A young Saltspring Island man has overcome the disability of Down syndrome with his natural grace

Pat Burkette, Special to Times Colonist Published: Sunday, March 19, 2006 The path of an artist, no matter the medium, is often a road less travelled. That was true of dancer Brad Magnus when he performed with country star Michelle Wright at the Sky Dome in Toronto, and for the Emperor of Japan at Expo 2005. But it's just as true now, as he audits dance and drama classes at the University of Victoria. Brad is 33 and has Down syndrome, a genetic abnormality associated with a mild to moderate mental handicap. Society's attitudes and beliefs about DS have often made Brad's road rocky, as well as less travelled. Brad's father, John Magnus, says those attitudes are based on our inability to accept disabilities centering on the brain, rather than the body. "We understand physical handicaps. The law requires you to build a ramp for wheelchairs. But we're less willing to accept intellectual disabilities." That was made clear to the Magnuses when Brad was born in Calgary in 1972. Ethel Magnus's doctor advised her to institutionalize Brad, saying he would be lucky to learn to tie his own shoelaces, and his older brother would be known as "the brother of the freak." John Magnus, who has retired after a career as a lawyer, says in those days information about the capabilities of people with Down syndrome was gathered in institutions, where most were housed. "When people are in institutions, they don't necessarily demonstrate what they are capable of." Ignoring the doctor's advice, the Magnuses took Brad home, where Ethel, a teacher, worked at stimulating and encouraging him. Still, when Brad was school age, his only option was placement in a classroom of handicapped children. "It was basically crafts and babysitting," says John Magnus. The family found better educational opportunities in the small, supportive and diverse community of Saltspring Island, where they had attended summer camps. They bought a farm on the island in 1981, and the boy who wasn't expected to tie his own shoes drove tractors and combines with his three brothers, Nolan, Duncan and Chris. Brad was also enrolled in a regular school program with the support of an aide. Reading and writing were on the course list, and he eventually earned a Grade 12 diploma. But the cap and gown came second to Brad's discovery that he could express himself through dance. At a student variety show, Brad surprised a rapt audience with an interpretive dance performance to Anne Murray's song You Needed Me. His parents realized he had been trying, through his interest in music and break-dancing demonstrations, to tell them he wanted to dance. Once he found his calling, Brad worked hard to hone that talent. He took dance classes and was soon performing at Variety Club telethons, with troupes like Dancestreams on Vancouver Island and at conferences on special education and intellectual disabilities. At a conference in Cyprus, Brad caught the eye of a Japanese doctor, who arranged for Brad to dance for the Emperor of Japan in 2002. Last September, Brad was invited back to dance at Expo in central Japan. "In Japan, no one is allowed close to the Emperor," says John. "There is a line drawn you do not cross. But after Brad's performance, the Emperor came across the line and hugged Brad. Brad bowed and hugged him back."

In a tape of one of his Japanese performances, Brad is wearing a black dance leotard. His movements are balletic and evocative as he and a ballerina dance an impromptu pas de deux. The two have a dance pair's intangible chemistry, and you can clearly see a smile on Brad's face."I feel the music first, and then I work out a set of moves," he says. "Talking is hard for me, but I feel great when I dance." When Brad answers questions about his life in Victoria, he uses words sparingly. Does he live on his own? "With a family," Brad replies. Are people on campus friendly?"Very friendly. It is not hard to make friends." In fact, verbalization is a challenge for many with Down syndrome, who have better receptive than expressive language capabilities, according to Michael Shaw, board chairman for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society. Unlike when Brad was growing up, however, such children now begin speech therapy early. Parents receive more and better information when their children are born -- even prior to birth. Down syndrome children also have access to better, more inclusive education.

"In the '70s and '80s, parents needed to fight to get their children into ordinary classrooms," says Shaw. "Now you just enroll them and they go." But for adults with Down syndrome, education is still an issue. "We have students attending university in modified programs," says Shaw. "Their fellow students, who are the first generation of kids who have gone to school all their lives with DS kids, are very accepting." But that's not true of some professors and administrators, adds Shaw, himself a biology professor at the University of Manitoba and parent of a Down syndrome child.

In a 1994 book written by the Magnus family, titled A Family Love Story, Brad says, "I have Down syndrome. My life is a little bit delicate." Now, more than 10 years later, is his life still "delicate?" "Yes," answers Brad without hesitation. "Sometimes I cannot focus too well. If I feel upset or angry at myself, I get frustrated. I have to be by myself and calm myself down." Brad may not be able to change everything he'd like to about himself, but he has been an important agent of change for others. When she saw Brad dance at a conference, Dr. Naznin Virji-Babul, research director of the Down Syndrome Research Foundation and a University of Victoria neuroscientist, was inspired to develop a special dance project at Queen Alexandra Centre for Children's Health. Brad's fluid movements amazed Virji-Babul, who says Brad has worked hard to become such a proficient dancer."Typically, you'll see DS children described as clumsy, yet seeming to enjoy music." With Brad in mind, Virji-Babul developed Speak the Dance, using motion-capture technology like that used to create Gollum in The Lord of the Rings to help Down syndrome kids discover dance, while improving social and motor skills. Reflective markers are taped to the children's joints, and their movements are tracked using infrared cameras and a computer. Virji-Babul and her team use the data to develop personal programs to help children become more active. So far, the results look promising, says Virji-Babul, who plans to publish a paper on Speak the Dance in The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

Ethel Magnus can see Brad continuing to inspire people like Virji-Babul. She can also see Brad getting married, performing more and perhaps doing some teaching of his own. She can see him benefiting from an agent to book his gigs. What she can't see is a limit to Brad's aspirations. Neither can he. "Dance," Brad says firmly, "is my career."

1. 1. In 1866, English physician John Langdon Down identified the syndrome in children he referred to as "mongoloids," since people from Mongolia were thought to suffer from arrested development. By the 1970s, the condition was known as "Down syndrome" or "Down syndrome."
2. 2. Individuals with Down syndrome have 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. It's the most frequently occurring chromosomal disorder, usually caused by an error in cell division at conception called nondisjunction. Chances of having a child with Down syndrome are three times higher for mothers who are 35 and older. B.C. Vital Statistics Agency figures show that from 1981 to 2000, the Down syndrome rate was 1.35 cases per 1,000 B.C. births (the actual prevalence may be higher because of early terminations of pregnancies).
3. 3. Most people with Down syndrome have a mild to moderate mental handicap. Nearly all learn to read, write and do simple math. Some have earned college degrees with assistance.
4. 4. 4. About 40 per cent of children with Down syndrome have congenital heart defects. Some require surgery and others monitoring.
5. 5. Children with Down syndrome have a higher incidence of infection as well as respiratory, vision, hearing and thyroid problems. The average life expectancy is 55, although many live into their 60s and 70s.
6. 6. The Down Syndrome World Congress will be held in Vancouver at Canada Place from Aug. 22-26.

The Magnuses have set up a charitable society, issuing tax receipts, to raise funds to enable more people with Down syndrome to follow their art. It's called HEARD, Handicapable Enrichment Artistic Realization and Development. For more information, or to buy A Family Love Story ($15), phone 250-537-5708.

Pat Burkette is a Saltspring Island writer. © Times Colonist (Victoria) 2006