♪ vladivostok is a harbor city in the russian far east and home port for the pacific flaet. during the soviet era, entrina the it city was sea vaerly

restricted and it was even closed to its own citizens. mid july, 2017. a graup from the united states arrives at rvlads have tok airport. they are a group of disabled dancers. they are welcomed by the founder of a dance group in vladivostok. he invited the americans it join in vladivostok's first-ever inclusive dance show. he was born in 1974. his father was an it sailor. his mother an accounting clerk. in his boyhood, he loved sports.

in h in high school he competed in equestrian events and played ice hockey. during his third year in college, however, tragedy struck. while riding in a friend's car, there was a traffic accident. he suffered a spinal cord injury that left him pair lazralyzed fe neck down. however, he did not let the jar d -- injury defeat him. >> it made me think that i'm a man who should shed light on a small corner of the world. if it weren't for the injury, my life ma life might not have been kwat as meaningful. >> slowly he gained strength in his upper body. he formed an association for people with disabilities and

began taking them outside with him. he even created a sports club just for people with disabilities. in 2016, he formed a dance team where people with and without disabilities could dance together. he wanted to take down barriers that separate people with disabilities. they have practiced hard for their first joint performance with american >> translator: i've dreamed of dancing sense dancing since i was a child. i want to pursue dance more seriously. >> translator: i'm no different from anyone else. i just use a weheelchair for

legs. >> in this episode, we discover how people in the far east are working for a cln inclusive socy for people with disabilities. 9,000 kilometers east of moscow, vladivostok, capital city of mayor ta maritime province in the far east, population, approximately 630,000. the russian government invests to develop this city as a gateway to the asia-pacific region. vladivostok city hall is located in the heart of the city. in march 2017,

latest member of the city council. he succeeded a member who had died in office. built during the former soviet era, city hall has no elevators. achem must get to his office on the third floor each day with the help of a staff. this european-made chair lift for overwhewheelchairs was expr installed for his use. as a member of the city council, his goal is to make vladivostok an access-friendly city. he wants to help people with disabilities using his own experiences. >> translator: i am fully aware of what the disabled people require. the most pressing issue is the lack of facilities for people

with disabilities. >> achem lives with his parents in a suburb of the at this. wi -- city. with the assistance of his mother, he follows a daily regimen of physical rehabilitation. >> translator: see how tall i am in when i'm in may overwhelm cha -- my wheelchair, i look short. this is how i work my body. it improves is circulation. >> achem works here when he is at home. a painting hangs on the wall. it shows a bird trying to swallow a frog, but the frog is

fighting back by grabbing the bird by the throat. the word the in russian say "never give up." >> translator: my son pushes hard toward his goals. once he decides to do something, he makes it happen. he all tways presses poord with looking back. he never gives up. i add mayor that. that's how he overcame his disability and extends a helping hand towards others. >> achem leaves for dance practice. he drives himself to the studio. his car is a three year old import from japan. because he cannot move his legs, he works the accelerator and brakes by using levers. >> translator: sometimes the gps

speaks to me in a female, japanese voice. >> the studio is located in the heart of the city. it takes achem about 30 minutes to get there. the dance team is comprised of some 30 members, ages 8 to 65. the studio is run by this woman. she began ballroom dancing as a hi high school student. although she had never taught dance to disabled people, she readily accepted the challenge when he expressed his wish to develop an inclusive dance team. >> translator: choreographing dances fort physically disabled demands taking into elements that are unnecessary for able-bodied people.

i constantly improvise ways to make the movements for flowing and spontaneous. it's fun to explore new things. >> we visited a dance team member at her home. she is 65 years old and the dance team's oldest member. she dreamed of becoming a nursery school teacher, but in 1976, shortly after graduating from teachers school, a traffic accident left her pair lazralyz below the waist. her husband ivan once worked at vladivostok port. his spine was damaged when lumber he was loading came crashing down on top of him. the two met while both were at a

care facility. they were later married in 1977. until she herself became disabled, he says she rarely saw anyone with physical disabilities. >> translator: in those days, we rarely saw people with disabilities out in public. i wasn't even aware such people existed. when i suffered my sea veer jve injury, i thought i was the on one lake thike that. at the rehab center, i saw many people like that, then i knew i wasn't alone. >> during the soviet era, rehab centers for people with disabilities were built throughout the country. this is a branch of the national society of the disabled, housing

24,000 people with various disabilities. the society president points out that during the soviet era, the government's policy was to separate people with disabilities from the rest of society. >> translator: the former soviet policy was flawed. many people with disabilities, especially those who have severe disability were treated as a special group of people. their homes. schools, workplaces, all of that's were kept separate from -bodied people. they had almost no contact with outsa outside society and were forced to live their lives in a closed environment. the government lacked the financial resource to build facilities where people with disabilities could enjoy sports and other things. >> it began with a 2014 winter

paralympics in sochi. prior to the opening of the paralympics, the russian government announced it would make public facilities throughout the country barrier-free by 2020. especially in sochi city, side walks fitted with curb ramps and electric electric administrat electric stairway lifts to make it accessible to the physically disabled. she has noticed the recent change. >> translator: things have changed from before. i see more people with physical disabilities out on the treastr and television does stiers abeet us now. but for people like me, getting

arou around vladivostok is still quite difficult. the terrain makes it impossible to get around the it cicity by myself. >> this pedestrian bridge crosses a may yojor highway. there is a curb ramp for wha wheelchairs but only rails on the stairway. barrier-free accessibility has not progressed in as a city council member, achem conducts inspections in the city. he is accompanied by his parfat, a retiry living on a pension. on this day they visit a section

of the city with large markets and it -- stores. there is exposed gravel everywhere. achem finds his way blocked by other obstacles as well. he tells the manager of the beauty salon to rae move the his next stop is a home appliance store. he decides to ask a passerby for assistance.

he visited this store three months earlier and instructed them to intall a ramp. >> translator: this is my second time to come here but nothing's been done. >> translator: we've called the contractors, but they won't come. >> translator: if i report this, you could be fined 500,000 rubles. >> translator: i know. >> translator: please take care of it. >> translator: i'm pretty sure my boss is is working on the problem. >> translator: it's not just people in wheelchairs. there are people with baby

strollers, too. while i was waiting outside, i saw three mothers with baby strollers. one of them had a child with disabilities. please get that ramp built. as soon as possible. that's all i have to is that okay. >> this is a member of the dance team. he was born with leg problems and has been on crutches all his life. although he lives 200 kilometers from vladivostok, he accepted achem's invitation to join the show. they have choreographed a mexican dance just for him. he moves his body and hands in

rhythm to the lively the number finishes with him spinning his partner on his wheelchair. on stage, he will need to spin his wheelchair with one hand. with just one week to go before the show, they ramp up the intensity. >> translator: do you enjoy dancing? >> translator: i love it. johna says i'm pretty good, but i need to practice much harder.

the first is a romantic partner dance with johna. the second is a lively dance with another partner. because the mochs are unlike anything he does in a wheelchair, they help him with his rehabilitation. >> translator: before, archem would topple over wheelchair and all when he raised both his hands at the same time. but look at him now. he can do it. a little at a time, each day mak makes things you thought impossible possible. >> a care home in the suburbs of vladivostok. some 300 seniors and

with disabilities live here. he has come at the invitation of the priest who asked him to come to encourage one of their young residents. he is 27 years old. four years ago, he injured his cervical vertebrae when a dive off a cliff went horribly wrong. he was admitted to the care home three years ago. since that day, he has not stepped outside, even a archem spoke with him in his room. 30 minutes later, he was on his way outside. it is his first time out in the sun in three

>> july 15. the dance team from the united states arrives in vladivostok. the man in the wheelchair is the team's leader. dwayne shunman. he has brought three of his members. archem coordinated with the c s consulate in vladivostok to make it possible. in accordance with russian tradition, they are welcomed with a gift of bread and salt. bread and salt are essentials to human life. together they share the gift and western for-- wish for a succesl show. the following day, members of russian and american dance teams gather at a plaza along the coast.

the teams and others with disabilities danced alongside people without in a demonstration of inclusive dance to promote their joint show. they danced together for nearly an hour. >> oh, artum is an amazing guy. when we went down to the flash mob, they embraced the community and to see people who didn't know him dancing with him and joining with him, it takes a real special person to really bring people out and connect them like that. and his story and everything he's done for the people with disabilities in russia. he's a powerful man, and i'm happy to be his friend.

>> july 17. the curtain opens. more than 500 people have come. archem's mother is in the crowd. 45 people will dance on ♪ the show opens with johna and archem's dance.

[ applause ] they are followed by the dance team from the united states. dwayne is a master at the wheelchair. ♪ and then dwayne lays his

wheelchair down and spins his partner atop the wheel. [ applause ] ♪ it's time for the mexican dance number. the climactic finish, he spins himself and his partner in the

wheelchair. [ applause ] >> translator: i can't believe it. we actually did it. i'm beyond happy. i'm so glad we had so many people joining us. >> translator: it's a dream come true. i think human beings have no limitations. today we proved that.

>> archem's goal is a society with people with disabilities and those without can live together. it is a goal he continues to champion.