Discussing Disability in Dance Book Project
One in four people in the US have a disability that impacts a major part of their life according to a 2018 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What if the dance world reflected that statistic?
The Discussing Disability in Dance Book Project seeks to investigate and dismantle the language and stereotypes often used to describe professional dancers with disabilities. Spearheaded by Emmaly Wiederholt (founder/editor of Stance on Dance, and a member of our own ADC Steering Wheel) and Silva Laukkanen (dance educator and disability advocate) with illustrations by visual artist Liz Brent-Maldonado, the team has been compiling interviews with various professional dance artists with disabilities around the country and world since 2017, asking about training, access and press, as well as looking at the state of the field.
From February 1st through March 11th, 2021, the Discussing Disability in Dance Book Project is raising $5,000 to complete and publish a hard copy of the book. We hope to make the book available for purchase late 2021 or early 2022.
