Introduction Andrew Morrish Positive/Negative is importantly, it points at why dance needs to claim back its own the is part ‘Reinventing wheel’ intensely practical with the history in these broader functions. This is a radical view and it is of natural development in any generosity of heartening to find a field. For nearly twenty years I have been watching practitioners in the field of its contributors evident in field in which the every chapter. They are giving radicalism is profoundly dance and disability finding based in compassion, and polishing their us insights into both what they ‘own wheel’. do and why they do it. You will competence and creativity. The positive side of this is a strong sense of ownership find activities to explore, I would like to congratulate scenarios to ponder, and in their work. This is both and thank all the contributors laudable and desirable, but for challenges to for Positive and Negative a field to develop it needs to your values on is ‘what dance?’, and to for its initiative. is and is endorse both its oral tradition ‘what disability?’ ‘what and to take the risk of making integration?’. clear statements This book not only presents of its own development. diversity in terms of Books such as Positive/ population, it also clearly marks out diversity of the Negative become important function of dance. There is markers for a field. We begin to realise there are things that reference to dance for performance, self have been said already, and that we can focus on what development, vocational opportunities, recreation and needs to be said next. They give us maps for pathways into social development. This points directly at a history of the field and help us to recognise we are not alone dance that is much older than its contemporary manifestation when facing difficult situations. as a ‘performance art’ and,
Introduction Andrew Morrish ‘Reinventing the wheel’ is part of natural development in any field. For nearly twenty years I have been watching practitioners in the field of dance and disability finding and polishing their ‘own wheel’. The positive side of this is a strong sense of ownership in their work. This is both laudable and desirable, but for a field to develop it needs to endorse both its oral tradition and to take the risk of making clear statements of its own development. Books such as Positive/ Negative become important markers for a field. We begin to realise there are things that have been said already, and that we can focus on what needs to be said next. They give us maps for pathways into the field and help us to recognise we are not alone when facing difficult situations. Positive/Negative is intensely practical with the generosity of its contributors evident in every chapter. They are giving us insights into both what they do and why they do it. You will find activities to explore, scenarios to ponder, and challenges to your values on ‘what is dance?’, ‘what is disability?’ and ‘what is integration?’. This book not only presents diversity in terms of population, it also clearly marks out diversity of the function of dance. There is reference to dance for performance, self development, vocational opportunities, recreation and social development. This points directly at a history of dance that is much older than its contemporary manifestation as a ‘performance art’ and, importantly, it points at why dance needs to claim back its own history in these broader functions. This is a radical view and it is heartening to find a field in which the radicalism is profoundly based in compassion, competence and creativity. I would like to congratulate and thank all the contributors for Positive and Negative and to for its initiative.
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