Lars Nelson, a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet, joins Stephanie Daniels to share about his faith journey, career, and passion to see people with disabilities served and included by the church. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he began dance training at the age of 11, studied at the School of American Ballet, then joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. He is husband to Tanya and also brother to Eric, who lives with cerebral palsy.
Lars Nelson, a member of New York City Ballet’s corps de ballet, joins Stephanie Daniels to share about his faith journey, career, and passion to see people with disabilities served and included by the church. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he began dance training at the age of 11, studied at the School of American Ballet, then joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in 2011. He is husband to Tanya and also brother to Eric, who lives with cerebral palsy.
Learn more about Lars Nelson and hear why he names Joni Eareckson Tada as his hero!
Find out more about our Wheels for the World® program, which hand-delivers wheelchairs and Bibles to people with disabilities in developing countries, all in the name of Jesus.
Learn more about our Family Retreats.
Discover our free resources to help your church fully embrace people living with disability.
KEY QUESTIONS:
KEY SCRIPTURES:
Stephanie Daniels:
Hi friends! I’m your host, Stephanie Daniels, and you’re listening to the Joni and Friends Ministry Podcast. We’re sharing hope as we answer real questions about disability. Join us every week for an honest and encouraging conversation, along with practical ways to include people with disability in your church and community. So, grab a seat, and let’s jump in!
Lars Nelson is a member of the New York City Ballet's Corps De Ballet. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he began dance training at the age of eleven, studied at the School of American Ballet, then joined the company as a member of the Corps De Ballet in 2011. He's husband to Tanya, and also brother to Eric who lives with cerebral palsy. Today, Lars joins us to share all about it.
Welcome to the podcast, Lars.
Lars Nelson:
Hi. Thank you for having me.
Stephanie Daniels:
We're so glad you're here. I just wanna see if you would start by sharing a little bit about yourself, and how you came to know Christ.
Lars Nelson:
Yes! I'm originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and I was born and raised into a christian home. I have two older brothers. My oldest brother is Kyle, and my middle brother is Eric. Eric lives with cerebral palsy. My dad is American, my mother's German. They met as missionaries in Italy. They met in language school. And then my dad taught at a Bible college in Italy for a little under 10 years. I can't really think of a time that I, I really came to Christ because it's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
I was very fortunate when I moved to New York, God brought other strong believers into my life.
For example, my good friends, Price Sudar, he's a dancer now in Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle. And another good friend Silas Farley, who was in New York City Ballet with me. We attended a Redeemer Presbyterian church led by Tim Keller. So, I've been very fortunate that God has provided other strong believers and strong resources to me throughout my life.
Stephanie Daniels:
Okay, that's so cool. I'm just curious, are there a lot of believers in the dance world?
Lars Nelson:
There are more believers in the dance world than you would expect. In New York City Ballet, we're a company of a hundred dancers.
Stephanie Daniels:
Uhhuh.
Lars Nelson:
About. And we've had at times, I think 10 solid, strong believers. Maybe up to even 15 of those who are maybe considering, or open.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
Um, I'm also a part of an international Christian dance community called Crescendo Dance International. It started as Crescendo International for musicians 30 some years ago for Christian musicians to connect. They saw that there's dancers who are believers who are very isolated in companies around the world.
Stephanie Daniels:
Hmm.
Lars Nelson:
And so, there was a, a need to connect them to encourage one another. It's really cool to connect with dancers in Estonia, in Germany....
Stephanie Daniels:
Oh, wow.
Lars Nelson:
...Spain. Dancers who are in Russia in school.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
And many other countries around the world.
Stephanie Daniels:
That's so beautiful. So, you are connecting with believers around the world. That connection, that community, is so critical. Especially as a believer, just to...
Lars Nelson:
Absolutely.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah. Grow in your faith together and you guys are all passionate about the same thing. Which I absolutely love dance. Also just to double back, your parents were missionaries. So, were they on the mission field as you were growing up or was that pre Lars?
Lars Nelson:
That was pre me. I think my oldest brother was there and then Eric was born in Rome and before I came along, they had moved back here to the States.
Stephanie Daniels:
Wow. Wow. Okay. So, you currently dance with the New York City Ballet. How did you first get interested in ballet?
Lars Nelson:
When I was 10 years old, I heard an advertisement on the radio for the Grand Rapids choir of men and boys. They had just come back from a tour to England, and I said, "Whoa, that's so cool. I wanna do that." So, my mother signed me up for the junior choir of the men and boys. When I graduated from that I joined the choir with the boys.
So, one year, the Grand Rapids Ballet asked the boys choir to sing during Nutcracker during the snow scene. I had never seen ballet before, and I was just mesmerized. The snow scene happens at the very end of Act one. Afterwards the boys were allowed to leave. I think for the first show, everyone stayed 'cause they wanted to see the show. Right. And I was the only one who said, "I wanna stay for the second act" every single show during that two-week run. And. I was looking down from where we were sitting and I said, "I wanna do that for the rest of my life."
I was 10. So, my parents, they didn't squash the idea, but they thought, you know, okay, well it's a 10-year-old. 10-year-old say that they wanna do this, and then the next day they wanna do that, and then the next day they wanna do this other thing. And at the end of that school year, the Grand Rapids Ballet sent flyers to the public school that I was attending to sign up for dance classes that summer. I handed it to my mom, and she said, oh, remember you said you wanted to do this, ballet thing do you want me to sign you up? And I said, “yeah.”
So, she signed me up for a week of classes and at the end of that week she said, do you wanna do the next week? And I said, “yeah.” And at the end of that week, then she said, do you want to continue doing this in the fall? And I said, “yeah.”
Stephanie Daniels:
Oh, wow.
Lars Nelson:
And so here I was 11 years old, surrounded by 5 and 6-year-old girls in pink leotards and little skirts. And it didn't phase me one bit, and I was just so determined and focused that I wanted to be a ballet dancer.
Stephanie Daniels:
That's incredible.
Lars Nelson:
Yeah. So, I studied at the school of the Grand Rapids Ballet for four years. Then I went to the School of American Ballet Summer program. Then went back to Michigan and I studied privately with a teacher named Jefferson Baum. He was at the School of American Ballet in the early eighties, when the school's founder, George Balanchine, was alive. He really got me ready to go to the school with that year of private training. Then I attended the summer program at the School of American Ballet the next year and attended the school for three years.
Stephanie Daniels:
Wow. Wow. I love to hear about how people fell into their passion and just current line of work. That's so cool. So, I would love to hear about your family growing up. It sounds like your parents were really wonderful people and just very encouraging of what you were interested in. But also, you have a brother Eric who lives with cerebral palsy. What was your relationship like with Eric, and did you ever feel a sense of responsibility for him while you were growing up?
Lars Nelson:
So, my oldest brother and I, we really tried to include Eric as much as possible. Whether it's jumping on the trampoline all together, play video games, or we'd play catch even though throwing and catching a ball isn't really Eric's strong suit. We really did a lot of things together. My parents didn't really make us do things for Eric. He was quite self-sufficient. But I did feel a responsibility if I had ever encountered others bullying or making fun of someone else with a disability. I would try to use it as a teaching moment.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
To try and get others to see a person, you know, a real person and not a disability that's different.
Stephanie Daniels:
I think that is one of my favorite things when I see siblings of people who have a disability, just the way that they love and care for their brother or sister is just really precious. And I think it does, it fosters really great things in the sibling as they're growing up.
Okay, so Lars, I first saw you in a video clip sent over by one of my colleagues, and in the video, you explained why Joni Eareckson Tada is your hero, and your articulation was so beautiful about both Joni's life and the work of Joni and Friends. I'm curious, how did you first hear about Joni?
Lars Nelson:
As a Christian and being so close to the disability community, it would be quite difficult not to hear or know about Joni. I remember seeing the film, Joni, with my family as a young child, and it was so moving. It focuses a lot on her artwork and just so beautiful...
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
...I think belongs in galleries at the Met in my humble opinion. But I had mentioned in an interview screen test that New York City Ballet does with the dancers in the company that Joni was my hero because of how Joni and Friends collects new and used wheelchairs and donates them to families around the world living with ambulatory disabilities.
It is absolutely life changing, not only to the person but the disability, but also to their families who care for them and sometimes 24/7. But what I intentionally left out of that filmed interview was the even more important thing that Joni and Friends does, which is provide a Bible.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm.
Lars Nelson:
With each wheelchair and sharing the Gospel and hope of renewal through Jesus.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Lars Nelson:
With each of those families living with disability. And I intentionally left it out because I knew that it would not be included at all in the final interview...
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm.
Lars Nelson:
... if I mentioned that bit. But my prayer is that if someone sees an interview and researches Joni well, it's impossible to know anything about Joni and Friends and not see that it's ultimately about the Gospel.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Lars Nelson:
And the wheelchairs are simply the practical blessing gateway to reaching those families.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah. Well to hear somebody explain it so eloquently and beautifully, I definitely would think anybody that would hear that, that doesn't know who Joni is, is gonna go look her up and see the beautiful work that the ministry does, 'cause you're right, it really is quite powerful.
So, you moved to New York, and you attended the late Tim Keller's church, and while you were there you almost met Joni. Can you tell us about how that all came to be?
Lars Nelson:
Yeah, so, Keith and Kristen Getty come to New York every Christmas time and perform a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
It's half concert, half worship service, 'cause they encourage the crowd to join in and worship throughout the evening. And lemme tell you, Carnegie Hall is rocking.
Stephanie Daniels:
Oh my gosh.
Lars Nelson:
Yeah. And so, members of Redeemer had the Gettys over to their home here in New York one year to give a in-home concert prior to one of these evenings. And I got to meet them and connected with their manager who would get us Christian dancers hooked up with tickets each year.
One year Joni was the guest speaker throughout the evening with the retelling of the Christmas story and how the coming of Jesus provides restoration and hope to our fallen world.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
And it was so incredibly moving to hear her speak live, and I wanted so badly to meet her after. And so, I, I hurried over to the after party in hopes of being the first to greet her, should she make it over there. But unfortunately, I think logistically it just didn't work out. And so, she didn't make it. But I was able to meet so many other amazing people.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Lars Nelson:
Including Sally Lloyd Jones, who's the author of the Jesus Storybook Bible.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm.
Lars Nelson:
So that was a lot of fun as well as many other amazing people.
Stephanie Daniels:
Oh, and it's so cool to hear that you were at a Getty's event because Joni is great friends with them, so...
Lars Nelson:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
And I can only imagine that was a really beautiful evening.
Lars Nelson:
Oh yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
So, Lars, how has your experience with disability shaped your view on inclusion in the arts?
Lars Nelson:
There are so many things that people with disabilities can do, and so often people say no or make excuses for people with disabilities. And while offering to help with something as kind, we shouldn't look at others with disabilities as incapable or less than because of their disability.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
I work a lot with the education department at New York City Ballet. And we do specific and intentional programs and outreach for the disability community, both children and adults. And it really reminds you that anyone can be a dancer and you can dance anywhere, whether that's your living room...
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
...at a local dance studio or even a hospital bed. And I'm not affiliated with them at all, but I know Ballet West in Salt Lake City, Utah, has even had Nutcracker special needs performances where they include area children with disabilities to give them the opportunity to perform in a live production with a professional ballet company. And it's incredibly moving. I really hope that that catches on with more professional ballet companies around the world.
Stephanie Daniels:
I absolutely love that. You're putting on these classes and you're encouraging movement and expression amongst this community. It makes me think of Family Retreat. I get to lead worship at the Texas Family Retreat, and it is one of my favorite things to see...
Lars Nelson:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
...the attendees get involved in worship, 'cause I really do believe that that's what we are created for. Right? That...
Lars Nelson:
Absolutely.
Stephanie Daniels:
...that expression of our love for the Lord. To see those families and the individuals with disabilities engaged in worship and them connecting with Jesus. It is just so fulfilling and so beautiful and I just know that the Lord smiles. So, I'm so glad that you are encouraging that through your work and what you do, it's so great.
Lars Nelson:
Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, as a dancer, I use my body as expression, and I cannot imagine what it would be like to not use my body in a way that I want to.
Stephanie Daniels: Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
Um, but I love Joni's heart in regards to that. And she says, “The first thing I plan to do on resurrected legs is to drop on grateful, glorified knees." And that's just such a beautiful picture of how nothing in this life, able-bodied or not, compares to the person of Jesus. And what it will be like when we meet our mighty Savior face to face.
Stephanie Daniels:
Amen. Amen. That is so, so true. Seeing Jesus and being able to kneel at his feet. I know Joni's so ready for that.
Are there ways that Eric's disability has helped you grow, perhaps in terms of patience, empathy, or resilience? Like how has he been an inspiration in your dance expression?
Lars Nelson:
Absolutely. Eric is incredibly resilient. I really think that I derive my work ethic from him. He has what my father calls a limited skill set, but an unlimited work ethic. It is his joy to serve others, and he really embodies Matthew 25:40 where Jesus says, the king will reply, "Truly, I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
Eric sees and serves everyone like he's serving Jesus. He's even given the winter hat off of his own head and warm gloves off his own hands for someone experiencing homelessness in the dead of winter in Michigan, for which he paid for with a serious cold afterwards, but it was his joy to do so.
Uh, yeah. And he volunteers by cleaning at a local church, as well as Bridge Street Ministries. He also volunteers by sorting the donations made to a local thrift store called Unknown Nations. And Eric also got to give back to the disability community by being a helper at two Joni and Friends Family Retreats in northern Michigan a few years ago.
Stephanie Daniels:
That is absolutely wonderful. I love to hear that. You know, we hear at Joni and Friends often that you really get to see a fuller picture of the glory of God when people with disabilities are included in serving.
Lars Nelson:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
And it's just such a beautiful witness.
Lars Nelson:
Yeah.
Stephanie Daniels:
And so, I love that Eric is being a witness, it really is such a beautiful picture of someone with a disability ministering. Is he involved at your church?
Lars Nelson:
Yeah, he is. Everywhere Eric goes, he's always trying to figure out how to ask someone if they know Jesus and he just loves sharing the Gospel with people wherever he goes. He's always, just loves to talk about Jesus and what Jesus has done for him.
Stephanie Daniels:
I love that so much. That just gives me right in the feels. It makes me wanna cry. Where does this love for people come from?
Lars Nelson:
Yeah, I think that's Eric's way of spreading Jesus. What he can do is limited but he does it wholeheartedly, and so he says that's serving and encouraging and sharing the Gospel.
Stephanie Daniels:
Oh, I am so grateful for Eric's witness and how he is showing his love for Jesus and loving on people. I know he's planting beautiful seeds in the hearts of people that he encounters. So...
Lars Nelson:
Mm. Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
...what would you say to other siblings of children with disabilities, especially those who might feel overwhelmed or uncertain about their role in their family?
Lars Nelson:
Understand that this is your family and that you're blessed to get to have a close relationship with someone with a disability. It'll shape how you view others, how you view yourself and the abilities that you have, and how you can serve others in life who may have different abilities than you. If you ever feel overlooked because your sibling with a disability needs more attention, it's not because your parents or siblings love you less, but your family is helping your sibling flourish as much as possible in spite of their disability. And just know that Jesus made everyone in his image and he loves people with disabilities just as much as he loves me and you.
Stephanie Daniels:
That is just a really powerful and encouraging word, Lars. Growing up you would go to therapy with your brother, right?
Lars Nelson:
Mm-hmm.
Stephanie Daniels:
And so, you were interested in potentially doing occupational therapy as a career?
Lars Nelson:
Yeah. So, since I'm the youngest I was often brought along when my parents would bring Eric to therapy so I would see the therapists working with him and see others being helped as well. So even before I got into ballet, I thought that I wanted to be a physical therapist specifically for individuals with disabilities and it's so cool that now I'm in a adjacent field of movement and now I get to work with the education department and do a version of therapy...
Stephanie Daniels:
Absolutely.
Lars Nelson:
...as dance with...
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Lars Nelson:
...with people with disabilities.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah. I thought that was a really cool tie. That was kind of what your heart was at one point, but now you're actually getting to do that in your line of work and you're still using your gifts and helping this population.
So, as you're doing classes for people living with disabilities, do you have any perspective on inclusion? Are you seeing this level of inclusion at your church?
Lars Nelson:
I think there's always room for improvement with that.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
You know, Jesus was very much about those living with disability. And so, the church should also reflect that.
Stephanie Daniels:
Hmm.
Lars Nelson:
Um, and I think there's so many opportunities in the church for people with disabilities. Whether that's worship, singing, or handing out programs.
Stephanie Daniels:
100%. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's so many places for their gifts, whether it's greeting or helping in classes, being a buddy. There's so many opportunities. I love that you shared that.
It's such a huge pillar here at Joni and Friends. We want to help everybody find their place in the body of Christ, and that's why we offer churches resources on how they can start disability ministries or include people with disability into their churches. Because it just gives us a bigger, fuller picture of the glory and the beauty of who Jesus is and what he's calling us to do. We are missing out if we're missing a whole segment of the population because we are not accessible.
And so, our heart is to see churches become accessible. We gotta step out and be brave. And when we do that, it really opens up the possibilities of what can happen in our churches.
Lars Nelson:
Absolutely. I mean, to see someone with a disability, watch how they worship. And honestly, I think that'll put my heart of worship to shame, you know, look at how they are glorifying God and just praising God in the midst of their circumstances. They're just nothing but joy and reverence before the Lord.
Stephanie Daniels:
Mm-hmm.
Lars Nelson:
Um, and I think churches everywhere should really work hard to make sure that they integrate those with disabilities into the church. And I love that Joni and Friends provides those resources for...
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah.
Lars Nelson:
...for churches.
Stephanie Daniels:
Yeah. Yeah. For those of you listening, if you feel prompted by the Holy Spirit to pursue maybe getting a disability ministry started at your church, I just wanna encourage you to visit our website at joniandfriends.org/church where you can find all the resources that we have available, or to get connected with one of our ministry relations managers at an area office, and check the show notes to find out more.
Lars, I just love your heart. I feel like your parents are wonderful people and they've modeled so well for you and all of your brothers, how you need to love and support one another. And I just feel like they were so attentive to each of you, and you are doing beautiful things for people and in the body of Christ. So, thank you so much for joining us today to just share your story.
Lars Nelson:
It was my pleasure. Thank you so much for having me.
Stephanie Daniels:
We hope this conversation touched your heart today. If it did, consider sharing it with someone who might be encouraged as well. And don’t forget to follow us on your favorite podcasting app so you never miss an episode. See you next week!
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