Dancing Through Life - Jaspreet Sekhon extends her zest for life to everything she does. Be it through dancing, self-advocacy, or educating little pre-schoolers. Nothing stops her from moving through life with a spring in her step.

These days, Jaspreet keeps busy with various virtual meetings. All her favourite activities are now conducted online, including dancing. She dances with the Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC) and is currently collaborating with an Australian multi-disability group. Not only does she perform, she is a co-trainer for pre-schoolers, teaching them dance and movement.

Having joined the joint self-advocacy project ‘Our Lives, Our Voices’ by Down Syndrome Association (Singapore) and MINDS (Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore), Jaspreet fills her days doing advocacy work. She has various discussions with organisations on inclusivity for people with Down Syndrome. Jaspreet is no stranger to speaking up on issues that matter to her. Her proudest moment is being selected to make a keynote presentation at a United Nations event in New York in 2014 on ‘Health and Well-being’. This was a highlight for her, as it combined advocacy with her love of travelling and experiencing other cultures.

However, it was not always easy speaking up. When Jaspreet was diagnosed with Down Syndrome at birth, it was a challenging time navigating the world. “Everything was bleak initially. My parents and I had bad experiences with professionals. However, as a family, we persevered,” she explained. The tough experiences were due to misinformation and a lack of research back in those days. Jaspreet’s family gathered more knowledge to support her, eventually starting the Down Syndrome Association (Singapore).

“Limitations and barriers are created in the community,” she says,“ and the only way to overcome this is through education.” This includes treating people with Down Syndrome and their caregivers as part of the community. Her dream for the future? To attend a university as she’s a firm believer in lifelong learning. For her, it’s important to ensure others realise their own abilities too.

Jaspreet moves gracefully to her own rhythm – both on stage and in real life; what a joy it is to witness.