The Art of Equality Instead of Disability

ance, Gender, and Culture

25 March 2012

The Art of Equality Instead of Disability

The true beauty of art is not defined only by a person's physical abilities but also their mental ability in living life. Living in today's society with the diverse cultures and the multitude of obstacles can be a challenge in itself, but imagine not being able to carry out normal daily functions as defined by the world around you. The simple things that we take for granted are not as simple for a person with a disability but that should not define who you are as a person because equality should be seen with every human being. The art form that is utilized in dance can break down a person's boundaries by learning to adapt to changes and then evolving from those changes to create a beauty that can be viewed from the outside as well as the inside. "The disabled performer is both marginalized and invisible - relegated to borderlands, far outside the central area of cultural activity, by the discourses of medicine" (Kuppers 49). "Given that disability signifies the cultural antithesis of the fit, healthy body, what happens when visibly disabled people move into the role of dancer, the very same role that has been historically reserved for the glorification of an ideal body" (Albright 57)?

The ability to evolve from the stereotyping of having a disability to creating a professional performance of beauty and elegance where their disability is not seen as a crutch but as a challenge against nature would result in an amazing performance. "Disabled performers have successfully and visibly taken up the medium of performance to expand the possibilities of images, spaces and positions for their bodies. In their work with bodies in public spheres, they attempt to break through stereotypes of passive disability" (Kuppers 49). The dances videos that were viewed for this assessment all portray a dancer with a type of disability but displays endless boundaries that show precision and techniques that defy the definition of having a disability. The general idea of dance is viewed by an able body that is performing without the presence of a physical disability that conforms into an art form and this can be seen as a consistent stereotype. The art of living life is not defined by a physical disability but how you overcome and conquer your physical limitations. In the videos, the disabled dancers create a sense of space that defies gravity and definition which makes it unique. I would definitely pay to view their performance because it portrays a reality that a lot of people have to face and with some determination you can do whatever you want to do in this world.

The ability to incorporate disability into dance can be seen as an alteration of the way dance techniques are utilized in the classroom. Sarah Whatley examines the experience of disabled dance students and describes what strategies in teaching would be most effective. In the dance classes that are taught she replaces the traditional teaching methods with unconventional models with two being most effective. The first method is called "translation and adaptation," and is used "to focus on the anatomical purpose of the exercise or phrase rather than attempting to reproduce the same (visual) form and aesthetic outcome" (Whatley 13). This method "encourages students to identify what an exercise is for, recognizing that the information is the same (for example, 'lifting the belly') even if the felt sensation and physical outcome is different for each individual dancer, based as it is on each individual dancer's body" (Whatley 13). This teaching method recognizes that every dancer's body is unique in their own way and the end result can still be achieved by every dancer. A second method that Whatley describes is called "variation," and the view is portrayed on "different body parts, including hands and wrists, not just legs and feet" (13). The hands and wrists can be seen as alternatives to the traditional dance moves using legs and feet which may be not usable when a disability is present. Rather than work around a dancers limitations, she tries to incorporate and find a distinct ability in a person's body and explore the artistic possibilities that can be utilized from these differences. An example of this can be seen in The Cost of Living video where the man has no legs but is able to incorporate dance using techniques that involve his hands and wrists by moving his upper torso around the female dancer which creates a strong sense of desire.

As described by Ann Cooper Albright, "issues of disability eventually affect everybody's life" (63). "This insertion of bodies with