relinquishing control and through dance. Consideration challenged and viewers were sessions for young people power. All the students was given to the working required to consider notions of with Downs Syndrome, with process, especially the need beauty, aesthetics, validity, severe communication for ownership, content and intent. evaluated this short program difficulties, in a language unit sensitivity, care and trust and in a project that linked a as a challenge to their Questions and tasks focused on required by all participants thinking about the dancing group of primary ‘mainstream’ asking can we rather ‘what do?’ due to the students with disabilities. body. than do saying ‘we can’t that’. wide-ranging needs and This required a high degree of Through More recently in Australia, I ’s innovative abilities flexibility from all participants, worked with the 1997 education and community including the leaders. The program, Anybodies Dancing project, led of the group. Knowledge of dancers felt that they had I worked with a workshop by dance artists Helen Clarke individual physical abilities was Lapin and Janis Claxton program in Birmingham, which a key issue, requiring offered teaching students the exploring how integrated been challenged creatively participants to share groups can work. opportunity to work with their and positively by working information honestly peers in wheelchairs. First, The project culminated in an together to find solutions to so that risk-taking and safety informally presented collation movement tasks, often with after much lobbying and physical and emotional – – consultation, the university of some of the work unexpected and exciting could be balanced. undertaken during the outcomes. dance studio workshops, which was hailed The project challenged was made accessible. Then Throughout the project, the conventional perceptions of funding for transport to the by viewers as open atmosphere engendered the dancing body, each venue needed to be ‘challenging’, ‘beautiful’, by responding to technical and secured- a major challenge ‘moving’, ‘thought provoking’ the two dance artists enabled and of artistic choreographic tasks by in project ‘full integrity’. concerns about accident and contributing their planning. Some were ‘students A fundamental principle injury to be expressed own movement to the dance. anxious about working with emphasised by both leading honestly, as well as the Audience perceptions of people in wheelchairs, dance artists was the sharing of information about traditional requiring considerable ‘theatre art’ empowerment of all bodies participants’ particular dancing bodies were discussion about gaining and
sessions for young people with Downs Syndrome, with severe communication difficulties, in a language unit and in a project that linked a ‘mainstream’ group of primary students with disabilities. Through ’s innovative education and community program, I worked with a workshop program in Birmingham, which offered teaching students the opportunity to work with their peers in wheelchairs. First, after much lobbying and consultation, the university dance studio was made accessible. Then funding for transport to the venue needed to be secured- a major challenge in project planning. Some ‘students were anxious about working with people in wheelchairs, requiring considerable discussion about gaining and relinquishing control and power. All the students evaluated this short program as a challenge to their thinking about the dancing body. More recently in Australia, I worked with the 1997 Anybodies Dancing project, led by dance artists Helen Clarke Lapin and Janis Claxton exploring how integrated groups can work. The project culminated in an informally presented collation of some of the work undertaken during the workshops, which was hailed by viewers as ‘challenging’, ‘beautiful’, ‘moving’, ‘thought provoking’ and ‘full of artistic integrity’. A fundamental principle emphasised by both leading dance artists was the empowerment of all bodies through dance. Consideration was given to the working process, especially the need for sensitivity, care and trust required by all participants due to the wide-ranging needs and abilities of the group. Knowledge of individual physical abilities was a key issue, requiring participants to share information honestly so that risk-taking and safety – physical and emotional – could be balanced. The project challenged conventional perceptions of the dancing body, each responding to technical and choreographic tasks by contributing their own movement to the dance. Audience perceptions of traditional ‘theatre art’ dancing bodies were challenged and viewers were required to consider notions of beauty, aesthetics, validity, ownership, content and intent. Questions and tasks focused on asking ‘what can we do?’ rather than saying ‘we can’t do that’. This required a high degree of flexibility from all participants, including the leaders. The dancers felt that they had been challenged creatively and positively by working together to find solutions to movement tasks, often with unexpected and exciting outcomes. Throughout the project, the open atmosphere engendered by the two dance artists enabled concerns about accident and injury to be expressed honestly, as well as the sharing of information about participants’ particular
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