. >> if this is the magic, judith smith is the magician, founder who integrated this movement into theompany. axis is built on the backs of the company. even the lightest of movements are 'em embued with the weight. >> i was following my baby-sitter. she put the car in reverse and she hit me by accident. >> chasing an impossible dream to become a professional dancer, he still remembers holding his acceptance letter to axis. >> after they the write hurricane came to my island. >> huddling in the bathroom, praying they were survive singing to let each other know they would be okay. >> it gave me a lot of hope. i was in my house without power and electricity and i was just thinking, i'm going to work with axis, so i'm going to be very strong. >> he moves now for his family and his country. >> hi, you. >> hi, you. >> in the company that only exists because of judith smith. like many of her dancers, she has been rising to challenges her whole life. growing up in colorado, she was a champion equestrian. >> that was my first passion. >> winning with a $300 cast off horse against thoroughbreds

. >> if this is the magic, judith smith is the magician, the founder who integrated this movement intohe company. axis is built on the backs of the company. even the lightest of movements are embued with the weight. >> i was following my baby-sitter. she put the car in reverse and she hit me by accident. >> chasing an impossible dream to become a professional dancer, he still remembers holding his acceptance letter to axis. >> after they the write me, the hurricane came to my island. >> huddling in the bathroom, praying they were survive singing to let each other know they would be okay. >> it gave me a lot of hope. i was in my house without power and electricity and i was just thinking, i'm going to work with axis, so i'm going to be very strong. >> he moves now for his family and his country. >> hi, you. >> hi, you. >> in the company that only exists because of judith smith. like many of her dancers, she has been rising to challenges her whole life. growing up in colorado, she was a champion equestrian. >> that was my first passion. >> winning with a $300 cast off horse against thoro

>>e anthatnly bau of judith smith.r dancers, she has been rising to challenges her whole life. growing up in colorado, she was a champion equestrian. >> that was my first passion. >> winning with a $300 cast off horse against thoroughbreds. something about the odds inspired her to work harder, jump higher, until she couldn't. >> i remember the steering wheel whipping out of my hands and i remember waking up on the ground. >> it was a car, not a horse, that would leave her paralyzed at 17. >> and that changed my life. completely, yeah. >> it was both a move to the bay aea and the movement itself that allowed her to connect to her body again, become one of the founding members of axis and its creative director. abc 7 has been right there. this interview is more than 15 years old. >> it's pretty hard on the wheelchairs, wwet hao. d they probably weren't really built for it. one and two and three and four. >> judith brought a national spotlight to the company and attracted some of the best choreographers. now from her scor

. >> reporter: if this is the magic judith smith is the magician.nce company in the country. it's built on the back of adversity. even the lightest of movements are imbued with the weight of each individual's store. john pie of puerto rico was 1-year-old when he was paralyzed. >> i was following her. she put the car in reverse and hit me by accident. >> chasing an impossible roo dream to become a professional dancingers. he remembers holding his acceptance letter to access. >> after they write me, any to my island. >> huddling in the bedroom with his family and dog for eight hours. praying to survive singing to let each other know they were okay. >> it gave me a lot of hope. i was in my house without power in a city just thinking i'm going to be with access. so i'm going to be very strong. >> he moves now for his family and his country. >> hi, you. >> hi. >> in the company that only exists because of judith smith. like many of her dancers she has been rises to challenges her whole life. growing up in california he was a champion ee quest yan. >> tha