Never underestimate the power of music – or dance. Dance is what gave Gabe Adams something to dream about, and he ended up inspiring his entire high school.

The teenager was born with no arms or legs, but that didn’t stop him from doing the things he wanted to do – like join a dance team. After participating in a middle school talent show in seventh grade, Gabe realized that he loved it. He spent months working on a routine that earned him a standing ovation.

He told Utah’s KSL:

“I got into dancing because I wanted to prove to myself and other people around me that there was more to me than the kid that was in the wheelchair or the kid who didn’t have an extra activity to do and stuff like that.”

By the time he started his sophomore year at Davis High School, he wanted to keep going, so he tried out for the school’s dance team. And guess what? He made it – as the only guy among 28 girls. Once his teammates saw what he could do on the dancefloor, they were just as excited as he was.

No one viewed him any differently just because he had a disability and he was treated the same. In fact, it was a learning experience for all. As you’ll hear in this video, his work ethic has been inspirational to his classmates.

Gabe was born in Brazil with a rare condition called Hanhart syndrome, which can cause malformations of the limbs and other parts of the body. Some children who are born with severe physical abnormalities resulting from Hanhart are expected to be extremely limited in certain activities. Gabe has exceeded many of those expectations.

Abandoned at birth, Gabe was adopted by Ron and Janelle Adams, a couple from Utah with 13 biological children. He said his parents have always encouraged him to live his life without fearing limits. With that in mind, he learned to work with his body when it came to dancing.

Since his parents moved out of the David High area, he transferred to a new school, but it did not have a dance program. Gabe planned to continue taking classes and performing with a local studio.

Watch the video below to see some of Gabe’s moves and to hear how proud his parents are that he’s found something that he’s passionate about. He also told KSL:

“I love the feel that I get from (dancing) … I can be free and be who I am and express my emotions and feelings through it all and come out as a completely different person after the performance.”

To see another one of Gabe’s full performances with the dance team at Davis High, click here. Today, the young man shares his story through motivational speaking and yes, he’s still dancing.

Were you already familiar with Gabe Adams and his cool story? Do you know anyone else who hasn’t let their disability hold them back? Have you also found freedom through dance?