Outreach

During the past two days (Monday & Tuesday), Full Radius Dance presented dance workshops: Four at Focherini Secondary School in Carpi and two at the Gym La Patria, also in Carpi.

The school workshops were for youth ages 11 and 12, mostly without disabilities. How great is that? A physically integrated company teaches dance. Period. Not ‘adapted dance’. Just dance.

In the first workshop, a small class of children with disabilities arrived to watch their peers without disabilities dance. No chance of that happening when we are in charge! We immediately invited them to join the class. I think their teacher was a little surprised.

In all the four workshops, the language barrier melted away almost instantaneously. Smiles, laughter, pats on the back are universally understood (as is my ape-like grunt of disapproval I would use). Also, I think it made the kids more attentive, as they had to watch closely in order to follow the movements.

I am proud of how well Vincent, Laurel, JoJo and Onur worked with the children, and how well they worked in support of me.
The two Gym La Patria workshops were attended by adults with developmental disabilities and their teachers, caregivers, etc. During workshops for this particular population, I’m always struck by the power of human touch and contact. The broad, genuine smiles that erupt across faces when we hold hands and gallop across the floor or support each other during a ‘statue’, is always profound.

All in all, two very successful days.