Dancers With Disabilities Take Centre Stage at International Festival

Creating inclusive spaces for all body types in the arts is important, says Lethabo Shai, a disabled dancer who participated in the third edition of the BODY MOVES International Inclusive Dance Festival in Johannesburg.

Organised by the Sibikwa Arts Centre, this year’s festival featured dancers from across the country and the United Kingdom.

The events started in Benoni on Thursday and continued in Johannesburg through to Sunday. There will be performances in Cape Town through to 7 December. Tickets are available at Quicket.

“I just love dancing because it makes me so happy,” says dancer Lethabo Shai. She says this year’s festival gave her an unforgettable experience and a great learning opportunity.

Sibikwa Arts Centre CEO Caryn Green believes that the arts and the power of dance unites and inspires people. “This is more than just a festival. It is a chance for us to come together, collaborate and create despite the barriers of disabilities and difference,” said Green.

The weekend-long festival featured inclusive dance workshops which offered teens and young adults with disabilities as well as their carers the opportunity to explore expressing themselves through movement and dance.

South African dancers and their counterparts from the United Kingdom performed two pieces. One titled Synergy highlighted the interconnectedness of people and the environment, with a focus on the impact of climate change on deaf and disabled communities.

The other titled Bells and Sirens 2 examined the queer club culture.This piece was a reimagining of the original Bells and Sirens choreography, commissioned by Sibikwa last year. It was supported by the Global Disability Innovation Hub’s UK aid funded AT2030 programme, choreographed by Thapelo Kotlolo and performed by Jabu Vilakazi and Keaoleboga Seodigeng.

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