Making an Impact, One Step at a Time
Wednesday April 09, 2025
For 44 years, Ginger Anderson has shared the joy of tap dancing with students of all ages, creating lasting connections along the way. Among her many students, two stand out—Amelia Diaz and Cristina Ana Jones. Their bond goes beyond dance and has blossomed into a lifelong friendship rooted in mutual respect and intertwined with their connection to Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB).
Their journey began when Amelia, at age 7, and Cristina, at age 6, enrolled in Ginger’s tap dance class at the Braille Institute. This was the first time Ginger had taught a tap class to students who were blind or visually impaired, and she was determined to make the experience as inclusive as possible. Instead of asking her students to watch her feet and follow along, she described every movement. “Ginger was very precise, so it was easy to track what she was doing,” recalls Amelia. “She’d say something like: ‘Pick your right foot up and brush the ball of your foot forward and back.’”
When the class prepared for its first stage performance, Ginger ensured the students were oriented to the space, giving them a clear sense of how much room they had to move. “They were such eager learners and great listeners,” says Ginger. “It didn’t take long for them to pick up on every move I made.”
Inspired by their progress and love for dance, both Amelia and Cristina continued their tap lessons at Ginger’s studio throughout their childhood and into their twenties. When the Braille Institute stopped busing students to tap classes, Ginger Cristina and Amelia found their own transportation to continue Ginger’s tap classes. “I could perform a flap ball change or some other move, and they’d recognize it just by the sound,” says Ginger. “After so many years of practice, we knew what the steps sounded like,” adds Amelia.
As the years passed, the girls’ paths took a life-changing turn. In their late teens, both were paired with guide dogs from GDB. Their new four-legged companions began accompanying them to Ginger’s tap classes, adding an entirely new layer of energy to the studio. “The dogs were nothing short of amazing—so calm and well-behaved, even in the chaos of a tap class,” recalls Ginger. “They were doing more than guiding—they were transforming the girls’ lives.”
Moved by the profound impact the guide dogs had on her students, Ginger and her husband, Don, felt compelled to give back. They made their first donation to GDB and have continued to support the organization every year since, including a one-time bequest gift in 2017. “These dogs gave Amelia and Cristina confidence, independence, and love,” says Ginger. “I saw them open up in ways they hadn’t before. It was like they were walking with a new sense of freedom.”
Today, Amelia, 37, has a master’s degree in English and is a writer, blogger, and poet working on her first novel. Cristina, 36, is a trained opera singer who studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. She has performed in numerous operas and teaches voice to people of all ages.
“For me, tap was a really fundamental part of growing up, and in many ways, Ginger became like a second parent to me,” says Cristina. She credits her tap dance training for helping her perform on stage as an opera singer. “I attribute the majority of my ability to navigate the logistics of moving on stage without a mobility tool to Ginger because she taught me to move confidently and comfortably on stage.”
For Amelia, tap was a creative outlet to let loose and express herself. “Tap gave me a permission slip to have fun. It brought me a sense of security, freedom, and joy,” says Amelia. “Ginger was always a safe person I could talk to. As we got older, some of our Friday afternoon tap classes became unofficial therapy sessions.”
Amelia recalls Ginger’s unwavering support when she and Cristina decided to pursue careers in the arts. “She was one of the few adults who supported me to follow my dreams. That was so meaningful,” says Amelia, who has written a few stories about her tap-dancing years and even dedicated a poem to Ginger.
Looking back on their journeys, Ginger sees striking parallels between the steps the girls took in dance and the steps they took with their guide dogs. “Both require discipline, patience, and trust,” says Ginger. Cristina and Amelia agree, noting that in dance, they memorized movements and performed in front of others. With their guide dogs, they learned their routes and trusted their dogs to guide them safely to their destinations.
Though their lives have taken them in different directions, Ginger remains in close touch with Amelia and Cristina. They talk often and she couldn’t be prouder of the women they’ve become. “They will always be my girls,” says Ginger, her voice filled with pride and affection. “They’ll always be stars in my heart—each in their own unique way.”
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