Dance as a Powerful Tool to Advance Disability Inclusion: Reflections from an Interdisciplinary Collaboration

This article discusses the collaboration between the academic socio-legal project DANCING, funded by the European Research Council, and the inclusive dance company Stopgap Dance Company (Stopgap). DANCING, among other objectives, aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to cultural participation experienced by disabled people. In pursuing this objective, DANCING established a partnership with Stopgap aimed at the creation of a choreographic piece in which accessibility measures, intended to facilitate the participation of dancers with disabilities and the enjoyment of the choreography by audience with and without disabilities, were intrinsic to the creative process. By presenting findings of qualitative research conducted with Stopgap and audience, it explores how inclusivity and accessibility were experienced by both performers and spectators. This article focuses on three interlinked themes, which elucidate processes, challenges, and outcomes of engaging in inclusive dance at a professional level. In doing so, this article situates at the intersection of disability and dance research and endeavours to provide a theoretical and practical bedrock for future dance projects wishing to adopt more inclusive processes. Further, this article aims to contribute to broader scholarship in the field of arts that positions disability as a cultural identity worth celebrating.