A Chance to Dance offers a place to belong

By HCMSep 3, 2026

A Chance to Dance is a fully accessible dance party where everyone, regardless of needs or abilities, is welcome.

There aren’t many spaces where special needs people and their families can simply have fun, dance, and feel welcome. A Chance to Dance was created to change that.

Local musician and DJ Chris Briscoe attended an inclusive dance event in Toronto with his family. Inspired by how comfortable and joyful his two special needs children were, he reached out to the organizers about bringing something similar to Hamilton. When he received no response, he and his fiancée Dallas Lombardi, an event planner with two special needs children of her own, decided to create it themselves.

It has become a deeply personal mission, especially when Briscoe came up with the name, which perfectly encapsulated the vision.

The third event, held in August, was hosted at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, where staff have embraced the dances, says Briscoe.

“It’s just this beautiful room. There’s just so much love.”

A Chance to Dance is unlike other family events. It caters to people of all ages with all kinds of special needs, both physical and invisible.

Attendance is intentionally kept below the gallery’s capacity, leaving space for mobility devices, support workers, and participants who may need extra room to move. There is sensitivity for those with sensory issues. A quiet zone, headphones, fidgets, earplugs, and additional rooms provide options for those who become overwhelmed, while a dedicated support person can help when needs arise.

Tickets are just $5, with caregivers admitted free.

The goal is not simply accessibility, but belonging. Lombardi says that feeling is what keeps bringing people back.
The event also aims to make participants feel celebrated, first in the elevated venue, but also with special guests, who have included Tiger-Cats, dancers, and local personalities. This year’s special guest is Olympic gold medallist and Toronto Sceptres player Jamie Lee Rattray, who will meet attendees and take photographs, along with the Ticat Dance and Cheer Team.

The events create a “magical safe space” that make her emotional, says Lombardi.

“I'm an able-bodied person, and there isn't a room in the world that I enter where I feel like I feel there, because it's a room where there is a sense of belonging that I've never experienced before.”

Briscoe and Lombardi envision A Chance to Dance growing beyond its Hamilton home. They’ve already held a dance in Cambridge and plans include another event during the school year, partnerships with school boards, and smaller pop-up dance parties in community spaces where participants already feel comfortable.

Eventually, they hope to establish a nonprofit structure and create a sustainable model that can be replicated in other communities.

But for now, the heart of the event remains simple: music, movement, and a room where everyone belongs.
“Like, these are my people,” Lombardi says. “I’m on the dance floor, too.”