DANCEABILITY'S CONTRIBUTION TO MIXED-ABILITIES DANCE, A SURVEY
ANALYSIS
by
AMANDA CHRISTINA-PEARL HERMAN
A THESIS
Presented to the Department ofDance
and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
Master of Fine Arts
September 2009
11
"DanceAbility's Contribution to Mixed-Abilities Dance, A Survey Analysis," a thesis
prepared by Amanda Christina-Pearl Herman in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the Master of Fine Arts degree in the Department of Dance. This thesis has been
approved and accepted by:
o.,/~
Date
Committee in Charge:
Accepted by:
Steven Chatfield, Chair
Christian Cherry
Alito Alessi
Dean of the Graduate School
III
© 2009 Amanda Christina-Pearl Hem1an
IV
An Abstract ofthe Thesis of
Amanda Christina-Pearl Herman
in the Department ofDance
for the degree of
to be taken
Master ofFine Arts
September 2009
Title: DANCEABILITY'S CONTRIBUTION TO MIXED-ABILITIES DANCE, A
SURVEY ANALYSIS
In the summer of 1996 the 1st Annual DanceAbility Teacher Training was offered
by Alito Alessi in Eugene, Oregon. In the past 13 years 265 people have completed the
teacher training and are certified instructors of the DanceAbility Method. This study
sought to assess the influence ofthe DanceAbility Method by using a self-report
questionnaire to obtain and analyze demographic data and information about the mixed-
abilities teaching and choreography of DanceAbility Teachers post-certification. All
certified teachers with contact information available (207) were sent the questionnaire.
The 61 Certified DanceAbility Teachers who returned completed questionnaires were
from 17 countries; the largest percentage of respondents (46%) were Europeans, followed
by Americans (23%). Seventy-five percent of all respondents report teaching the
vDanceAbility Method, and 54% report choreographing mixed-abilities dance work since
completing the certification. A significant by-product of this study is the beginning of a
directory of Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
This thesis includes unpublished co-authored material.
VI
CURRICULUM VITAE
NAME OF AUTHOR: Amanda Christina-Pearl Herman
PLACE OF BIRTH: Everett, WA
DATE OF BIRTH: February 28th, 1981
GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED:
University of Oregon - Eugene, OR
Hobart and William Smith Colleges - Geneva, NY
DEGREES AWARDED:
Master of Fine Arts, Dance, September 2009, University of Oregon
Bachelor of Arts, Dance and Individual Major in Movement Science, 2003,
William Smith College
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Graduate Teaching Fellow, Department of Dance, University of Oregon, Eugene,
OR, 2004-2007
Co-Founder & Co-Director, the BareFoot Collective, Tacoma, WA, 2008-Present
PUBLICAnONS:
Chatfield, Steven, Donna Krasnow, Amanda Herman and Glenna Blessing. 2007.
A Descriptive Analysis ofKinematic and Electromyographic
Relationships of the Core During Forward Stepping in Beginning and
Expert Dancers. Journal ofDance Medicine and Science 11, no. 3 : 76-84.
VB
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to acknowledge those who contributed to this Shldy through support,
encouragement and assistance. First, I wish to express sincere thanks to my committee
chair and advisor, Professor Steven Chatfield whose unwavering commitment, guidance
and knowledge were integral in every stage of this project. I am deeply indebted to Alito
Alessi and Sarah Zolbrod of Joint Forces Dance Company and DanceAbility International
for allowing me access to their database and supplying me with countless supplemental
materials. I also thank the Certified DanceAbililty Teachers who took the time to
participate in this study-I hope you'll agree its fruits were worth the effort. Thanks to my
committee members Christian Cherry and Alito Alessi for their guidance and supp011. And
lastly, I am extremely grateful for my family and friends who believed in my ability and the
integrity of this work throughout this intensely challenging and deeply rewarding process.
Vlll
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. INTRODUCTION 1
Statement of Purpose :.............................................. 4
Delimitations.......................................................................................................... 5
Definition ofTerms................................................ 5
Significance of Study 6
II. THE STUDy........................................................................................................... 8
Introduction...... 8
The Study 9
Background.... 10
Western Attitudes toward Dance and Disability 11
Formation of the DanceAbility Project............................................................ 12
DanceAbility Teacher Training 17
The Need for a Directory of Certified DanceAbility Teachers.............................. 19
Procedures ,. 19
QuestIonnaIres.................................................................................................. 20
Directory............ 20
Instrumentation 21
Results and Discussion 21
Response Rate 22
Response Bias 23
Who Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers? 23
Who Summary 31
What Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Doing? 32
What Summary '" 34
ix
Chapter Page
Where Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Working? 34
Where Summary... 40
Why Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Involved (Or Not) With
Mixed-Abilities Work? 40
Why Summary 43
How Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Doing Their Work? 45
How Summary 50
Conclusion 51
III. CONCLUSION 55
APPENDICES 60
A. CERTIFIED DANCEABILITY TEACHER QUESTIONNAIRE................... 60
B. INITIAL INVITATION TO PARTICIAPTE, EMAIL 66
C. IJ\IVITATION TO PARTICIPATE, WRITTEN LETTER............................... 68
D. FOLLOW UP INVITATION, EMAIL............................................................. 70
E. DIRECTORY OF CERTIFIED DANCEABILITY TEACHERS 72
REFERENCES 78
xLIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Summary of respondents' improvisation (Contact and other) experience/training
before entering certification program 27
2. Summary of respondents' non-improvisation based movement experience/training
before entering certification program 28
3. Format of Certified DanceAbility Teachers mixed-abilities dance class
offerings 32
4. Countries where Certified DanceAbility Teachers have been active, sorted by
Teaching, Choreography and Performance............................................................ 35
5. Organizations dedicated to the teaching and / or performing ofmixed-abilities
dance (co-)founded by Certified DanceAbility Teachers 37
6. Use of the DanceAbility Method in non-integrated dance settings....................... 39
7. Sampling of positive responses to how study of the DanceAbility method has
affected respondents' work or life 44
8. Type ofpress coverage received by Certified DanceAbility teachers who have
taught and/or choreographed and/or performed mixed-abilities work since
completing the certification program 46
9. Professional development opportunities of interest to respondents....................... 49
Xl
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1. Self-reported Nationalities 24
2. Age at Time of Certification. 24
3. Education of Certified DanceAbi1ity Teachers...................................................... 26
4. Occupation of Respondents 26
1CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
In the 1960's a visible shift in the ideology of contemporary dancers and
choreographers took place. Questions concerning the nature and meaning of movement,
especially the definition of dance and the nature of technique, lead choreographers to
expand the assumed boundaries that deemed who and what was acceptable for the stage
(Banes 1994). An interest in seeking alternatives to the hierarchical, dictatorial and male-
dominated structures that governed the ballet and American modem dance communities,
as well as society at-large, paved the way for dance that would work for people regardless
of size, shape or form (Benjamin 2002). 'Found' and 'pedestrian' movements were
considered valid forms of artistic expression and advanced or professional dancers
danced alongside beginners or 'non-dancers.' The desire for a dance language that
rejected the need for the classical dancerly body was a definitive step toward dance that
was open to a more diverse population of participants.
By the 1980's the idea that anyone could dance / be a dancer had taken hold in
some quarters and the variation of people invited to dance continued to expand. While
most choreographers celebrated the degree of diversity that had been achieved, some
choreographers questioned just how diverse contemporary dance really was and sought to
create a truly inclusive dance community.
2We believed in dance for everybody, but it was not a very wide spectrum of people at all.
Then we thought, 'Wow! A non-technical dancer and a contact improvisation person with
a modem dancer together? That's diversity,' that's what we believed. 'There is a fat
person in our collective, there is a woman lifting a man! Wow!' Of course it was an
evolution, a very important change in contemporary dance. It was a big change for
society too (Alessi 2007a).
In addition to size, shape, age, color and experience ceasing to be barriers,
choreographers on the cutting edge began including people with disabilities. 'Integrated'
or 'mixed-abilities' dance companies were founded across the United States and abroad:
AXIS Dance Co. in Oakland; Dancing Wheels in Cleveland; Light Motion in Seattle;
Mobility Junction in New York City; Paradox Dance in Berkeley; and in the United
Kingdom, Motion House and Cando Co. One company, Joint Forces Dance Company
(JFDC), which had existed since 1979 as a contact improvisation based company in
Eugene, Oregon also began incorporating dancers with disabilities.
While mixed-abilities companies gave legitimacy to performers with disabilities,
training for dancers with disabilities remained predominantly at the margins (Whatley
2007). Unlike their able-bodied peers who could freely enroll in local dance classes of
their choosing, dance students with disabilities were more like 'invitees' into the dance
community, forced to wait until the next mixed ability workshop was offered in their
community (Benjamin 2002). Even with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities
Act in the early 1990's and the ensuing removal of the architectural obstacles once
limiting access, a disabled dance student finding their way into a traditional technique
class would quickly discover that the existing paradigms of dance training-its values
and vocabulary-did not include all bodies. Instructions such as, "See the whole space,"
3"Stand up," or any verbal instruction for that matter could isolate students without the
ability to see, hear or stand (Alessi et al1988).
According to Alito Alessi, a Guggenheim Fellow and Fulbright Scholar, and co-
founder of JFDC and DanceAbility, in most traditional forms the difficulty in
accommodating people with disabilities stems from the fact that they were designed with
traditionally accepted bodies in mind. In his experience many people working within
traditional dance methods were not temperamentally closed to opening classes to disabled
students; they just did not know how to open classes to dancers of mixed-abilities
(2007a). After attending a DanceAbility workshop Steven Paxton wrote:
It is clear that some process is necessary to guide the instructor into avenues wide enough
to accommodate everyone, and the skil1 of the instructor is cal1ed upon to create within
the guidelines and lead the group into the desired movement possibilities without
isolating anyone ... The instructor must be informed and tuned into the possibilities
inherent in the most subtle options for common ground (as quoted in Alessi with Zolbrod
2007, pg.l0).
Despite the fact that there was a significant amount of published material
documenting mixed-abilities events and performances by the mid to late 1990's, practical
experience or training on how to teach a mixed-abilities dance class was not readily
available. This worried Alessi. He felt that in order for mixed-abilities work to not be a
trend, but rather to flourish and sustain itself, it must live and grow beyond it originators
(Alessi 2007a).
In the summer of 1996 the 1st Annual DanceAbility Teacher Training was offered
by Alessi in Eugene, Oregon. Twenty-eight people from eight different countries
4attended the first training (Alessi 1997). In the past eleven years two-hundred and sixty-
five people have completed the teacher training and are certified instructors of the
DanceAbility Method.
While this number is remarkable and suggests that the DanceAbility method of
teaching mixed-abilities groups has grown beyond its originator, it does not tell us much
else. Is the DanceAbility approach to mixed-abilities dance being spread by certified
DanceAbility teachers?
In order to assess this question one would need to know first, who the people are
that have completed the DanceAbility certification, and secondly, whether or not they
have taught the method since earning their certification. Further information concerning
the context of the mixed-abilities dance classes and / or choreographic works of certified
DanceAbility teachers would need to be compiled and analyzed. No source could be
found for comprehensive description of certified DanceAbility teachers.
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this study was to gather and analyze data regarding people who
have completed the DanceAbility Teacher Certification in an effort to assess the state of
the DanceAbility Method. Specifically, this study aimed to:
1. Obtain and analyze demographic information about DanceAbility teachers.
2. Obtain and analyze information about the mixed-abilities teaching and
choreography of DanceAbility teachers post-certification.
5Delimitations
1. The population being examined in this study was limited to DanceAbi1ity
Teachers who completed the certification training during the years 1996-2007.
2. Data was collected from DanceAbility Teachers using a self-report
questionnaire.
Definition ofTenns
The DanceAbility Project commonly referred to now as simply
DanceAbility, was founded in 1987 by Alito Alessi and Karen Nelson, co-founders of
Joint Forces Dance Company (JFDC). Defined as "a dance method accessible to all
people" by the official DanceAbi1ity website, over ninety thousand people have
participated in DanceAbility workshops, performances and teacher certification courses
around the world (Joint Forces Dance Company n.d.). From 1989 on, Alessi has been the
sole director of JFDC and DanceAbility.
The DanceAbility Method uses improvised dance to promote equality, respect and
artistic expression between ALL people. Designed to include anybody and everybody's
movement, the DanceAbility Method is the only mixed-abilities approach that will work
with all people (visually impaired, hearing impaired, mentally and developmentally
disabled, physically disabled and able bodied) and any combination of people (Alessi
2007b).
The DanceAbility Teacher Certification, originally called the DanceAbility
Teacher Training, is "four weeks of intensive full-time study, learning the philosophy and
6techniques of DanceAbility" (DanceAbility website). The DanceAbility website states
DanceAbility Teacher Certification courses include instruction on:
-identifying and working with common denominators
-integrating Contact Improvisation
-facilitating workshops inclusive of all abilities
-facilitating artistic collaboration, performances and site specific performance
parades
Mixed-abilities dance, integrated dance, and inclusive dance are the three most
widely used terms in describing dance for people with and without disabilities today. As
opposed to 'dance with special needs' which implies that the dancing isfor or about a
specific population only, the aforementioned terms imply distinctions from segregated
dance structures.
Significance of Study
To date, very little scholarship has been dedicated to an investigation of those
teaching, choreographing and performing mixed-abilities dance. This study is the first
inquiry to follow up with people who have completed the DanceAbility Teacher Training
and their work post-certification. The major significance of this study is that it illuminates
the amount and type of work being done by certified DanceAbility teachers. For the first
time, insight into who DanceAbility instructors are, what work they are doing, where and
when they are doing it, and how they are accomplishing it, will be known.
7The findings of this study will be of interest to the DanceAbility and mixed-
abilities dance community at large, as well as dancers, dance educators and dance
historians interested in integrated dance.
The material in Chapter II was co-authored with Steven J. Chatfield.
8CHAPTER II
THE STUDY
This chapter was co-authored with Steven J. Chatfield. I developed and
conducted the study entirely on my own; after writing this chapter, I received heavy
editorial support from Chatfield..
Introduction
The latter halfof the twentieth century produced many radical changes in
contemporary dance. One such change was the broadening of bodies deemed acceptable
for dancing. The diversity of the dancing body grew to include people with disabilities,
and not long thereafter a certification to teach groups ofpeople both with and without
disabilities was developed. The changes that began in the latter half of the twentieth
century ultimately led to the founding of the DanceAbility Project and, as ofJune 2008,
the subsequent certification of 265 DanceAbility teachers.
Prior to the first DanceAbility Teacher Training in Eugene, Oregon during the
summer of 1996, practical experience or training on how to teach a mixed-abilities dance
class was not readily available. Though there was a significant amount ofpublished
material documenting mixed-abilities events and performances by the mid to late 1990's,
the lack ofexperiential opportunity for learning to instruct mixed-abilities dance classes
9troubled the co-founder of the DanceAbility Project, Alito Alessi, and ultimately led him
to the decision to offer intensive training in teaching mixed-abilities dance classes.
During an interview in 2007, Alessi expressed his view on the sustainability of
mixed-abilities dance. He explained: in order for mixed-abilities dance to not be a passing
trend but rather to flourish and sustain itself, it must live and grow beyond it originators
(Alessi 2007a). In the eleven years that followed the first DanceAbility teacher training,
two-hundred and sixty-five people completed the program and are certified instructors of
the DanceAbility method. This undoubtedly suggests that the DanceAbility method of
teaching mixed-abilities dance has grown beyond it originator, yet it does not tell us
much else. Are participants in the DanceAbility Teacher Certification program
contributing to the spread of the DanceAbility method?
The Study
In order to assess if the DanceAbility Method is being spread by Certified
DanceAbility teachers one would need to know first, who has completed the
DanceAbility Certification, and secondly, whether or not they have taught the method
since earning their certification. Further information concerning the context of the mixed-
abilities dance classes and / or choreographic works ofcertified DanceAbility teachers
would need to be compiled and analyzed. No source could be found for comprehensive
description ofcertified DanceAbility teachers.
The purpose of this study was to gather and analyze data regarding people who
have completed the DanceAbility Teacher Certification in an effort to assess the state of
10
the DanceAbility method. Specifically, this study aimed: to obtain and analyze
demographic information about certified DanceAbility teachers, to obtain and analyze
information about the mixed-abilities teaching and choreography of DanceAbility
teachers post-certification.
To date, very little scholarship has been dedicated to an investigation of those
teaching, choreographing and performing mixed-abilities dance. This study is the first
inquiry to follow up with people who have completed the DanceAbility Teacher Training
and their work post-certification. The major significance of this study is that it illuminates
the amount and type ofwork being done by certified DanceAbility teachers.
The findings of this study will be of interest to the DanceAbility and mixed-
abilities dance community at large, as well as dancers, dance educators and dance
historians interested in integrated dance.
Background
While a complete historical or philosophical treatise on mixed-abilities dance is
beyond the scope of this study, it is hoped that supplying a more detailed description will
assist the reader in understanding the context which beget DanceAbility and the
DanceAbility Teacher Certification. For clarity, the abbreviated history of mixed-abilities
dance and DanceAbility is divided into three sections. The first attempts to expose the
reader to the origination of, and prevailing attitudes toward, dance and disability; the
second considers the formative years of the DanceAbility Project; the third addresses the
content of the DanceAbility Teacher Certification course itself.
11
Western Attitudes toward Dance and Disability
A serious dislocation, chapter five in Making an Entrance by Adam Benjamin
(2002) proved to be very informative in gaining an understanding of the complex layers
that lie within the story of mixed-abilities dance. Though Benjamin admits the twenty
page chapter is more of a leap and bound through Western Dance History than that of an
in depth historian's account, his writing allows the reader to see how our current attitudes
toward dance (in general as well as in relation to disability) originated.
Beginning with the Ancient Greek Gods Dionysus, Apollo and Hephaestus, the
often unmentioned disabled, dancing brother of Dionysus and Apollo, and touching upon
the transition ofthe dance space from the accessible arena of the orkhiestha to the
elevated stage, the reign of symmetry, order and beauty in the courtly dances of King
Louis XIV, the emergence of modern dance as an alternative to the elite world of ballet,
and the development of community dance in Britain and the US following the exodus of
German dance artists during World War II, Benjamin paints a clear (albeit brief) picture
of the major evolutions in Western Dance before devoting most of his time to the later
decades of the twentieth century.
Of course no story of the way disabled people came to professional dance in
Western culture, however brief, would be complete without mention of the civil rights
and anti-war movements ofthe 1960s. Before discussing any key players in the story of
mixed-abilities dance, Benjamin reminds the reader of the incredible changes that took
place during this time.
12
One such significant change was the rejection of the medical model of disability
and,the adoption of the social model. Where disability was "conceived of largely in terms
of somatic and intellectual 'abnormality,'" according to the medical model, the social
model defined disability as a "restrictive situation imposed upon people with impairments
by the patterns and expectations ofan (dis)ablist society" (paterson and Hughes 2000, pg.
30, 32). Or put another way, a paraplegic is not disabled by a wheel chair, but by the
stairs which deny him access.
In dance, this translated to are-envisioning ofwhat movement could constitute
dance and what kind of body could constitute a dancer (Albright 1997). Some of the first
people to write about a view of dance which rejected equating physical ability with
aesthetic superiority are discussed in the following section.
Formation ofthe DanceAbility Project
As stated in the previous chapter the idea that anyone could dance had taken hold
by the 1980's. And in the latter half ofthat decade articles documenting the various
mixed-abilities dance events began to appear in the literature. Still Moving, a regular
feature in the journal Contact Quarterly, was intended as a space to 'address the current
thinking, perception and practice ofcontact improvisation.' It served as a natural outlet
for those exploring the accessibility of contact improvisation (CI) to share their
experiences.
Louise Richards and Kevin Finan ofthe British company New Midlands Dance
were among the first to write. Their 1988 article "Contact Improvisation with Special
Needs" describes their experiences teaching CI to people with physical and / or mental
13
disabilities. In line with the study of CI which teaches that there is always movement in
the body, Finan and Richards believe that the possibility of a dance is present anywhere
there is movement. The size of the movement is not important; within the rise and fall of
the breath of an otherwise immobile body is the possibility of a dance. The article
continues on from this perspective citing the successful use of common CI elements such
as "log rolling," "body surfing," and "tables." Lest their work be confused as something
it is not, the authors make it a point to state before concluding their article that they "are
not therapists but dancers who teach dance to all people whatever their abilities because
we believe dance is for all people" (pg. 42).
Later that same year Bruce Curtis, a disability rights activist, and Alan Ptashek, a
dancer well versed in CI, co-authored an article about a "collaborative organization
specializing in movement arts and education for physically disabled people," The
Exposed to Gravity Project (Curtis and Ptashek 1988, pg. 18). Similar to Richards and
Finan, this article speaks of the accessible nature of CI. Curtis and Ptashek's article is
markedly different however in that it presents the perspective of quadriplegic dancer
Curtis alongside that ofPtashek. For Curtis experiencing a common ground during
dancing had implications that went beyond art into the social:
I am a disabled person who has spent half of my life trying to open more possibilities in
society for myself and other disabled people through legislation, civil rights
demonstrations, community organizing and the Independent Living Movement. Yet all of
these accomplishments have not caused the able bodied stranger that I would encounter
in my work to open their hearts and let their eyes show how happy they were to see me
(pg.21).
14
The power of mixed abilities dance to breakdown prejudices is also commented
on by Emery Blackwell, a certified DanceAbility teacher with Cerebral Palsy:
Dance has helped me reach people more powerfully than my years oflobbying the
legislature have. As President ofOregonians for Independent Living I have spent
hours .. .intellectually talking about equality, equal access, that we are people too,just like
everyone else. 1'd talk and talk and make small progress. But one dance and people just
'get' it. It opens up communication in more equal ways (as quoted in Ashwill1992 pg.
22).
In 1992 Ptashek published an article documenting The Moving Body: an
integrated movement course, co-taught by himself and Curtis at the University of
California, Berkley in 1990. While the usual concerns of liability and accessibility had to
be navigated, Ptashek also noted the lack of university instructors who had the inclination
and skill to develop a course where people of different abilities could move together.
In Eugene, Oregon Alito Alessi and Karen Nelson of Joint Forces Dance
Company (JFDC) read about Richards, Finan, Curtis and Ptashek in Contact Quarterly.
They were very interested in what they read, and in partnership with Mobility
International USA they offered a mixed-abilities dance workshop to German exchange
students and their aides (Alessi with Zolbrod 2007). When JFDC hosted its first public
workshop, "Dance with Different Needs," in 1988, it invited Richards, Finan, Curtis and
Ptashek as guest teachers. The two day workshop was free and sixty people attended
(Alessi et al 1988). The following year, the name Dance with Different Needs was
changed to DanceAbility, and from 1990-1995 DanceAbility workshops were offered as
a part of the annual New Dance Festival produced by Alessi. The workshops were team-
15
taught by various people who were active in mixed-abilities and contemporary dance
world wide.
'Integrated' or 'mixed-abilities' dance companies were founded across the United
States and abroad: AXIS Dance Co. in Oakland; Dancing Wheels in Cleveland; Light
Motion in Seattle; Mobility Junction in New York City; Paradox Dance in Berkeley; and
in the United Kingdom, Motion House and Cando Co. Other companies like Alessi's and
Nelson's Joint Forces Dance Company (JFDC), which had existed since 1979 as a
contact improvisation based company in Eugene, Oregon began incorporating dancers
with disabilities into their previously able-bodied companies.
While mixed-abilities companies gave legitimacy to performers with disabilities,
training for dancers with disabilities remained predominantly at the margins (Whatley
2007). Unlike their able-bodied peers who could freely enroll in local dance classes of
their choosing, dance students with disabilities were more like 'invitees' into the dance
community, forced to wait until the next mixed ability workshop was offered in their
community (Benjamin 2002). Even with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities
Act in the early 1990's and the ensuing removal of the architectural obstacles once
limiting access, a disabled dance student finding their way into a traditional technique
class would quickly discover that the existing paradigms of dance training-its values
and vocabulary-did not include all bodies. Instructions such as, "See the whole space,"
"Stand up," or any verbal instruction for that matter could isolate students without the
ability to see, hear or stand (Alessi et al 1988).
16
According to Alessi, a Guggenheim Fellow and Fulbright Scholar, in most
traditional forms the difficulty in accommodating people with disabilities stems from the
fact that they were designed with traditionally accepted bodies in mind. In his experience
many people working within traditional dance methods were not temperamentally closed
to opening classes to disabled students; they just did not know how to open classes to
dancers of mixed-abilities (2007a). After attending a DanceAbility workshop Steven
Paxton wrote:
It is clear that some process is necessary to guide the instructor into avenues wide enough
to accommodate everyone, and the skill of the instructor is called upon to create within
the guidelines and lead the group into the desired movement possibilities without
isolating anyone... The instructor must be informed and tuned into the possibilities
inherent in the most subtle options for common ground (as quoted in Alessi with Zolbrod
2007, pg.l0).
After the 1995 New Dance Festival Alessi realized his passion and commitment
to mixed-abilities dance were affording him "more experience than the teachers whose
engagement with mixed-abilities work was more intermittent" (Alessi with Zolbrod 2007,
pg.4).
He stopped organizing guest teachers and spent some time thinking about the
name "DanceAbility." Was it just a catch-all term, usable by anyone dancing with
disabled people? Alessi described his thoughts in an interview this way:
I don't want it to be a catch-all term because it's not, it's a very specific way of working,
a specific orientation. It's not just "let's get together with disabled people and dance."
And I also don't believe what I'm doing can be called Contact Improvisation per se,
although I couldn't do what I do without knowing it (as quoted in Horwitz 1998, pg. 65).
17
In the summer of 1996 the 1st Annual DanceAbility Teacher Training was offered
by Alessi in Eugene, Oregon. Twenty-eight people from eight different countries
attended the first training (Alessi 1997). In the past eleven years two-hundred and sixty-
five people have completed the teacher training and are certified instructors of the
DanceAbility Method.
DanceAbility Teacher Training
If the intention of DanceAbility is to "work with all people in the study of dance
and movement improvisation, and bring more diversity, equality and self-empowerment
into contemporary dance, and by extension, into our greater culture," then the intention of
the teacher certification course is to coach people how to use the DanceAbility methods
to this end (Alessi with Zolbrod 2007, pg. 5). The paragraphs that follow outline the
curriculum schedule of the studio-based, four week training as experienced by the
researcher and outlined by ImPulsTanz who has presented the training as a part of the
Vienna International Dance Festival for the past two summers.
During the first week of the DanceAbility Certification Course trainees are
introduced to the philosophy of the DanceAbility Method. They are instructed on how to
identify the physical possibilities and "common denominators" of each new group they
work with to ensure they isolate or limit no one. The "movement language exercises"
which are designed to be possible for all people who can understand cause and effect are
the first to be taught. The basic format of an introductory DanceAbility workshop:
opening circle, warm-up, solo/duet/group exercises, closing circle, is also introduced and
experienced.
18
In the second week participants continue to expand upon their understanding of
non-isolation and communication through movement. Touch is incorporated through the
"approach work" and physical skills such as rolling, leaning, counter-balance, and
providing structures to take weight, are explored.
The third week covers variations on a theme and artistic collaboration.
Adaptations to lesson plans in response to visual and hearing impairments, developmental
disabilities, and children are presented. Trainees learn how to facilitate small groups to
collaboratively create performance pieces as well as how to teach, evaluate, and provide
feedback on choreography.
The final week includes one or two days where the general public is invited to
attend classes designed and taught by course participants. Feedback from Alessi and
fellow course participants is offered. Participants view videos of early DanceAbility
workshops and performances, and insights into the business aspects of starting to teach or
lead a performing group are shared. A site-specific performance demonstration event is
prepared and performed for the general public.
Upon completion of the training participants receive a general course manual as
well as extensive notes detailing the daily exercises and discussions that took place
during their specific training period. Contact information for that year's class is
distributed.
19
The Need for a Directory of Certified DanceAbility Teachers
Many participants of the 2007 teacher training expressed a desire during personal
conversation with the author to know more about the locations and activities oftheir
predecessors. Whether an opportunity for mentorship, collaboration or networking was
sought, some newly certified DanceAbility teachers clearly felt access to a directory of
certified DanceAbility teachers would serve as a catalyst. Not only would assembling
contact information into a public resource guide promote networking and ease
communication amongst DanceAbility teachers, it would also allow the general public to
locate certified DanceAbility teachers in their respective areas.
A significant byproduct of this study then, is the capacity to fulfill this felt need
by organizing and making available a directory of certified DanceAbility teachers.
Procedures
This study is a descriptive, exploratory study in which qualitative data were
collected using a self-report questionnaire fully approved by the Office for Protection of
Human Subjects at the University of Oregon. The population under examination was
certified DanceAbility teachers. Data were collected using a series of questionnaires
created specifically for use in this study by the researcher (See Appendix A). The
demographic data served as the foundation for a Directory of certified DanceAbility
Teachers (See Appendix E).
20
Questionnaires
The names and contact information for all certified DanceAbility instructors were
obtained from Joint Forces Dance Company. Of the 265 Certified DanceAbility Teachers
in the world in 2008, 52 did not have contact information (standard mail or email) on file
with Joint Forces Dance Company, and were therefore not included in this study. All
other certified DanceAbility instructors were contacted by way ofemail and asked to
complete a self-report questionnaire within two week's time (See Appendix B). Two
weeks from the first request a second follow-up email was sent to any instructor who had
yet to respond, again asking them to complete the questionnaire within a two week
deadline (See Appendix D). When an email address was not available, or came back as
undeliverable, the survey was delivered via the postal service (See Appendix C). All
survey's sent by standard mail had a deadline ofthree weeks from the date ofmailing.
Only one request was sent by mail.
Upon receipt, completed questionnaires were analyzed for reoccurring themes. To
assist assessment categories of: who, what, where, why, and how were used to sort data.
Content analysis within the sorting schema was carried out in order to classify response
meanmg.
Directory
In order for a directory to be useful it must be easy to locate and access. To
maximize the potential number of viewers it is the researcher's intention to make the
directory available online. One current option under consideration is posting the directory
on the official DanceAbility website, www.danceability.com.
21
With consent, the directory provides the name, location (city/state/country), and
email address of respondents. Respondents were also able to elect for some or all of the
below information to appear in the directory: mailing address, phone number(s), fax
number, and web address.
Instrumentation
The Certified DanceAbility Teacher Questionnaire had three sections: I. Pre-
Certification, II. Post-Certification, and III. Instructor Profile. Data obtained from section
III were used for formation of the directory; data reported in sections I, II and III were
analyzed by the researcher to determine if certified DanceAbility teachers were
contributing to the spread ofthe DanceAbility method. Specifically, section I provided
insight beyond demographics into who is pursuing certification, and section II addressed
whether instructors have taught or choreographed for mixed-abilities groups since
certification, and if so in what context(s).
Results and Discussion
The results of this study are presented under five headings:
• Who are Certified DanceAbility Teachers?
• What are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Doing?
• Where are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Working?
• Why are Certified DanceAbility Teachers involved (or not) with mixed-
abilities work?
• How are Certified DanceAbility Teachers doing their work?
In an effort to simplify summary ofpre and post certification findings, data are presented
sequentially within the headings as asked in the Certified DanceAbility Teacher
22
Questionnaire. General information about response rate precedes reports of specific
findings.
Response Rate
Ofthe 265 Certified DanceAbility Teachers in the world in 2008,52 did not have
contact information (standard mail or email) on file with Joint Forces Dance Company,
and were therefore not included in this study. Thirty-nine teachers only had standard
mailing addresses available and one attempt to contact them via postal mail was taken.
The remaining 174 teachers had email addresses listed and were contacted, up to two
times, requesting participation in this study.
Three of the 39 questionnaires delivered by standard mail were completed, 6
questionnaires were returned as undeliverable, and 30 yielded no response. It is highly
plausible that many of the questionnaires sent by standard mail, which went primarily to
overseas addresses, were never received by the intended recipients-a third of the
mailing addresses were 9 or more years old, and 90% of the addresses were 5 or more
years old.
Fifty-eight of the 174 questionnaires delivered by email were completed, and III
yielded no response. Five people requested additional time or apologized for not being
able to participate for personal reasons.
In total, attempts were made to contact 207 Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
Questionnaires were received via standard mail and email from 61 respondents (response
rate 29%).
23
Response Bias
Though only 61 of the 265 DanceAbility Teachers certified at present participated
in this study, there is evidence to support that there are other Certified DanceAbility
Teachers working across the globe. There were several instances where one person from
a particular dance troupe completed the survey, and in their answers implied that they
were co-teaching or performing with a Certified DanceAbility Teacher who did not
complete the survey. Additionally, through simple search engines like Google, the
researcher was able to find online materials (personal or company web pages, and
articles) that indicated a DanceAbility Teacher [who did not participate in the study] was
active in the field.
Who Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers?
Certified DanceAbility Teachers, as represented by survey respondents, are a
diverse group ofpeople. The Certified DanceAbility Teachers who participated in this
survey reside in 14 different countries and are of 17 different nationalities. Europeans
represented the largest number of respondents (46%), followed by Americans (23%).
Figure 1 details each self-reported nationality that was represented in the survey.
The mean age of teachers at the time of certification was 33.68 ± 9.63 years. As
seen in Figure 2, the majority of teachers (41 %) pursued certification in their 20s, with 40
somethings being the next common (26%) age group and 30 somethings not far behind
(23%).
24
r~ "~N'_~__~'~""~_.~""""=~~__ '~_~_O ..~·.__ .,~,-..-.,_.__~"~V~""~, ...__......~_~"-~_...,.. ... R ~ C_ .......~ __.,..,...._~."..,... .~_.._.... ~---.._~_-,.-.-_-..... _'""' ...,,-..=---_..•'"'_ ....-=-"'.'-""~---=_.
,
White ....
HiBpmJic -Blank ~-- .., .._.
Scolti,;:/r'Canadhlll ,-
New Zealander ....
I1IexicanAlllerican -
Mexican -
KOleatl _
Croatian _
Canadian _
British __
Australian -
Argetine ...
Finnish
DlItclr
Brazilian
Swiss
Italain
German
Austrian
American
o 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
no age ,given
5Q t.-J
Figme 2. Age at Time of Certification
25
An equal number of respondents reported having a physical disability (28%) as
being able bodied (28%). Yet a considerable number of respondents (30%) declined to
answer the question, and another 13% provided philosophical responses challenging the
assumptions inherent within the question: disabilities? One respondent suggested that the
answer to whether she was disabled depended on one's point ofview. Another simply
stated that she had "none at the moment," thereby acknowledging that disability can
affect any of us at any time, and is not always a permanent condition. A particularly apt
respondent put forward the idea that we are all disabled in some way and to varying
degrees by responding, "Disabilities: I'm a human being!"
Ofthe 61 teachers who responded 75% had or were nearing completion of an
undergraduate degree. Twenty-nine percent had or were nearing completion ofa master's
degree, and 5% held Ph.D. or M.D. degrees (see Figure 3).
Thirty-three percent of all respondents listed their occupation as dancer,
choreographer, and / or dance instructor. Three Certified DanceAbility Teachers reported
teaching in academia, with 2 of the 3 within Dance Departments. Eleven percent reported
careers in the medical field (psychologist, psychotherapist, physical therapist, speech
therapist, doctor, nurse), and students represented 15% ofrespondents. Figure 4 provides
detailed data related to occupation.
26
I
I
I
I
IFigl11e 3, EducahonofCeJtifiecl DanceAbilityTeachers, 11.1
!::!1~~~~(I!~,~_~_1~=,~~1~1~~0~s ?I w~~Rm~\1!~l~~~~!~_~t __ti!~~~__~~stl~~)' ._J
Othel'
20%
27
Though only thirty-three of all respondents listed their occupation as dancer,
choreographer, and / or dance instructor, fifty-five (90%) respondents reported having
experience or training in dance improvisation (contact and non-contact based, see Table
I) prior to seeking certification; 45 (74%) reported experience or training in another
dance form, and 47 (77%) reported having other movement related experiences or
trainings. Table 2 summarizes the respondents' non-improvisation based movement
experiences prior to completing the teacher training.
Table 1. Summary of respondents' improvisation (Contact and other) experience/training before
entering certification program.
Response, General
Yes
No
Blank
n
55
4
2
Response, Details
Some/few/a little experience
Extensive experience
Specified Improvisation
Specified Contact Improvisation
Specified Mixed-Abilities setting
n
7
10
27
34
11
It should be noted that while some survey respondents included information about
the nature and scope oftheir study (length, proficiency level, etc.) in their responses
others did not. Therefore, this study cannot comment on the extent of experience or
training in each form.
Respondents reported first hearing about the DanceAbility method in a myriad of
ways. The most highly reported were: in collegiate dance programs (18%); from a non-
experiential source (18%) e.g. article, newsletter, email, radio, internet, pamphlet; while
28
studying with a Certified DanceAbility Teacher or a teacher who had studied with Alessi
(15%); and from friends or family members (15%).
Table 2. Summary of respondents' non-improvisation based movement experience/training
before entering certification program.
Other Dance Forms
African
Afro-Cuban
Ballet
Ballroom
Belly Dance
Butoh
Contemporary
Creative Movement
Dance for Health
Expressive Dance
Flamenco
Hip-Hop
Israeli Folk
Jazz
Latin
Modem
Oriental
Rock 'nRoll
Salsa
Skinner Release Tech.
Spiritual
Swing
Tap
Other Movement Related Experiences or Trainings
Adaptive Skiing Disabled Athletics Mime
Aerobics Feldenkrais Musical Theatre
Aikido Gymnastics/Acrobatics Physical Theatre
Alexander Technique Hockey Physical Therapy
Athletics Inline Skating Physical Training for Disability
Authentic Movement Judo Pilates
Basketball Karate Rock Climbing
Body Mind Centering Kung-fu Rowing
Calisthenics Low Aerial Trapeze Snowboarding
Cycling Martial Arts Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tai-Chi Chuan
Taoist Meditation
Tennis
Track
Various Sports
Voice Work
Volleyball
Yoga
The majority of respondents (62%) had had some sort ofexperience with the
DanceAbility method prior to seeking certification, the most commonly reported being
attending a DanceAbility workshop (54%). Of the respondents who indicated they had
attended a workshop, 17 had attended a workshop(s) with Alito Alessi and lO attended
workshops with a Certified DanceAbility Teacher. The remaining 10 respondents did not
specify who led the workshop they attended. A considerable number of respondents
(18%) also reported having seen a DanceAbility performance prior to attending the
training.
29
One respondent described her experience with the DanceAbility method prior to
seeking certification in a particularly touching way. She writes about a workshop she
attended:
I had started to question my choice of career and had forgotten that why I was dancing.
At this workshop I saw and experienced people getting touched emotionally and
physically in a way that made them very happy and it filled me with joy and I got my first
spark for mixed ability dance from there and my motivation for studying. I had realized
being a dancer in a company wasn't what I wanted for my future.
Mixed-abilities dance experiences were not just limited to DanceAbility. Thirty-
nine percent of teachers reported having participated in other mixed-abilities dance
training prior to attending the teacher training, and nearly a third of survey respondents
(19,31%) participated in other mixed-abilities dance work after completing the teacher
training. Teachers reported attending workshops with specific teachers Adam Benjamin,
Karen Nelson, SoI\ia Brown, and with integrated dance companies CanDo Co, Stop Gap,
Blue Eyed Soul, Dancing Wheels, AXIS Dance Co., and AMICI.
Respondents who reported participating in other mixed-abilities dance training
were asked what similarities or differences they may have observed between the
DanceAbility method and the other mixed-abilities work. While many spoke to
similarities they experienced, like the use of Contact Improvisation and group work, there
were several distinctions that deserve mention.
The differences observed between mixed-abilities dance rooted in the
DanceAbility method and work not were commonly centered around the wide spectrum
of goals mixed-abilities work can have. As one respondent put it, "Adam [Benjamin] was
30
focused more on the art ofdancing and production whereas Alito was more focused on
the process and the social aspect." One respondent suggested that in her experience
DanceAbility was more intensely focused on community building, looking for the
common ground of each group, where other mixed-abilities work, "worked not so much
with these idea. In some way the aim ofother workshops was more to find individuality,
what individual skill do I have with my body..."
This difference in purpose made one respondent who has cerebral palsy feel that
she couldn't participate fully. Here she speaks about her experiences in a workshop with
Cando Co: " .. .it was more non-disabled dancer oriented or let's say more for strong
disabled persons or good wheelchair user. Not so much for cp but perhaps that also
changed meanwhile."
This sentiment was echoed by another respondent who has performed in the
works of several choreographers not utilizing the DanceAbility method. "Individuals
without DanceAbility training were not as inclusive of all abilities and often segregated
dancers. However individuals with DanceAbility training were more inclusive ofall
abilities even when using other mixed-abilities dance methods."
The response ofone participant was so thorough and insightful in its description
that the whole response, without excerpt, is included below:
This is a huge question. One obvious difference, in comparing the Dancing Wheels and
DanceAbility, is that DA is based in Contact Improvisation, and the DW company was a
classical modem company. Another is the focus on improvisation and ensemble building,
versus choreographed movement in the company. A third is, in DanceAbility, the greater
acceptance ofdifferent, disabled bodies, rather than what appeared to be an attempt to
make the disabled bodies very similar to one another as well as to present the classical
body as ideal and emphasize the classical aspects ofwheelchair dancing.
31
In the Dancing Wheels, the choreographer choreographed unison movements among the
wheelchair dancers, and also used a process of"translation" which converted classical
modem vocabulary to disabled bodies in a way that minimized the different appearance
and movement qualities of disabled dancers to make them merge seamlessly with the
non-disabled dancers. In essence, there was a privileging ofvirtuosity over choreographic
ideas or expressiveness. In DA, there was/is no attempt to hold up a standard of what is
"beautiful" movement, rather there was an emphasis on being in the body, attuned to
sensation, and on physical responsiveness to each other and connection via movement,
however small.
Twenty-five respondents (41%) indicated that that had taught, performed, or
choreographed with a mixed-abilities group prior to attending the teacher certification.
While 6 respondents (10%) only offered a general "yes" to teaching, performing or
choreographing with a mixed-abilities group before certification, 13 respondents (21 %)
specified performing, 11 (18%) specified teaching, and 6 (10%) specified
choreographing. Another 10% of respondents reported teaching or choreographing for
solely disabled groups. Three respondents left the question blank or could not recall.
The majority ofparticipants in this study were female. Fifty-one females and 10
males completed surveys.
Who Summary
Though DanceAbility Teachers reside on five different continents (North & South
America, Europe, Asia, and Australia) the majority of Certified DanceAbility Teachers
are located in North America and Europe. Five times as many women as men have
pursued certification; comparable numbers ofpeople with and without disabilities have
completed the certification program; and at the time the survey was conducted seventy-
five percent of Certified DanceAbility Teachers had or were nearing completion of an
undergraduate degree.
32
Nearly all Certified DanceAbility Teachers (90%) had some level of experience
or exposure to dance improvisation, contact or non-contact based, prior to entering the
certification program. Another 74% had experience or training in other dance forms such
as ballet or jazz, and over 75% had other movement experience or training.
The greater part of Certified DanceAbility Teachers (62%) had direct experience
with the DanceAbility method prior to seeking certification, the most common experience
being workshop attendance (54%). A smaller number of respondents (41%) had already
taught, performed and/or choreographed with mixed-abilities groups before becoming
certified in the DanceAbility Method.
What Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Doing?
After completing the teaching training, 46 respondents (75%) had taught mixed-
abilities groups. Fourteen respondents (23%) indicated they had not taught mixed-
abilities groups, and 1 respondent declined to answer the question. Table 3 details the
formats in which certified teachers have lead mixed-abilities groups.
Table 3. Fonnat of Certified DanceAbility Teachers mixed-abilities dance class offerings.
Formats n
Ongoing classes 18
Master classes - full day workshops 20
Weekend - week long workshops 16
Two week and longer workshops 2
"Too many to list" 3
General "yes" to teaching, without specifying format 9
Hasn't taught DanceAbility, but has taught dance tech for 1 year with several deaf students 1
33
Certified DanceAbility teachers who have taught mixed-abilities groups since
completing the teacher training (46) reported having taught beginners (43), professional
dancers (25), children (26), and adults (42). Additionally, 8 teachers reported teaching
alone, 5 reported team teaching, and 33 reported teaching both alone and as part ofa
team.
Of those that reported they had not taught mixed-abilities groups (14), 4 had
completed the teacher training less than one year prior; 6 had completed the teacher
training less than two years prior; 8 had completed the teacher training less than three
years prior; and 12 had completed the teacher training less than four years prior to the
survey being conducted.
Since completing the teacher training 33 respondents (54%) have choreographed
mixed-abilities dances, with 11 respondents (18%) choreographing work for their own
mixed-abilities troupes. An additional 3 respondents (5%) answered "not yet!" implying
an intention or desire to choreograph for mixed-abilities groups in the future.
When asked whether or not they had performed with a mixed-abilities group since
completing the teacher training 38 respondents (62%) responded positively, with an
additional respondent replying "not yet!" One respondent also noted that some of the
individuals she has worked with have started their own performance group.
Another 25 respondents (41 %) reported organizing or producing other mixed-
abilities activities, including mixed-ability/disability art festivals (5 respondents, 8%),
street parades (7 respondents, 11%) and lecture demonstrations at conferences or
universities (11 respondents, 18%). Two respondents who participated in the certification
34
program in 1996 and 1997 in Eugene, OR USA reported producing the teacher training in
their home countries in 2003 (Trier, Germany) and 2001 (Milan, Italy) respectfully. A
participant of the 2006 certification program in Vienna, Austria is organizing the 2009
teacher training in her home country, Finland.
What Summary
Seventy-five percent of Certified DanceAbility Teachers that participated in this
survey have taught mixed-abilities dance groups since obtaining certification. Another
62% have performed in mixed-abilities work, and 54% have choreographed mixed-
abilities pieces. Other mixed-abilities activities such as lecture / demonstrations, street
parades, and art festivals have been organized or produced by 41% ofparticipating
Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
Where Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Working?
Certified DanceAbility teachers reported teaching mixed-abilities dance in a wide
variety of settings and locals. While some teachers only indicated the city where they
taught, others provided more detail about the type of venue where their teaching took
place. Primary and secondary schools, institutions of higher learning, and community
centers were the most commonly reported sites. Other responses included:
• YMCAs
• Institutions for people with special needs
• Homes for disabled youngsters
• Nature spas
• Conferences on Disability and Integrated Arts
• Rehabilitation programs
• Festivals - art, folk, fringe
• Dance Studios
• Community Churches
35
• Camps
• Private Dance Studios
• Gymnasiums
• Jacob's Pillow
• Canadian National Institute for the Blind
The above sites where mixed-abilities dance has been taught are spread across 20
different countries. While most Certified DanceAbility teachers reported teaching solely
within their country of residence, it is worthy of note that 26% of respondents have taught
mixed-abilities dance in at least two countries. See Table 4 for a listing of all countries
where mixed-abilities dance has been taught, choreographed, and performed by Certified
DanceAbility teachers.
Table 4. Countries where Certified DanceAbility Teachers have been active, sorted by Teaching,
Choreography and Perfonnance.
Taught
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Cech Republic
Croatia
Finland
France
Germany
Italy
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Romania
Russia
Siberia
South Africa
South Korea
Switzerland
United Kingdom
USA
Presented Choreography
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Cech Republic
Croatia
Finland
France
Germany
Italy
Mexico
New Zealand
Romania
South Korea
Switzerland
United Kingdom
USA
Performed
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Cech Republic
Croatia
England
Finland
France
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Luxemburg
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Scotland
South Korea
Switzerland
USA
36
Mixed-abilities choreography has been created by certified DanceAbility teachers
for small community based groups, regional dance companies and companies that tour on
national and international levels. For a listing ofall countries where certified
DanceAbility teachers have presented choreography see Table 4.
Remarkable venues where presentation of mixed-abilities choreographic work
was reported ranged from the highways of Santa Monica, CA, where one certified
DanceAbility teacher set a piece on himself and a man in a motorized wheelchair, to the
Ent-hinerte Sexualitat (Sexuality without Hinderence) Congress in Linz, Austria; from
local and regional festivals such as the Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation and
Calgary's Annual Freak-out, to events on the world stage such as the 2000 Para Olympic
Games in Sydney, Australia. More common venues for presenting mixed-abilities
choreography align closely with reported outlets for teaching: schools, community
centers, auditoriums, theatres, universities, community colleges, dance schools, and
conferences.
It is also worth noting that thirteen respondents (21 %) have (co-)founded
organizations specifically dedicated to the teaching and / or performing of mixed-abilities
dance, and another to Disability Arts & Culture. Table 5 details where these
organizations are located, a brief description of what they do, and what position the
Certified DanceAbility teacher holds in each.
Table 5. Organizations dedicated to the teaching and / or performing of mixed-abilities dance (co-)founded by Certified DanceAbility
Teachers.
Organization
Airborne Dance Theater
Ausuian DanceAbility
Movement (ADAM)
BewegGrund
Bilderwerfer
Cortile Studio
Movimento
DanceAbility Finland
Danza sin Limites
Disability Art & Culture
Project
Location
Durham, NC USA
Vienna, Austria
Wiltingen, Germany
Vienna, Austria
Milan, Italy
Kauniainen, Finland
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Portland, OR USA
Name & Position
Cornelia Kip Lee -
Founder, Artistic Director
Vera Rebl - Founder
Maja Hehlen - Founder
Daniel Aschwanden -
Founder, Artistic Director
Laura Banfi -
Founder, Director
Gunilla Sjovall- Board
Chair;
Sally Davidson - Board
Vice Chair
Marina Gubbay -
Co-Founder
Erik Ferguson -
Co-Director
About
Integrated Dance Company offering workshops and residencies. Member ofNC
Dance Alliance, a 50 I(c)3 non-profit.
Offers ongoing classes and intensive workshops. Hosted the week-long 2008
"refresher" course for Certified DanceAbility Teachers. Presents mixed-abilities
dance work by local choreographers.
Offers ongoing mixed-abilities dance classes and produces mixed-abilities
performances.
A Professional Dance Performance Group that for 10 years presented mixed-
abilities choreography and taught mixed-abilities dance internationally. Attention
of Group has expanded to greater questions surrounding "diversity." Present
performances generate strategies that are directed against the dissemination of a
normative body image, but are not centered around mixed-abilities work.
An Artistic & Cultural Non-Profit that promotes the performing arts and somatic
disciplines in all their artistic, educational and cultural manifestations, with an
emphasis on interdisciplinary work. Since 1995 has expanded its productions and
classes to be inclusive.
Non-Profit aiming to promote the usage ofthe DanceAbility Method, develop
and support accessible, integrated, creative dancing in Finland, and support
certified DanceAbility teachers. Will host the first ever teacher training in
Northern Europe in the summer of2009.
Promote the diffusion, the education and the practice of an inclusive dance by
offering inclusive classes and workshops to children and adults.
A 50 I(c)3 program under Oregon Cultural Access which furthers the artistic
expression ofpeople with both hidden and visible disabilities. Utilizes the
performing arts as a method of examining disability in relation to society.
Produces annually the Disability Pride Art and Culture Festival.
w
--.)
Table 5. cont'd.
Organization
Manifest Dance
Momo Dance Theatre
Nucleo Danya Aberta
Ottavo Giomo
Touch Compass
Location
Salem, OR USA
Calgary, AB Canada
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Padova, Italy
Auckland, New Zealand
Narne & Position
Alexis Jewell- Founder
Pamela Boyd -
Artistic Director
Neca Zarvos - Founder
Marina Giacometti -
Co-Founder
Catherine Chappell -
Founder, Artistic Director
About
Promotes cultural awareness and strengthens inter-personal relationships through
the facilitation ofMixed Abilities dance. Offers half and full day workshops.
A Performing Arts Non-Profit that brings together a diverse community of artists,
whose purpose it is to remove barriers and facilitate artistic expression and the
joy of movement-based improvisation, both in community settings and in
performance; runs weekly community and ensemble mixed-abilities classes at
both beginner and more experienced levels; creates improvisational, multi-
disciplinary performance works.
Hosts mixed-abilities classes. In the summer of2008 brought in Alessi for 4
weeks to teach, perform, and set a piece of choreography on locals.
A Cultural Association dedicated to making theater and dance more accessible.
Produces mixed-abilities dance and theater, offering various inclusive ongoing
classes.
Set up as a Charitable Tmst, New Zealand's premier integrated dance company
performs choreography and aerial work internationally. Has an education wing,
Encompass, which provides workshops and ongoing training for the community.
w
00
39
DanceAbility teachers were also asked about any performance of mixed-abilities
work that they participated in post certification. As one might anticipate, performance
venues were similar to the types of venues where choreography was presented. While
some respondents answered the question of where performances took place with a
geographic location (see Table 4), others answered the question of where by providing
information about the group they performed with. One such example is a teacher who
became certified in 2004, she reported dancing as a guest with Scottish Dance Theatre
and the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. Another participant reported performing at the
2006 Para Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.
The DanceAbility Method / Philosophy was reported to be used in other situations
such as non-inclusive environments like dance or movement therapy sessions,
institutions, and while teaching other idioms of dance by 79% ofrespondents (48). Data
on using the DanceAbility Method in other situations can be found in Table 6.
Table 6. Use of the DanceAbility Method in non-integrated dance settings.
Response, General
yes
no, nJa
blank
n
48
9
4
Response, Detailed
other dance classes
with future teachers
dance/movement!occupational therapy
institutions
peer counselor
inclusionlhow I treat people outside studio
music/acting classes
n
20
2
5
3
2
10
3
40
Where Summary
After completing the DanceAbility Teacher Certification respondents reporting
teaching mixed-abilities dance in 20 different countries, performing in mixed-abilities
work in 19 different countries, and presenting their choreography in 16 different
countries. Twenty-six percent of respondents reported teaching mixed-abilities dance in
more than one country, and over 21 % have started organizations dedicated to the teaching
and/or performing of mixed-abilities dance.
Why Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Involved (Or Not) With Mixed-Abilities Work?
The opportunity to receive training, refine current teaching methodologies, and
further knowledge of working with mixed-abilities groups was listed by 13 respondents
(21%) as reasons for attending the teacher training. Another 20% cited the opportunity to
study intensively with Alito Alessi while 16% cited the desire to learn how to incorporate
all people into their classes and choreographies, to teach beyond their usual student base
as reasons for attending the teacher training. Interestingly 5% of respondents cited a
frustration with "expert" teachers or a lack ofmixed-abilities teachers in their
communities as their reason for participating.
I was frustrated at experiencing workshops by 'experts' whereby disabled people were
expected to adapt the moves for their own bodies, as I felt this merely reinforced a sense
of segregation rather than a celebration ofdifference. I was seeking a truly integrated
approach that was less reliant on disabled dancers making the best of a class that really
didn't cater appropriately for everyone.
It is also interesting to note that 8 respondents (13%) stated that they pursued
certification because they were personally touched by the work or felt called to do so:
41
"because of the feeling I did get with my experiences as a student and also teaching: a
deep sense ofpresence and the feeling that I was communicating with other human
beings, that I was a part of it and it was good. I don't get that feeling so often." Another
respondent wrote: "there is something that happens in a mixed group that does not
happen when the class is not mixed. There is a real meeting between people in a very
intimate and direct way. It touches me deeply to work in these groups." Another
respondent put it this way:
It's hard to describe. I felt it as a calling. Something I was supposed to do. Participating
in the mixed-abilities choreography made me feel so alive, so connected, more than any
other performance I have ever done. I often question if my dancing, my art making
matters to anyone but me and a handful of others around me. Mixed-abilities work
matters, it has the ability to touch and alter the lives of those that do and those that watch.
It is very powerful and can make a difference in our world.
Questions 12-14 ofthe self-report questionnaire were all constructed to solicit
responses from participants regarding their thoughts and feelings about participating in
the teacher training. Therefore, the answers to said questions are very similar, but offer
slightly different information.
When asked what they took away from the teacher training 24 respondents (39%)
answered that they took away strategies or methods to teach dance in any situation.
Thirteen respondents (21 %) indicated that they left the training with more confidence in
their personal ability to lead mixed-abilities groups. Twelve respondents (20%)
commented on the networking and sense of international community that was gained. Six
responses (10%) were centered around leaving the training with a new understanding,
respect or appreciation for the abilities of all people.
42
The most commonly reported (15 respondents, 25%) beneficial aspect of the
teacher training was that the learning environment was experiential, and itself a mixed-
abilities setting. A large portion of respondents (13, 21 %) listed the broadening of their
views and expansion ofwhat they thought possible as the most beneficial aspect of the
teacher training. Other responses that were cited by at least 10% ofrespondents as the
most beneficial aspects of the training were the quality of teaching by Alessi (7
respondents, 11%), the opportunity to network, dialogue, and exchange ideas with other
participants (7 respondents, 11 %), and the length and intensive nature ofthe schedule (6
respondents, 10%). One respondent who cited the length and intensive nature of the
schedule as the most beneficial also added, "I must say, having the "certified danceability
teacher" title helps to present yourself and get people to pay attention."
Participating in the teacher training was considered a worthwhile experience by
85% of respondents with 7% having mixed feelings about the degree to which the
training was worthwhile for all participants. The mixed feelings surrounding the
worthwhile-ness of the training were for the most part related to expectations about the
experience levels ofother participants. Eight percent of respondents left the question
unanswered.
Speaking to whether her participation was worthwhile one participant wrote, "For
some aspects it was, for example: to practice and grow with the same group for a long
time. For other aspects it wasn't: 1 thought to find a selected group ofpeople with a good
curriculum in dance or danceability, but it wasn't so; almost half persons in the group had
not any dance experience." Another respondent spoke to the diversity of the group
43
saying, " ... experiences were a bit limited because the group wasn't so much "mixed"
(there was "just" one person in a chair) ... "
Though the results from this study indicated that that nearly all participants (90%)
had experience or training in dance improvisation prior to attending the teacher training,
and that comparable numbers ofpeople with and without disability pursue certification,
the responses from these women about the background ofattendants at their particular
training sessions, reminds the researcher that this study cannot comment on the make-up
of individual training sessions but only on the sampling as a whole.
When asked whether the study of the DanceAbility Method has affected their
work or life, 53 respondents (87%) affirmed that it had. (Only one respondent replied no,
while 7 respondents (11 %) did not answer the question). Select respondent explanations
for how study of the DanceAbility Method has affected their life can be found in Table 7.
Why Summary
The opportunity to receive training, refine current teaching methodologies, and
further knowledge of working with mixed-abilities groups was listed by 13 respondents
(21%) as reasons for attending the teacher training. Another 20% cited the opportunity to
study intensively with Alito Alessi while 16% cited the desire to learn how to incorporate
all people into their classes and choreographies, to teach beyond their usual student base
as reasons for attending the teacher training.
Certified DanceAbility teachers reported taking away things concrete and
intangible from the teacher training. The three most common responses were strategies
44
and methods to teach dance in any situation, an increased confidence in one's ability to
lead mixed-abilities groups, and a sense of an international community and network.
Table 7. Sampling of positive responses to how study of the DanceAbility method has affected
respondents' work or life.
.. .1 am more open to people with disabilities (despite being one myself, before DanceAbility I was
mostly unwilling to be seen as a part ofthat community) ...
.. .it has opened my eyes to respect disabled people even more and gave me tools to express that. In
fact I have an intimate relationship with one now; we met on the dance floor more than a year ago.
.. .1 had lots of work with DanceAbility which I wouldn't have had the courage to take without my
training with Alito, lots of doors opened to me that would have stayed closed without my training.
Gaining more exposure to different bodies and the non-virtuosic perspective has been helpful in my
appreciating my own unique movement qualities and those ofothers. The techniques have become part
of my repertoire in teaching. I don't use them exclusively, but rather apply what I learned in teaching
using a variety ofexercises.
I respect it because it is holistic, combining social equality and social justice issues in our relationships
and personal expression. This holism is what I strive for in my life.
I left my spouse due to the empowerment I experience in the training. So, yes, it changed my life
entirely.
The DanceAbility work has widened my perspective in many ways. Allowing me to experience more
because I have less fear. It has also changed the direction of my career in Dance. Made me question
why I value technique and virtuosity so much...and on a deeper level what virtuosity and beauty are.
Made me a more observant person.
Over 20% of respondents felt the mixed-abilities setting of the training, the
broadening of their individual views, and an expansion of their sense of what is possible
were the most beneficial aspects of the teacher training. Other commonly reported
beneficial aspects were the quality teaching, the opportunity to network with other
participants, and the length and intensive nature of the schedule.
The training was considered a worthwhile experience by a predominant number
of respondents.
45
How Are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Doing Their Work?
Respondents were asked if they had received any financial support or sponsorship
for mixed-abilities work. Twenty-one respondents (34%) indicated they had received
support of some kind. Of those respondents who had received support, 12 had received
local grant monies, 10 had received federal or state grants/sponsorships, 7 had received
support from foundations, 3 had received private donations, and another 3 did not specify
the type of funding they received. Thirty-eight respondents (62%) indicated that they had
not received any financial support or sponsorship for mixed-abilities work, but 10 of
those respondents also reported no activity with the DanceAbility method post
certification, and therefore would have no reason to apply for financial support. Two
respondents left the question blank.
The information gleamed from question 20 is limited however in that is does not
tell us whether the 28 respondents that responded negatively, but who had taught,
choreographed, or performed mixed-abilities dance post-certification, applied for funds
and were denied or whether they had not sought out financial support.
In a related arena, one respondent asked ifquestion 20 included getting paid to
teach, choreograph or perform. The survey did not directly address the ability of the
Certified DanceAbility Teachers to generate income from their work in the mixed-
abilities dance field.
Twenty-eight respondents (46%) reported that they had received press related to
their mixed-abilities work. See Table 8 for specific info regarding the type of press
received. Thirty-two respondents (52%) reported that they had not received press related
46
to their mixed-abilities work. Fourteen of those respondents also reported no activity with
the DanceAbility method post-certification and therefore one can safely assume did not
seek media coverage. One respondent left Question 21 blank.
Table 8. Type ofpress coverage received by Certified DanceAbility teachers who have taught
and/or choreographed and/or performed mixed-abilities work since completing the certification
program.
Type ofPress Received
Magazine
Newspaper
Radio
Television
Did not specifY type of press
n
2
14
3
5
13
Information gained from Question 21 about press is incomplete however, in that it
does not tell us if the 18 respondents who indicated they had not received press but had
taught, choreographed, or performed mixed-abilities work post-certification had
contacted press agencies about covering their events, i.e. attempted to get coverage.
At the time the survey was conducted, nine respondents had received recognition
in the form of awards or honors for their mixed-abilities dance work. Awards were
bestowed by City Councils, Foundations, Arts Commissions, Counties, Cultural
Institutes, Festivals and Federal Departments. Particularly noteworthy recognition
includes the companies Bilderwerfer and Touch Compass, both led by Certified
DanceAbility Teachers. Bilderwerfer received "first prize of honor" from the Austrian
Federal Department of Art for "outstanding artistic work in the field of art and mixed-
abilities;" Touch Compass received four awards: Best Female Dancer, Best Male Dancer,
47
Best Company, and Best Lighting during the 2007 Tempo Dance Festival. The researcher
finds this particularly remarkable, because the Tempo Dance Festival is New Zealand's
annual festival that "celebrates dance in all its forms and styles" and is not an event
limited to mixed-abilities participants.
An overwhelming number ofparticipants (43, 70%) in this study indicated that
they were not as active in mixed-abilities work as they would like to be. The most
common reasons cited being that the respondent was: too busy (14), still in school for
example, that the lack of funding and/or compensation was a deterrent (12), accessibility
and transportation issues (6), and a difficulty in finding participants (6).
Other participants spoke about the conceptions of others affecting their activity.
One respondent from Austria wrote, "I'm active because I'm a performance artist, but the
most barrier is the fight to being accepted as artist and not that it is just leisure time.
People have a hard time to see that art is work anyway, and if you are disabled they think
it is social." Another Austrian respondent highlighted how the perspectives of individuals
with authority can have influence, "An obstacle is still the thinking of the Cultural City
Manager, that work with an as disabled person is social work and not Art. So they don't
give the financial support. This is a difference to the USA. We have minimal private
sponsoring, we relay financial support from the City and the State."
A teacher working in Italy describes the situation there this way:
In Italy communication of dance informations in very difficult. There are not good art
magazines or other information's vehicles. It is difficult to be seriously listened from
disable organizations and government institutions. It is easier to do short workshops than
ongoing classes. Difficulties in finding students (both able and disable) and to have the
48
trust of families to bring them at the studio. Few accessible gymnasiums, studios,
theatres.
One Certified DanceAbility teacher from Canada seems to understand the
importance ofhaving leaders sympathetic to accessibility issues:
I am an active board member for Neighborhood Dance Works - and we are planning
Mixed-Ability outreach commencing this summer. Also, I was recently appointed to the
Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council as the Dance Representative and I hope to
impart my knowledge of accessibility issues in the arts community through this role. I
also work full-time in Disability Services at the College of the North Atlantic and while
this is not directly related to dance activities, it is directly tied to disability supports on
another level, which greatly influences my understanding of disability issues. " .the
barriers for me are really about finding a balance between work and my artistic life. Also
being in a new community, settling in and getting to know new people is somewhat of
barrier in that networking is a work in progress. Between 2003-2005 I completed a
masters degree at York University and the focus of my work was on Dance, Disabilities
and Human Rights. So, during this time I was really immersed in work related to Mixed-
Ability dance. Since doing the teacher training, opportunities have waxed and waned and
reflect my changing life circumstances.
When asked if they were interested in further training or support opportunities for
certified DanceAbility teachers a strong majority of respondents (46, 75%) answered
"yes." Table 9 details the kind of training and support opportunities sought by
respondents. While several respondents indicated that in person opportunities were
preferred over virtual gatherings, several others expressed concern that time and money
could restrict their ability to participate in face to face meetings taking place on another
continent.
Several respondents were not only interested in receiving training or support, but
offered to assist newly certified teachers. One teacher from Mexico put it this way: "1 can
offer some assistance to beginners in this work with the elements 1have now and be in
49
contact with people from other countries to know how the work in some other places is."
This respondent's offer of mentorship and networking is precisely what was desired by
the participants in the 2007 teaching training after completing the certification, and
corroborates the need for a Directory of Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
Table 9. Professional development opportunities of interest to respondents
Type offurther training/support opportunities sought
Conference / gathering
further training
online support* / networking
performance/performing
sharing experiences, without specifying online/in person
general "yes"
no
not at the moment
maybe
blank
*Specific online resources suggested: Media Library, Q & A forum, electronic newsletter,
international event calendar, list of financial support opportunities, setting up mentorships.
n
16
19
21
4
14
5
5
5
1
4
One respondent who was certified in 1999 and reported an interest in meetings,
gatherings, or conferences with other Certified DanceAbility Teachers shared this
question:
...one question that has come up for me - when I did the training it was suggested that
we specifically say who our workshops would be geared for. For example - "mixed-
ability workshop for people with physical disabilities." I have been challenged by
disability workers that it seems to discriminate between people who have, for example,
developmental disabilities vs. physical disabilities.
Based on how I remember it, we were encouraged to make this distinction in order to
create a manageable group of participants. Otherwise, if we had a really large spectrum of
people with disabilities, it could be hard to manage everyone's needs. I certainly
understand where this comes from, but have question how to involve as many people as
possible without feeling exclusive.
50
When Alessi and Karen Nelson first began the DanceAbility work they did
specify that workshops were geared for certain types of people as this respondent
suggests. They too tackled the same question. Like the disability workers above Alessi
and Nelson felt that placing parameters around what type of person could participate was
discriminatory, and the DanceAbility Project grew into a Method that was designed to
include anybody and everybody's movement. The DanceAbility Method is the only
mixed-abilities approach that will work with all people (visually impaired, hearing
impaired, mentally and developmentally disabled, physically disabled and able bodied)
and any combination ofpeople (Alessi 2007b).
Like any other field, the DanceAbility Method has evolved its thinking about best
practices and refined its philosophy about mixed-abilities dance. The question put forth
by the respondent, certified 10 years ago, is a strong example of how opportunities for
professional development and dialogue amongst DanceAbility teachers could advance the
field and encourage current best practices.
How Summary
Twenty-one Certified DanceAbility teachers have received financial support or
sponsorship of some kind for their mixed-abilities work. Another 28 have received press
coverage, and 9 have been recognized for their work in the field of mixed-abilities dance.
A strong majority (71 %) of Certified DanceAbility teachers reported being less active in
mixed-abilities work then they would like to be. A slightly greater majority (75%) is
interested in further training or support for Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
51
Conclusion
Since 1996 two-hundred and sixty-five people have obtained certification in the
DanceAbility Method ofteaching mixed-abilities dance. To date, teacher certification
courses have been held in the USA (1996, 1997, 1999,2004 & 2005), Argentina (1998),
Italy (2001), Holland (2002), Germany (2003) and Austria (2006, 2007). The 2009
certification course is being held in Finland, and the 2010 teacher certification course will
be held in Uruguay.
Those trained in the DanceAbility method have continued to develop and expand
mixed-abilities dance communities around the world. The teachers who participated in
this study have taught mixed-abilities dance in 20 different countries, performed mixed-
abilities work in 19 different countries, and presented their choreography in 16 different
countries.
DanceAbility Teachers reside on five different continents (North & South
America, Europe, Asia, and Australia) with the majority of Certified DanceAbility
Teachers located in North America and Europe. This finding is not surprising as all
teacher certifications thus far, less one offered in Argentina, have been held in those
regions.
Seventy-five percent of Certified DanceAbility Teachers that participated in this
survey have taught mixed-abilities dance groups since obtaining certification. Another
62% have performed in mixed-abilities work, and 54% have choreographed mixed-
abilities pieces. Other mixed-abilities activities such as lecture / demonstrations, street
52
parades, and art festivals have been organized or produced by 41 % ofparticipating
Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
Twenty-one percent ofparticipants in this study have started organizations
dedicated to the teaching and/or performing of mixed-abilities dance, and 15% have
received recognition for their work.
In the summer of2008, the first ever "Teacher Upgrade" was offered in Vienna,
Austria. This week long refresher course open to all Certified DanceAbility Teachers was
meant to provide teachers with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the work
and network with other DanceAbility Teachers.
Even with all the activity described in the preceding paragraphs the majority
(71%) of Certified DanceAbility teachers reported being less active in mixed-abilities
work then they would like to be. A slightly greater majority (75%) was interested in
further training or support for Certified DanceAbility Teachers, and 95% opted to be
listed in the Directory of Certified DanceAbility Teachers created by the researcher.
When Alessi remarked in 2007 that mixed-abilities dance must grow beyond its
originators to flourish and sustain itself, he drew a parallel between his relationship to the
DanceAbility Method, and Steven Paxton's relationship to Contact Improvisation. Alessi
felt strongly that it was critical the work not be associated solely with his name.
For me, it's really important that DanceAbility get out of the concept of being related to
Alito Alessi, because my name is a trap for the work. And the teacher that... I learned that
[from] is Steve Paxton. He never held onto contact improvisation, he never said that it is
what it is and that's exactly what you have to do in it. He let it be an open body of work,
so it can keep going and growing way beyond him (Alessi 2007a).
53
A reporter covering the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Contact Improvisation at
Oberlin College in 1997 echoes Alessi's sentiment:
In terms of the form's survival, it is for example today an obvious strength, that it is not
exclusively tied to Steve Paxton's name. It is not 'Steve Paxton's technique' as we know
Martha Graham's, Merce Cunningham's or Trisha Brown's technique.... The danceform
was developed under collective responsibility around the world (Vedel 1997).
Just as Contact Improvisation jams, workshops, and classes can and do take place
around the world without Paxton needing to be present, so to do DanceAbility workshops
and performances take place around the world without Alessi. The information provided
by participants in this study is testament to the flourishing of the DanceAbility Method;
even with all the societal barriers that still remain, the DanceAbility Method is in a state
ofactivity that will sustain itselfbeyond the life of its originators.
This study aimed to obtain and analyze information about Certified DanceAbility
Teachers as a population. While valid contact information was not available for all
teachers, and some teachers opted not to participate, the researcher feels the 61 teachers
who did respond represent a fair sampling of the population.
The fact that English is not the native tongue ofmany Certified DanceAbility
Teachers may have impacted the response rate. As one teacher who did not ultimately
submit a survey wrote in email correspondence with the researcher:
Please forgive me for not answering your survey. We have had sooo much work here
with our dance company - grants applications, workshops, performances ... Maybe I also
get a bit afraid when Sally told me that she has used a whole day to answer it and her
mother tongue is English©!!
54
Future studies involving Certified DanceAbility Teachers may yield a better response
rate, and possibly more detailed responses, if they are translated into several languages.
55
CHAPTER III
CONCLUSION
The results ofthis study were separated into five categories:
• Who are Certified DanceAbility Teachers?
• What are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Doing?
• Where are Certified DanceAbility Teachers Working?
• Why are Certified DanceAbility Teachers involved (or not) with mixed-
abilities work?
• How are Certified DanceAbility Teachers doing their work?
Certified DanceAbility Teachers, as represented by survey respondents, are a
diverse group of people. The Certified DanceAbility Teachers who participated in this
survey reside in 14 different countries and are of 17 different nationalities. Europeans
represented the largest number of respondents (46%), followed by Americans (23%).
Five times as many women as men have pursued certification, and comparable numbers
ofpeople with and without disabilities have completed the certification program
Seventy-five percent of Certified DanceAbility Teachers that participated in this
survey have taught mixed-abilities dance groups since obtaining certification. Another
62% have performed in mixed-abilities work, and 54% have choreographed mixed-
abilities pieces. Other mixed-abilities activities such as lecture / demonstrations, street
parades, and art festivals have been organized or produced by 41 % ofparticipating
Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
56
After completing the DanceAbility Teacher Certification respondents reported
teaching mixed-abilities dance in 20 different countries, performing in mixed-abilities
work in 19 different countries, and presenting their choreography in 16 different
countries. Twenty-six percent of respondents reported teaching mixed-abilities dance in
more than one country, and over 20% have started organizations dedicated to the teaching
and/or performing of mixed-abilities dance.
The opportunity to receive training, refine current teaching methodologies, and
further knowledge of working with mixed-abilities groups was listed by 13 respondents
(21 %) as reasons for attending the teacher training. Another 20% cited the opportunity to
study intensively with Alito Alessi while 16% cited the desire to learn how to incorporate
all people into their classes and choreographies, to teach beyond their usual student base
as reasons for attending the teacher training.
Twenty-one Certified DanceAbility teachers have received financial support or
sponsorship of some kind for their mixed-abilities work. Another 28 have received press
coverage, and 9 have been recognized for their work in the field of mixed-abilities dance.
A strong majority (71 %) of Certified DanceAbility teachers reported being less active in
mixed-abilities work then they would like to be. A slightly greater majority (75%) is
interested in further training or support for Certified DanceAbility Teachers.
Conducting this study has been an enriching experience, both personally and
professionally. When I first completed the DanceAbility Teacher Training in 2007 I did
not fully realize how varied, diverse, and active the community I was joining was. Sure I
knew that people from all over the world were earning their certification, but it wasn't
57
until I started searching for teachers online that had outdated contact information with
JFDC that I started to fully realize the magnitude to which DanceAbility has spread. I felt
a bit like an historian tracing the various limbs of the DanceAbility family tree. Some
branches were thick and strong, like in Vienna, Austria where there is a local community
of DanceAbility Teachers offering workshops and creating work together; other branches
were just budding, but were present and impactful all the same, like the sole teacher
working in Seoul, South Korea. Not only is she the only teacher in her country, but she is
the first and only Certified DanceAbility Teacher living and working on the Asian
continent.
I was struck when reviewing the data with the many levels of engagement people
have within the field. There were teachers with large scale, touring companies and
community outreach education programs who have made mixed-abilities dance work
their career, and other teachers who have full time professions in other fields but teach
ongoing mixed-abilities dance classes in their local communities. Discovering the bigger
companies which had earned accolades and found a path through the prejudices and
barriers which still surround integrated dance was inspiring. But equally inspiring was
reading about DanceAbility teachers who quietly continue the practice ofoffering
inclusive dance in their local communities. For the DanceAbility method to continue to
grow and sustain itself it needs action on both these levels and every level between.
Conducting research on an international scale presents some unique problems to
solve as a researcher. If I were to repeat this study in 10 years I would strongly consider
enlisting the help of a DanceAbility teacher who is fluent in English and Spanish and
58
another fluent in English and Gennan. I would also revise the tool itself to promote more
thorough responses.
For example, question 8 on the Certified DanceAbility Teacher Questionnaire
asked if respondents had taught, choreographed, perfonned, or otherwise worked with a
mixed-abilities group before completing the teacher training. I expected that respondents
would specify in what capacity they were involved with mixed-abilities work prior to
completing the certification, and most did; but enough simply answered "yes" or did not
provide a clear enough response for me to distinguish what their involvement was.
Breaking question 8 down into four questions, each addressing one role individually
would allow for a more complete understanding of the respondents involvement with
mixed-abilities work prior to certification.
Another option I would consider for later studies, and would encourage any
researcher, who is collecting data through a questionnaire to use, is Google fonns. In
2008 Google introduced a new application to Google docs, called fonns. It's a free
application that allows you to create surveys, send them to anyone with an email address,
and then automatically updates a spread sheet with responses. Not only would this save
countless hours of inputting responses from a questionnaire created in word to a
spreadsheet in excel for analysis, but it would also allow several researchers, perhaps
those working in different languages, to coordinate and access data together easily, and
without paying for use of an online survey tool.
In the summer of2008 I attended a week long dance intensive with physically-
integrated AXIS Dance Company. There I met many people attending the intensive who
59
had not heard of DanceAbility or the DanceAbility teacher certification. I hope that
publishing this study might bring more awareness to the possibility of participating in an
intensive training for teaching mixed-abilities dance and moreover might encourage those
active in mixed-abilities dance who may not yet be familiar with the DanceAbility
method to consider attending the training themselves. As Alessi said during an interview
in 2008: "The truth is, there isn't enough people still trained in this work. I've trained
[nearly] 300, but the world needs many many many many more teachers to be spreading
this work" (Alessi 2008).
It is my hope that the directory created from this research will contribute to the
flourishing of DanceAbility by encouraging networking amongst DanceAbility teachers,
and allowing potential students and performers to more easily locate teachers in their
communities.
60
APPEJ\IDIX A
CERTIFIED DANCEABILITY TEACHER
QUESTIONNAIRE
Introduction: This questionnaire consists ofthree sections: 1) Section I: Pre-
Certification, 2) Section II: Post-Certification, and 3) Section III: Instructor Profile.
Please complete each section to the best ofyour knowledge. Ifany question does not
apply to you, please indicate this by writing N/A (not applicable) rather than leaving the
item blank. THANK YOU!
SECTION I: PRE-CERTIFICATION
Directions: This section consists ofquestions aimed at illuminating specific experiences
prior to attending the DanceAbility Teacher Training.
1. Did you have experience or training in dance improvisation (contact or other) prior to
completing the teacher certification? If yes, please summarize in the space below.
2. Did you have experience or training in any other dance forms (ballet, contemporary,
hip-hop, etc) prior to completing the teacher certification? If yes, please summarize in the
space below.
3. Did you have any other movement related experience(s) or training(s) (martial arts,
athletics, etc) prior to completing the teacher certification? If yes, please summarize in
the space below.
4. How did you first hear about DanceAbility?
5. Did you have any experiences with the DanceAbility work before attending the teacher
training? (For example, did you attend a DanceAbility workshop; see a performance
choreographed by a DanceAbility teacher; train with a certified DanceAbility teacher,
etc.)?
61
6. Did you participate in any other mixed-abilities dance work or training prior to
completing the DanceAbility teacher training? Please explain.
7. If you answered "yes" to the question above, what similarities or differences did you
observe between the DanceAbility method and the other mixed abilities work?
8. Did you teach, choreograph, perform, or otherwise work with a mixed abilities group
before completing the teacher training? If yes, please provide more explanation below.
9. Did you follow contemporary dance news prior to completing the teacher training?
Please select one: -------'yes no
10. Did you follow integrated dance news prior to completing the teacher training?
Please select one: -------'yes no
11. Why did you attend the teacher training?
SECTION II: POST-CERTIFICATION
Directions: This section consists ofquestions related to experiences after completing the
DanceAbility Teacher Training. Specifically this section aims to discover the who, what,
where, when, and how ofany mixed-ability work you may have done post-certification.
Please think broadly, and refer to all work where the DanceAbility method was
influential.
12. What did you take away from the teacher training?
13. What was the most beneficial aspect of the teacher training?
14. Was participating in the teacher training a worthwhile experience? Please explain.
62
15. Have you taught mixed-abilities groups since completing the teacher training? If yes,
in what settings (i.e. ongoing classes, master classes, day/weekend/week long workshops,
etc.), where (venue/ city, state, country) and approximately how many students
participated?
16. If you answered "yes" to the above question please mark all that apply below.
Do you teach: _beginners -----'professional dancers children adults
Do you: teach alone team teach both
17. Have you created choreography(ies) in mixed-abilities settings since completing the
teacher training? If yes, for whom (i.e. international/national/regional professional dance
troop, personal dance company, etc.) and where was the work shown (venue/ city, state,
country)?
18. Have you performed with a mixed-abilities group since completing the teacher
training? If yes, with whom (Le. international/national/regional professional dance troop,
personal dance company, etc.) and where was the work shown (venue/ city, state,
country)?
19. Have you organized or produced any other mixed-abilities activities (such as lecture
demonstrations or street parades, etc.)? If yes, in what settings (Le. schools, community
centers, conferences, festivals etc.) and where (venue/ city, state, country)?
20. Have you received any financial support or sponsorship for mixed-abilities work?
(For example Federal, State, or Local grants, private donations, etc.). If so, when and
from who?
21. Have you received any press related to your mixed-abilities work?
22. Have you received any awards or honors related to your mixed-abilities work?
23. Are you as active in mixed-abilities work as you would like to be? Ifno, why not?
What are the perceived limiting obstacles or barriers?
63
24. Do you use the DanceAbility methodology / philosophy in other situations? (For
example in non inclusive environments such as dance or movement therapy sessions,
institutions, other idioms ofdance training, etc). Please explain.
25. Are you interested in further training/support opportunities for certificated
DanceAbility teachers such as gatherings, conferences, online support / networking, etc.?
If yes, what type of training / support opportunities interests you?
26. Have you participated in any other mixed-abilities dance work or training after
completing the DanceAbility teacher training? Please explain.
27. If you answered yes to the question above, what similarities or differences did you
observe between the DanceAbility method and the other mixed-abilities work?
28. Has your study of the DanceAbility method affected your work or life? Please
explain.
29. Do you follow contemporary dance news after completing the teacher training?
Please select one: -------'yes no
30. Do you follow integrated dance news after completing the teacher training?
Please circle one: -------'yes no
SECTION III: INSTRUCTOR PROFILE
Name:
Mailing address:
Phone number (including country code):
Alternative phone number:
Fax number:
Email address:
Website(s):
64
Nationality:
Gender (please "X" one):
Disability(ies):
Male Female
Highest level of education achieved:
Occupation(s):
Year and location where DanceAbility Teacher Training was completed:
Age when completed DanceAbility Teacher Training:
The name, location (city/state/country), and email address you provided above will be
listed in an online directory ofcertified DanceAbility instructors. If you would not like
your information to appear in the directory please indicate so here:
Please indicate any other information from Section I: Instructor Profile that you would
like listed in the online directory by checking the appropriate spaces below.
__ mailing address
phone number
fax number
web address
__ alternative phone number
Any additional comments you would like to make regarding mixed-abilities dance, the
DanceAbility method in particular, and/or this survey are welcome:
If you are interested in receiving a summary of the results of my study please indicate so
by supplying an email (preferred) or mailing address where the results can be sent here:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS RESEARCH STUDY!
65
Please return this questionnaire by «date» to:
danceabilityteachersurvey@hotmail.com
OR
Amanda Herman
17714 Silver Creek Ave E
Puyallup, WA 98375
USA
Phone: 001 541 5566100
66
APPENDIXB
INITIAL n~VITATION TO PARTICIAPTE, EMAIL
Dear «First Name Last Name»,
GREETINGS! My name is Amanda Herman and I am a certified DanceAbility teacher
working with Alito Alessi to follow up with all DanceAbility teachers who have
completed the DanceAbility Teacher Training or the DanceAbility Teacher Certification.
I am also currently working toward the completion of a master's degree in Dance at the
University of Oregon. My thesis advisor is Dr. Steven Chatfield, Associate Professor,
Department of Dance, University of Oregon.
The purpose of my thesis is to establish who certified DanceAbility teachers are and what
their involvement is with mixed-abilities dance. The attached questionnaire attempts to
ascertain important information in these areas. Through the results of this study, it is
hoped that a better understanding of the contributions to mixed abilities work by certified
DanceAbility teachers will be obtained. The results of this study will also be utilized to
create an online Directory of Certified DanceAbility teachers.
As a person who has completed the DanceAbility Teacher Training or DanceAbility
Teacher Certification you have been selected to participate in this study. I encourage you
to participate because this component of my research impacts directly on the final phase
of my thesis. Even if you are not currently teaching or choreographing mixed-abilities
work I need to hear from you.
The completion of this questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes. Participation is
this study is completely voluntary. By completing and returning the questionnaire you are
consenting to participate in this study.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation in completing this questionnaire. If you have
any questions regarding the study or the questionnaire please feel free to contact me at
danceabilityteachersurvey@hotmail.com or 541. 556. 6100.
I also request that you attach any supplementary materials (e.g. press packet, promotional
materials) which you feel might be helpful in more fully describing any mixed-abilities
work you do along with your completed questionnaire. However, the inclusion of these
supplementary materials is optional.
67
Please return your completed "Certified DanceAbility Teacher Questionnaire" and
supplementary materials (optional) by <<day, month date, year» via e-mail (preferred
method) to danceabilitvteachersurvey@hotmail.com, or postal mail to 17714 Silver
Creek Ave East Puyallup, WA 98375 USA. (Note: If you would like to respond to the
questionnaire but feel more time is needed to complete it, please let me know and an
alternative time frame can be arranged).
If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the
Office for Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Oregon, 541. 346. 2510.
This Office oversees the review of the research to protect your rights and is not involved
with this study. Additionally, my thesis advisor, Dr. Steven Chatfield, can be reached at
541. 346. 3385.
Lastly, I am missing the contact information for several DanceAbility Teachers. If you
could please forward this survey on to any DanceAbility Teachers you know it would be
greatly appreciated!
THANK YOU VERY MUCHI
Sincerely,
Amanda Herman
Master's Degree Candidate
Dance Department, University of Oregon
68
APPENDIXC
INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE, WRITTEN LETTER
«Month date, year»
Dear «First Name Last Name»,
GREETINGS! My name is Amanda Herman and I am a certified DanceAbility teacher
working with Alito Alessi to follow up with all DanceAbility teachers who have
completed the DanceAbility Teacher Training or the DanceAbility Teacher Certification.
I am also currently working toward the completion of a master's degree in Dance at the
University of Oregon. My thesis advisor is Dr. Steven Chatfield, Associate Professor,
Department of Dance, University of Oregon.
The purpose of my thesis is to establish who certified DanceAbility teachers are and what
their involvement is with mixed-abilities dance. The attached questionnaire attempts to
ascertain important information in these areas. Through the results of this study, it is
hoped that a better understanding of the contributions to mixed abilities work by certified
DanceAbility teachers will be obtained. The results of this study will also be utilized to
create an online Directory of Certified DanceAbility teachers.
As a person who has completed the DanceAbility Teacher Training or DanceAbility
Teacher Certification you have been selected to participate in this study. I encourage you
to participate because this component of my research impacts directly on the final phase
of my thesis. Even if you are not currently teaching or choreographing mixed-abilities
work I need to hear from you.
The completion of this questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes. Participation is
this study is completely voluntary. By completing and returning the questionnaire you are
consenting to participate in this study.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation in completing this questionnaire. If you have
any questions regarding the study or the questionnaire please feel free to contact me at
danceabilityteachersurvey@hotmail.com or 541. 556. 6100.
I also request that you attach any supplementary materials (e.g. press packet, promotional
materials) which you feel might be helpful in more fully describing any mixed-abilities
69
work you do along with your completed questionnaire. However, the inclusion of these
supplementary materials is optional.
Please return your completed "Certified DanceAbility Teacher Questionnaire" and
supplementary materials (optional) by «day, month date, year» via e-mail (preferred
method) to danceabilityteachersurvey@hotmail.com, or postal mail to 17714 Silver
Creek Ave East Puyallup, WA 98375 USA. (Note: If you would like to respond to the
questionnaire but feel more time is needed to complete it, please let me know and an
alternative time frame can be arranged).
To request an electronic copy of the survey email
danceabilityteachersurvey@hotmail.com or visit www.danceability.com.
If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the
Office for Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Oregon, 541. 346. 2510.
This Office oversees the review ofthe research to protect your rights and is not involved
with this study. Additionally, my thesis advisor, Dr. Steven Chatfield, can be reached at
541. 346.3385.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Sincerely,
Amanda Herman
Master's Degree Candidate
Dance Department, University of Oregon
70
APPENDIXD
FOLLOW UP n'l"VITATION, EMAIL
Dear «First Name Last Name»,
Several weeks ago I sent a questionnaire to you regarding certified DanceAbility
teachers. As of yet, I have not heard from you. Fully realizing the busy lives we all live, I
am once again requesting your participation in my study.
As I am sure you can appreciate, it is very important that I obtain responses from
everyone possible. Furthermore, your response directly impacts the final phase of my
thesis. Even if you feel that your involvement with mixed-abilities dance has been
minimal, I am still in need of your input.
As you may recall, the purpose of my thesis is to establish who certified DanceAbility
teachers are and what their involvement is with mixed-abilities dance. The attached
questionnaire attempts to ascertain important information in these areas. Through the
results of this study, it is hoped that a better understanding ofthe contributions to mixed-
abilities work by certified DanceAbility teachers will be obtained. The results of this
study will also be utilized to create an online Directory of Certified DanceAbility
teachers.
The completion of this questionnaire will take approximately 30 minutes. Participation is
this study is completely voluntary. By completing and returning the questionnaire you are
consenting to participate in this study.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation in completing this questionnaire. If you have
any questions regarding the study or the questionnaire please feel free to contact me at
danceabilityteachersurvey@hotmail.com or 541. 556. 6100.
I also request that you attach any supplementary materials (e.g. press packet, promotional
materials) which you feel might be helpful in more fully describing any mixed-abilities
work you do along with your completed questionnaire. However, the inclusion of these
supplementary materials is optional.
Please return your completed "Certified DanceAbility Teacher Questionnaire" and
supplementary materials (optional) by «day, month date, year» via e-mail (preferred
method) to danceabilityteachersurvey@hotmail.com, or postal mail to 17714 Silver
71
Creek Ave East Puyallup, WA 98375 USA. (Note: If you would like to respond to the
questionnaire but feel more time is needed to complete it, please let me know and an
alternative time frame can be arranged).
If you have any questions regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the
Office for Protection of Human Subjects at the University of Oregon, 541. 346.2510.
This Office oversees the review of the research to protect your rights and is not involved
with this study. Additionally, my thesis advisor, Dr. Steven Chatfield, can be reached at
541. 346. 3385.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Sincerely,
Amanda Herman
Master's Degree Candidate
Dance Department, University of Oregon
72
APPENDIXE
DIRECTORY OF CERTIFIED DANCEABILITY TEACHERS
ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires
Gabriela Anastasi
Marina Gubbay
AUSTRIA
Graz
Agnes Kern
H5rbranz
Maria King
Innsbruck
Christine Riegler
Koeflach
Angelika Holzer
Salzburg
Liesa Baumgartner
Meral Hees
Vienna
Andrea Kapferer
Cornelia Scheuer
Daniel Aschwanden
Irmi Ladenhauf
Michael Turinsky
Monika Bischof
Sonnhild Schwarz
ganastasi@gmail.com
danzasinlimites@arnet.com.ar
www.danzasinlimites.org
apfelkern@gmx.at
maria.king@aon.at
christine.riegler@uibk.ac.at
angelika.holzer@gmx.at
Liesa_b@grnx.at
meral.hees@web.de
andrea.kapferer@inode.at
Penzinger Strasse 138/4/3 1140 Wien Austria
corneliascheuer@hotmail.com
da@bilderwerfer.com
irrni.ladenhauf@grnx.at
rnichael.turinsky@chello.at
http://anderssein.at
Hebbelplatz 3/5/6 1100 Wien Austria
m1978b@hotmail.com
Schwarzingergasse 6/11, 1020 Wien Austria
sonni schwarz@hotmail.com
73
Vera Rebl
BRAZIL
Brasilia
Mercia Lorentz
Sao Paulo
NecaZarvos
CANADA
St John's
Calla Lachance
Calgary, AB
Pamela Boyd
FINLAND
Vantaa
Sally Davison
GERMANY
Augsburg
Henriette Kei1
Berlin
Bernhard Richarz
Eva Stahl
vera@danceability.at
www.danceability.at
+43 664 310 4585,
GladbeckstraBe 5/1/4. 2320 Schwechat Austria
mercialorentz@hotmail.com, mercia@sarah.br
necazarvos@uol.com.br
nucleodancaaberta.b10gspot.com
55-11-30620589,
Rua Iucatan, 184, Jardim America
cep: 01439-040, Sao Paulo, Brasil
calladance@hotmail.com
1-709-753-2680,
77 Kings Rd, St John's NL, Canada AIC 3P7
pame1ajboyd@hotmai1.com
www.momodancetheatre.org
sal1ydance@gmail.com
+358 400 843 689,
Kiu1ukkapolku 4C 54, 01710 Vantaa, Finland
henriettekeil@gmx.de
RicharzB@aol.com
49-30-28444793,49-174-3850112
Deidesheimerstr. 6, 14197 Berlin, Germany
StahlEva@gmx.de
74
Trier
Gudrun Koerzel
Wiltingen
MajaHehlen
Wtirzburg
Myriam Trunk
HOLLAND
Heemstede
Eveline Kooren
ITALY
Albaredo di Vedelago
Zvjezdana "Stella" Lastre
Bologna
Gaia Germana
Milan
Laura Banfi
Padova
Juri Roverato
Padua
Marina Giacometti
Tradate
Mauro Vanini
gudrunkoerzel@aol.com
www.tanztherapie-koerzel.de
Kloschinskystrasse lla D-54292 Trier Germany
majahehlen@beweggrund-online.de
www.beweggrund-online.de
Zum Neuberg 19 D-54459 Wiltingen Germany
myriamtrunk@web.de
e.Kooren@guicknet.nl
zvjedana_lastre@yahoo.com
www.arteda.org
gaia_germana@yahoo.it
laura_banfi@fastwebnet.it
www.ilcortile.net
+393498436046
Piazza Visconti 9 - 20017 Rho (Milan) Italy
juriJoverato@yahoo.it
marinagiac@gmail.com
www.ottavogiomo.net
0039 049684811
Via T. Vanzetti 5 - 35131 Padua Italy
mavahh@ tin.it
75
MEXICO
Mexico City
Lulu (Ma. de Lourdes Arroyo Menendez) lulucas18@gmail.com
NEW ZEALAND
Auckland
Catherine Chappell
SOUTH KOREA
Seoul
Yangmi Lee
SWITERLAND
Corcelles
Leticia Cherbuin
UNITED KINGDOM
London
Cornelia Kip Lee
Nottingham
Jenny Edwards
USA
California
Los Angeles
Michael Richter
catherine@touchcompass.org.nz
www.touchcompass.org.nz
flyingdance73@yahoo.com
www.pata.or.kr (under construction), www.pat.or.kr
82-16-378-3587,82-31-623-3588
685, Gumwang Idong, Jungwongu Seongnamsi,
Kyunggido 462-241 Seoul, Republic ofKorea
letismile@bluewin.ch
corneliakip@mac.com
www.airbornedance.org
44 750 360 4928
hop_skipnjump@yahoo.co.uk
00447813982793
16 Trent Road, Beeston Rylands,
Nottingham, NG9 lLD, UK
mikeydance@yahoo.com
310-391-1785
76
Colorado
Denver
Greg Vigil
Michigan
Ann Arbor
Silva Laukkanen
New Mexico
Albuquerque
Tonya Rivera
North Carolina
Chapel Hill
Cornelia Kip Lee
Oregon
Albany
Wendy Peterman
Corvallis
Lisa Wells
Eugene
Karen Daly
Laura Hiszczynskyj
Shannon Carleen Knight
Portland
Carolyn Stuart
Erik Furguson
Salem
Alexis Jewell
Allison O'Grady
thespianonwheels@gmail.com
myspace.com/greggvigil
303-698-2473
silvalaukkanen@gmail.com
2243 South Huron Pkwy apt.2
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA
tonya42246@yahoo.com
corneliakip@mac.com
www.airbornedance.org
wendybrddance@yahoo.com
541-971-1203
618 6th Ave SW, Albany, OR 97321 USA
earthyogini@yahoo.com
kadaly@peacehealth.org
Ihiszczy@uoregon.edu
pollyjeam@aol.com
1(541)505-0463
445 W.10th ave. #2, Eugene, OR, 97401 USA
touchmonk@yahoo.com
erikferret@yahoo.com
www.dacphome.org
1-503-522-5218
info@manifestdance.org
www.manifestdance.org
503-780-3664
1299 Boone Dr SE Apt. H Salem, OR 97306 USA
77
Springfield
Eliza McNamara
Pennsylvania
Allentown
Corrie Franz Cowart
Timothy Cowart
Washington
Tacoma
Amanda Herman
4873 Elderberry Loop Springfield, OR 97478 USA
CCowart@Muhlenberg.edu
001 610 7973312
145 E. Juniata St. Allentown, PA 18103 USA
Timothy.Cowart@DeSales.edu
001 6107973312,0014845604936
145 E. Juniata St. Allentown, PA 18103 USA
broadwayorbust@hotmail.com
2532326001
78
REFERENCES
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Difference: The Body and Identity in Contemporary Dance. Wesleyan University
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Alessi, Alito. 2008. Interview with Sini Haapalinna, Fall. Video. Available from
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2009.
____. 2007a. Interview by Gaia Germana, August. Transcript.
____. 2007b. Personal conversations, discussions during the 2007 DanceAbility
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____. 1997. DanceAbility Teacher Training Intensive. Contact Quarterly 22, no. 1 :
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Alessi, Alito, Alan Ptashek, and Karen Nelson. 1988. Dance with Different Needs.
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Alessi, Alito with Sara Miura Zolbrod. 2007. DANCEABILITY: Teacher Training Course
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Banes, Sally. 1994. Writing Dance in the Age ofPostmodernism. We~l~y_allUniv:ersity
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Benjamin, Adam. 2002. Making an entrance: Theory and Practice for Disabled and Non-
Disabled Dancers. London;_New York: Routledge.
Curtis, Bruce and Alan Ptashek. 1988. Exposed to Gravity. Contact Quarterly 13. no. 3 :
18-24.
DanceAbility. "DanceAbility Teacher Certification"; available from
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Horwitz, Carol.T998. Manifesting DanceAbility: Interview with Alito Alessi. Contact
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http://www.impulstanz.com/festivaI07/extras/danceability.php?l =en; Internet;
accessed 26 March 2008.
Joint Forces Dance Company. n.d. Promotional brochure.
Paterson, Kevin and Bill Hughes. 2000. Disabled Bodies. Chapter two in The Body,
Culture and Society, Hancock, Philip, Bill Hughes, Elizabeth Jagger, Kevin
Paterson, Rachel Russell, Emmanuelle Tulle-Winton, and Melissa Taylor.
Buckingham; Philadelphia: Open University Press.
Ptashek, Alan. 1992 The Moving Body: an integrated dance course. Contact Quarterly
17, no. I : 40-43.
Richards, Louise and Kevin Finan. 1988. Contact with Special Needs. Contact Quarterly
13, no. 1 : 41-42.
Vedel, Karen. 1997. Oh to be an Apple. Information August 8; available from
http://www.kimpro.dklhisrorie_eng.htm; Internet; accessed 8 June-2009.
Whatley, Sarah. 2007. Dance and disability: the dancer, the viewer and the presumption
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