Great link - having checked out the web-site, how cool is that!
It did bring a tear to my eye when I looked at the "about us" link on this site, to discover the founder died of cancer, but an 18 year old stepped up to the plate and continues the fantastic work teaching dance.
The list of sponsours is also well cool - it is great that they have so much support.
On the home page, the photos that scroll though are worth a look - made me smile, thinking of the effort put into the costumes and the obvious commitment to performing
I found a brief summary here... Enough Rope with Andrew Denton - ABC TV - 'Everyone has a story'
So thanks for that - there are 2 vids, one follows on from the other - by the end of the second vid
The vid is the current one that comes up on the site - if anyone wants a look.
Thanks Saligal
Your problem is probably the same as everyone else's that feels this way. You're so busy thinking about how to treat people with special needs that it makes you feel worried about getting it wrong. In doing so, you've completely missed the point. The vast majority of people with special needs want to be treated the same as everyone else.
You haven't treated my son any different to all the other kids on the few occasions you've met him, and guess what? No problems. OK, so he has a mild form of Asperger's Syndrome, but the point is that if you tried to treat him differently to the other kids, he'd notice and then you'd see how difficult an AS child really can be.
Don't worry about it, treat them as you would anyone else, but be aware of any difficulties they may have.
Sorry for the 2 long posts - my thread !
Wow - thanks for all the great positive responses !
That could work either way - not sure how you weigh one against the other - apples/oranges, chalk/cheese ... I don't think you can put a price on it!
As long as people-put-off have somewhere else to go, and the venue/night survives well enough, it shouldn't be any more of a problem than, say, people who want (or object violently to) rock'n'roll music and hand/body bouncing (see other threads ...)! Around here, many venues/nights are less-than-packed : largely due to "more supply than demand", I suspect. Busking, media, spam campaigns have little lasting effect.
That environment could encourage evolutionary diversity, where different venues/nights develop distinct characteristics, as niches evolve, and like-minded people discover each other and congregate in their preferred environments. Could be an interesting sociological thesis there ... As someone puts it "We could get a reputation !". That could work either way - the ambiguity could work in our favour - it might even be a good reputation ?
In marketing terms, delivering a different service to different 'market segments' can make a great deal of sense: maybe a night/venue catering more for the 'advanced' tricky/choreographed/signalled/showy/competitive/risky moves, and another for the simpler/freestyling/leadable/fun/partnership/safe/flow-experience/intuitive moves ? That could 'naturally select' the highly-technical 'snooty double-preppers' from the "it's easy - anyone can do it" schools. There is a risk of beginning an 'evolutionary fork' that ends up with two quite separate species that can't get together and 'interbreed'. We would have to keep uniting at freestyles and weekenders for that ! Even being a hard-nosed commercial Gradgrind, maybe we actually need to diversify into an untapped niche market - the "special pound" !
I don't suggest the fork has really begun, although there may be signs. I almost put the word /technical/ in the first list, but even /simple/ moves need simple technique, IMO. 'Ceroc Lite' ?
True - conversely, some really fit athletic hotties, that have solo danced and played music for years really struggle !
Maybe if we suggest they could "bring a partner", and make a fixed line anyway ? That may help the ratio (M/F too) and [cynic] the takings on the door [/cynic] !
I think it is a mistake if we miss out the name of the move on each repetition of the 'to a count' or 'to music'. It certainly simplifies the 'chant' for 'from the top to music' ! [geek]Handles for sub-routines[/geek]
Thanks - that's encouraging - I think we have enough people of the right sort to cope.
To be continued ...
..... continued
I think we all do, at first - it sounds as though you aren't running away, but ready to try - I guess that's the first step. I don't think it's all that hard really. I'm just starting, too - hence the thread.
I did a 3-day 'Diversity Awareness' course at work - mostly LGBT/race. It was a bit of an eye-opener, but most valuable. Even after 3 days, I think we would have failed a practical test ! 'Act normally' is good avice, but 'Try really hard to act as if it is normal' probably isn't ! Like "Don't mention the War" in Fawlty Towers !
Yes, I think that is general advice to foster an open welcoming supportive environment/culture, rather than a rule that could be intimidating in itself. Else we lose stalkees rather than stalkers. We generally say 'medical reasons are valid excuses - exhaustion, dehydration, temperature, injury, lavatorial necessity'. I suppose it is to encourage people to ask, rather than to force people to accept - hence shouldn't be strict. See other threads for detailed discussion. I might make a face or use body language if 'rejected', but good-humouredly. I am less likely to ask them again, but they probably welcome that. Maybe saying "Everybody asks everybody" is enough.
Don't worry, I think we're coping fine really.
Stephen is quite popular with the ladies.
I suspect there may be a slight natural tendency, which might favour simpler second lessons, too, in time - we might pick up some of the people that struggle with the second lesson at the other local venue, too. Simplicity and clarity can't be bad, but not longer lessons. Maybe the beginner/intermediate gap might become a distinct market segment ? That could be a positive strategy ! Not that I would suggest 'poaching'... .
Sounds perfectly normal bloke, give or take a little shyness, to me !
I really empathise with that, too - too like me for comfort, but I put it down to 'motorism' ! I know nothing about your brother, but I think there is no distinct onset or sharp borderline with some conditions. Very mild Autism or Asperger's may not be noticeable, and even give some surprising symptoms - ie some wonderfully gifted musicians like David Helfgott, Derek Paravicini who really defy simplistic definitions of ability, and are probably hard to diagnose - hence the term 'spectrum'.
As a Taxi I sometimes wonder if people who really struggle with the partner aspect of dancing might have a very slight tendency to a mild personality disorder of some kind. You really just have to be sensitive and accept people for who they are, and be very careful. Often expressions, gestures and other body language are safer than verbal feedback or instruction (except with paranoia?). Mental differences can be less obvious than physical ones - beware.
In fact, does anyone know anyone who is actually totally 'normal', apart from themself, of course ?
Will talk to them more ...
Will talk to them more ...
Most inspiring ! Again Downs & Dance works.
I vaguely remember something SN happening at the Castle Theatre, Wellingborough last June - a group called "Dance Dangerous".
Northants Art Development looks like a useful resource !
I'll let you know how we get on.
[QUOTE=Martin;478347]I cannot remember seeing anyone with special needs at classes, but I have danced with a lady who was in a wheelchair and it was a lot of fun.QUOTE]
There used to be a lady who attended Chermside classes (I don't know whether she still attends) who had a problem with her left arm & wrist & also a bit with her ankles. The intermediate classes were a bit difficult for her, but I think she used to enjoy the beginner lesson.
Martin mentioned dancing with someone in a wheelchair; are there any regular dancers with physical special needs. Double Trouble works fine with a single arm per follower, so I suppose there is no real reason why say an arm amputee couldn't dance very proficiently.
This is a heartwarming thread and I wish I had something useful to contribute but my only experience is with a few students with relatively mild Aspergers syndrome and since this is characterized by a love of repetition and a desire to get things right as well as a phenomenal, if selective memory, then there should not be a problem! In fact I know someone like this who I consider to be a very promising dancer. There is also a certain old fashioned courtesy apparent in those young people I have met. The only problem would be if things were done incorrectly (ie. teachers confusing their left and right!) or if moves were inadequately explained. Also, there is an unflinching honesty so if you ask for an opinion you might not like what you hear! However, judging by the poll on autism and comments made on this thread, mild Aspergers is not that uncommon on the dance scene!
P.S. I can now understand why Rachel is one of the most empathetic people I have ever met !
Thank you, Diana, that's a lovely comment! Though I still have a long way to go and a lot of self-improvement to make. For example, I don't get to see my brother nearly as much as I'd like. Mostly because I'm, um, not exactly close to my parents (with whom he lives) and they have made it very difficult for me to come and stay overnight with them. However, with typical parental contradictoriness, if I happen to be in the area and don't stay overnight, that also causes offence. You know how it is when nothing you do is right ...
Fred, who uses a wheelchair, is very well known in the Ceroc scene and dances all over the place, including weekenders and competitions. He's got a really snazzy althletic chair and it's great fun dancing with him - really interesting finding out which moves we can do, what works best, and how to get that chair spinning round as fast as we can!
R. x
Its lovely to see how welcoming most people are in dancing to include a diversity of people. I can understand that somepeople feel a little uncomfortable, and this is common if you have not had much contact with people of special needs and the best thing to do to feel more confident is ask them to dance.
I would be very against adapting standard dance classes as it makes people stand out. They can alway choose to do the lesson fixed partner with a carer if they wish. I also think that people consider treating people differently only because they can observe differences in these people. Dancing is very diverse and full of people with lots of different non observable disabilities and gifts which may or may not affect their dancing. For instance i might not realise that if i was dancing with somebody who was struggling a bit that they had dyspraxia. Hopefully dancers can continue to welcome and support everyone who wants to dance.
Sounds like Fred!!
He's quite a handy man on the side ... (see Fred's Shed) - 'a connoisseur of fine tools and equipment'
Although I don't encounter this that often, I would like to express how wonderful some of the Forumites are towards people with special needs. It takes a special kind of person to respond to these people.
Full marks to any organisers and teachers who put together special events to highlight the causes
best
johnnyman
Hi All
Thanks for the responses and encouragment
We seem to have settled down to two regulars - not a problem. In fact Stephen is really funny when he comes out of his shell - and I am gradually becoming more certain that he is aware of the situation and playing it for laughs !
If you are in the London area (or Cambodia !) and are interested in the area of dance and disability, I would recommend contacting 'Epic Arts'.
I met some of them running a workshop 'Integrated Dance' at an Arts festival. They were exploring the mime/dance boundary/overlap to show how to use movement-as-expression to cross communication barriers. At least that is what I got out of it, anyway! It may well have worked on other levels, too. Excellent, and great fun.
The latter sounds just like this Forum !Epic Arts is founded on the christian faith;
love and acceptance are integral to our work, with people of all backgrounds and all faiths.
They have changed/derived their slogan from 'Every Person Is Counted' to 'Every person counts'.
Hope this helps !
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