"Excuse me?! What's their problem?" AZ government tells woman "no more cartwheels"

PHOENIX, AZ (WITI) -- No more cartwheels! That's what a government agency is telling a Phoenix woman! She's known for her acrobatics at public meetings -- but she says the order isn't going to hold her back!

Dianne Barker says she doesn't feel her cartwheels are causing any harm.

"I think that the cartwheel -- something I found out that I could do that is enjoyable and definitely expresses my passion," Barker said.

Barker is a promoter of multi-modal traveling (i.e. -- getting around without a car).

The former Ohio State cheerleader still has the spunk and stamina to pull off her cartwheels, so she does -- at certain public meetings.

"At the end I said 'you know something, you need to have passion in what you're doing, rather than three minutes, and here's your lobotomy,'" Barker said.

Some leaders with the Maricopa Association of Governments don't see it the same way.

The MAG sent (Barker) this letter saying she must cease from doing cartwheels at their meetings. They say they have the authority to impose time and manner restrictions on their speakers.

"Just because I have confidence in myself in executing they said it was unprofessional. Excuse me? It was professionally and skillfully executed so what's their problem?" Barker said.

Barker says she's not going to let MAG hold her back from expressing herself the way she wants to.

Barker says she will follow the order and refrain from doing cartwheels at their meetings.

But don't expect her to keep her feet on the ground. She says she just might flip next time.

"The cartwheel isn't the end of it. I'm walking down the wall backwards and getting myself in shape for doing the backover," Barker said.

Barker says she had done cartwheels in the past and was told to stop because of concerns she might hurt somebody else -- or herself.

She says she always keeps her distance from other people.

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