Over 70 individuals entered the Brown-Lupton University Union Ballroom last Saturday with at least one goal in mind: to have a fun night.

TCU’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) hosted “A Chance to Dance.” This year had the biggest crowd yet.

The event is a prom-themed dance for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, said senior speech-language pathology major Camille Vick.

“It’s just a fun time for all of us to get together and celebrate and dance with each other and embrace everyone and who they are,” said Vick.

Over 30 volunteers helped set up the BLUU Ballroom an hour before the dance, and around 40 guests showed up at 6 p.m.

One group of guests included married couple Dave and Wendi Lyon. They heard about “A Chance to Dance” from a friend. They and their 14-year-old daughter with down syndrome attended the event.

Dave said he was happy to see his daughter have fun.

“She walked onto the floor and she has been dancing ever since,” he said after being there for about an hour. “And the smile on her face, it just brings joy to me to see that.”

Roberta Licciardone arrived at the event with her 25-year-old son. She brought her video camera to record her son dancing. 

“It’s a great opportunity for all young adults to experience what everyone else experiences,” Licciardone said.

Senior speech-language pathology major Molly Haines was in charge of this year’s event. She said they have been planning since the end of last semester.

Haines said individuals hear about “A Chance to Dance” through emails, fliers and phone calls. She said NSSLHA also reaches out to Fort Worth ISD and other community groups in the area. 

“I hope they realize how much TCU NSSLHA cares about their community and their group and how much passion we have for our future career and why we are doing it,” Haines said.