

Okay?

Chris, try to focus.

Amigo: Saundra, can you help Christian for me?

Oh! Oh, okay.

And then these two hands, what do you guys think they do?

Any guesses?

They're gonna hold hands, okay?

Okay, you guys are, like,

marching to the beat of your own drum.

So, ready, lean that way.

I'm gonna help you. Ready? Like a metronome.

Okay? Together.

Girl: (laughing) My arms are getting tired.

Amigo: You know, part of connecting with somebody

is to move in similar patterns.

Did you know that? Mm-hmm.

Amigo: Dance is like life.

It's a way of communicating.

You hear the music, Chris? Do you hear the pace of the music?

Slow down. Slow down, slow down.

Wait a minute. Okay, ready?

Get the beat, like this. Slow.

Amigo: Okay, we'll practice this next week.

You guys have a good time?

Girl 1: Bye, Marideth.

Girl 2: Have a good evening. Mm-hmm.

Girl 3: Bye, Ozzy.

Amigo: All right, we're back in the saddle here.

Ooh, new layout.

What the hey?

What a farfel!

Man: The table is missing.

The table's missing, what else is different?

Woman: Close up all his computer stuff.

Hmm. Oh.

Tim: There's a wide-open space. Yeah.

What could be, possibly, an activity we'd be doing tonight?

Dancing. Ding, ding, ding!

Ashley: Right. Hey, Jay.

You can have a seat anywhere.

So, yeah. That'll be for our life skills.

But we'll explain that more later.

Girl: Okay.

Saundra: You know, if you need it, Casey,

for more of, like, a downtime,

if you need to, like, go to a room or something

and just take a break,

that you can...

Ashley: Hey, Jay, Caroline!

Try to focus. I know it's hard.

Saundra: So, do you think anybody would regret going? How would you regret going?

Ashley: Like, what's the worst that could happen?

Saundra: Yeah, potentially.

Boy: There's a lot of stuff-- Getting dumped by your date.

Ashley: Okay.

Ashley: I like how you two look at each other, that was nice.

Caroline: Jay is really my first boyfriend.

I met him after I transferred from one group

at Dr. Amigo's to a new group.

Ashley: Okay. And I know dancing is not...

some of your favorite thing to do.

Or you don't necessarily appreciate it.

Ashley: We can take turns putting on the Wii "Just Dance" game.

Casey and Caroline, you want to see what "Just Dance" games we have?

Hey, Casey.

Casey, I haven't danced in a long time.

Now I'm really starting-- Are you stressed?

Caroline: When I have to perform, and I'm not prepared for it,

I-I-I-- I tend to get really panicky and anxious.

I think, "I'm such an idiot. I should have known that."

I haven't danced in a long time.

Ashley: Well, guess what, now's your chance, right?

And I also have a t-t-tendency to scratch my, my arm... hard.

Caroline: Well, I'm going to try to...

I'm gonna make an effort to actually... dance

no matter how uncomfortable it could make me.

Ashley: All right!

Good job, ladies.

Thanks, buddy.

Amigo: We're kind of way ahead of schedule.

So now, you guys can just, pick something to do

and hang out with your fellow group.

Man: Language!