shall we dance? the story of the radiance dance project · the session is part of the radiance...

Australian Journal of Adult Learning Volume 50, Number 2, July 2010

Shall we dance? The story of The Radiance Dance Project

Lisa Catherine EhrichFaculty of Education

Queensland University of Technology

Community workers are often described as unsung heroes who work for, with and alongside others in order to make qualitative differences to the communities they serve. This paper reports on the story of a community-based arts educator, Morgan Jai-Morincome, winner of the ACT Adult Learners Week Award for an outstanding program in 2007. This program, referred to as The Radiance Dance Project, is an inclusive performance project open to women with and without disabilities that culminates in a yearly performance. Via an interview with Morgan, observations of a workshop she provided for the women in her 2009 program, and a viewing of a DVD of the 2008 dance performance, this case study provides an illustration of the power of arts-based educative processes for breaking down barriers between people with and without disabilities. It draws upon constructs from ethical leadership theory and empowerment theory to interpret her ideas and practices.

240 Lisa Catherine Ehrich

Introduction

IwouldonlybelieveinaGodwhoknewhowtodance(Nietzsche).

Nietzsche’sprovocativewordsresonateinmyheadasIobserve23womenwithandwithoutdisabilitiesengageinseriesofcreativemovementactivitiesduringtheirweeklysessionfacilitatedbyMorganJai-Morincome,acommunity-basedartseducatorinCanberra.ThesessionispartofTheRadianceDanceProject,a40-weekprogramofferedfreetowomeninCanberra.Morganisassistedbyherco-facilitatorwhohasworkedwithhersincetheprojectwasfoundedandamature-ageduniversitystudentwhojoinedthematthebeginningoftheyeartoconductaresearchprojectonRadiance.Intheclass,therearevaryingbodyshapes,agesandabilities.Onewomanisinawheelchairandcanmoveonlyherhead.Manywomenareatveryyoungdevelopmentalages,andsomeofthesewomenhavecometothesessionwiththeirsupportworkerswhoareengagingfullyintheactivitiesalongsidethem.Amongthegroupareafewwomenwithprofessionaldanceexperience.Mostoftheparticipantshavehadverylittleexperienceinorexposuretoperformingarts.Thegroupin2009ismadeupofabouthalfofthewomenwithoutanyofficialdisability.Allbodiescandance.

ThispapertellsthestoryofMorgan,thefounderofTheRadianceDanceProject,andtheuniquewayshehasuseddanceasameansofbreakingdownthebarriersbetweenpeoplewithandwithoutdisabilities.IfeltcompelledtowritethispaperafterhavinghadtheprivilegeofattendingaworkshopsheprovidedattheAdultLearningAustraliaConferencein2008whereshespokeofherprogramandtheprinciplesgoverningitsoperation.Thepaperbeginsbyreferringtosomeoftheimportantliteratureinthefield.Itconsidersthepotentialofthecreativeartsasameansofmobilisinglearningandgrowthforpeoplewithdisabilities,discussesthreecentralconstructspertainingtoethicalleadershiptheory,anddrawsuponsomeinsights

Shall we dance? The story of The Radiance Dance Project 241

fromempowermenttheory.ThesetheoreticalinsightsarerevisitedlaterinthepaperasameansofinterpretingMorgan’slifeandwork.

Creative arts

Forsomeyearsnow,thevalueandplaceofthecreativeartshasemergedinavarietyofprofessionalareassuchashealth,educationandbusinessasawayofenhancingandenrichinglearning.Forinstance,healthprofessionalshaveexploredthevalueofdanceandmovementasatypeofhealingandtherapy(Leavy2008).Varioustypesofarts-basededucationarebeingusedtodevelopleadersandmanagersinbusiness,premisedonthebeliefthatartcancreateadifferenttypeofspacefordealingwithproblemsandconnectingtoissuesonadeeperlevel(Kerr&Darso2008a).Inthefieldofdisability,creativearts,dramaandmovementhavebeenusedwithdisabledpeopletohelpthemdevelopphysically,sociallyandcognitively.Forexample,Fuller,Jongsma,Milne,VenutiandWilliams(2008)maintainthatdanceandphysicalmovementallowpeoplewithimpairmentstodevelopaheightenedawarenessoftheirbody’sstructureandtheirstrengths.Danceandmovementhavealsobeenseenasawayofpromotinggrowthandchange(James1996)aswellasincreasingself-esteemandimprovedskillsinsocialisationandcommunication(Lynch&Chosa1996,citedinFulleret al.2008).

Traditionally,performance-baseddancesuchasballetandotherclassicaldancestyleswaspursuedbypersonswith‘perfectbodies’(Freire2001:74).However,inmorerecenttimes,aspateofprofessionaldanceandtheatrecompaniesinAustraliaandoverseashasemergedthatuseperformerswithandwithoutphysicaldisabilities.SomeofthesebetterknowncompaniesincludeDancingWheels,Axis,JointForcesandCandoCo(Male2005).Manyofthedisableddancersinthesecompanieswereatonetimeprofessionaldancersorsportspersonsbutwhothroughaccidentsorillnessesfoundthemselvesdisabled.CompanieslikeAxischallengesociety’s


beliefsaboutdisabilityand‘blurtheboundaries’(Milner2001)aboutwhatconstitutesdanceandcreativemovement.Notsurprisingly,Axishasbeendescribedasagroupofartistswho‘challengenotionsofnormalcyandchampionsocialinclusiveness’(Felciano2002:59).BasedonanexplorationoffourcontemporaryAmericanartists/companies(ofwhichAxisisone),Davies(2003:Abstract)arguesthat‘theactualityofdisabledperformersindisabilitydanceandtheatreforcesustorethinktheboundariesofhumanexperiencetoexpandournotionsofwhatispossibleonthestage’.Commontotheseprofessionaldancecompaniesistheirdesiretoreframethewaysinwhichdisabledbodiescanbeunderstoodandconstrued(Hickey-Moody2006).Incontrasttotheprofessionaldancegroupsmentionedabove,therearenocriteriaregardingwhocanorcannotparticipateinTheRadianceDanceProject.Itisopentoanywoman,ofanyability,whowishestoengageinandbecommittedtotheyear-longprogram.Furthermore,andunlikemanyoftheaforementionedcompanies,Radianceisinclusiveofwomenlivingwithanydisabilitytype.Itdrawsuponprinciplesofcommunityculturaldevelopmentandsocialinclusion.

An ethical framework—care, justice and critique

Animportantframeworkthatisusedinthispapertounderstandthevaluesandpedagogicalpracticesofthearts-basedcommunityworkerwhoseworkandprogramareitsfocuswasdevelopedbyStarratt(1996).Theframeworkcomprisesthreeinter-relatedethics:anethicofcare,justiceandcritique.Althoughhisworkwasdevelopedforschoolleadership,ithasapplicabilitytocommunityleadershipandcommunitydevelopmentandhasbeenusedtointerprettheworkofcommunityleaders(seeCreyton&Ehrich2009,Ehrich&Creyton2008).Eachisnowdiscussed.

Anethicofcarerefersto‘astandpointofabsoluteregard’(Starratt1996)forthedignityandworthofindividuals.Thus,itprizesrelationshipswithothersandthesebecomepivotaltothefunctioning


ofpeople.AccordingtoFromm(1957:25),careisthe‘activeconcernforlifeandthegrowthofthatwhichwelove’.Whetherwewishtousethewordloveorcare,Starrattandlike-mindedwritersmaintainthatleaderswhooperatewithinanethicalframeworkaregenuinelyconcernedforandcareforothers.

Anethicofjustice,accordingtoStarratt(1996),involvesbeingfairandequitableindealingwithpeople.Forleaders,itisaboutcreatingtheconditionsofasociallyjustworkenvironment.Buildingasenseofcommunityliesattheheartofthisethic.Acommunityisdescribedasacollectionofindividualswhoarebondedtogetherbynaturalwillandboundtoasetofvaluesandideals(Sergiovanni1994).Acommunityexistswhenpeoplefeelasenseofbelongingandinterconnectednesswithothers.Sharedanddemocraticleadershipwhereeveryonecanmakeacontributionconstitutetheoperationsofthistypeofcommunity.Sharedleadership,followingPearceandConger’s(2003)definition,isviewedasaninteractiveprocessamongindividualsingroupsthatachieveparticulargoals.Theirdefinitionimpliesthatleadershipisdynamic,relationalandutilisedforthepurposesoftheachievementofgoals.Italsoassumesthatleadershipismulti-directionalandmaycomefromanyindividual.

Relatedtotheethicofjusticeisaconcernforagreatergoalormission.Starratt(1996)usestheterm,‘transcendence’toexplain‘turn[ing]ourlifetowardsomeoneortowardsomethinggreaterthanorbeyondourselves’(p.158).Hegivestheexampleofpeoplewhohaveastrongbeliefinimprovingtheenvironmentorpoliticalfreedomandthisidealleadsthemtocollectiveaction.

AccordingtoStarratt(1996),thethirdethic,anethicofcritique,hasbeeninfluencedbycriticaltheory,aneo-marxistperspectivethatemergedinitiallyinthe1920sbytheFrankfurtschoolofphilosophersandotherphilosopherssympathetictoaMarxistperspective.Anethicofcritiqueisonethatmaintainsthatinequalityandinjusticeexistinsociallife(thatis,insocialrelationships,laws,institutions,social


practices)andcriticalanalystsaskquestionssuchas‘whoseinterestsarebeingserved’?inanattempttoredresssuchinjustices.Starratt(1996)arguesthattheethicalchallengeisto

makethesesocialarrangementsmoreresponsivetothehumanandsocialrightsofallcitizens,toenablethoseaffectedbysocialarrangementstohaveavoiceinevaluatingtheconsequencesandinalteringthemintheinterestsofthecommongoodandoffullerparticipationandjusticeforindividuals.(p.161)

Asindicatedabove,centraltoanethicofcritiqueisalsotheneedfordemocraticandparticipatoryformsofleadershipthatencouragecitizenstoquestiontheunderlyingbasesofpower,hegemonyandcontrolwithinsociety.Itisarguedherethatthesethreeethicsareinterconnectedsinceeachrequirestheothertoformanethicalframework.FollowingStarratt’s(1996)lead,ethicalleadersarethosepersonswhoconnectwithothers,careforandworkcloselywiththemandbuildmoreequitablestructures.

Empowerment as a key construct

Relatedtoanethicofcare,justiceandcritiqueisthenotionofempowerment.Itisaconceptthathasbeenusedwidelyinavarietyofdisciplinessuchaseducation,feministstudiesanddisability.ItsoriginshavebeentracedtoPauloFreire(1971)andhisseminalworkpromotingtheemancipationoftheoppressed(MannHyungHur2006).Empowermentcanbeseenasbothaprocessandaproductthatisexpressedinattitudes,behaviourandknowledge(Dempsey&Foreman1997).Ithasbeendescribedalsoasoccurringatanindividual,groupandcommunitylevel,anddescribedasa‘socialprocess’(MannHyungHur2006)becauseitoccursinrelationtoothers.Feministtheorieshaveconceptualizedempowermentas‘powerto’wheretheindividualisabletoinfluencehisorherenvironmentand‘powerwith’wherepeopleworktogetherinequalpartnership(Neath&Schriner1998,inBlock,Balcazar&


Keys2001:24).‘Powerwith’hasalsobeendescribedas‘powerinconnection,relationalpowerandmutualpower’(Fennell1999:27).

Inthedisabilityliterature,empowermenthasbeenidentifiedasanecessityforpersonswithdisabilitiestohelpbecomeself-determining(Sprague&Hayes2000)andabletoregaincontrolovertheirlives(Rappaport,inSprague&Hayes2000:679).Indeedempowermenthasbeenputforwardasatheoryofchangeforpeoplenotonlywithdisabilitiesbutalsofromavarietyofmarginalisedgroups(Blocket al.2001).

SpragueandHayes(2000)supportwhattheydescribeasafeministstandpointanalysisofempowermentas‘acharacteristicofasocialrelationship,onethatfacilitatesthedevelopmentofsomeone’sself’(p.671).Theyidentifyparticulartypesofrelationshipsthatareempoweringfordisabledpeopleasthosedrawingonsupportgroups,consciousnessraisinggroups,andself-advocacygroups.Regardingthelatter,theauthorsstatethatpeopleneedtheopportunitytoexperienceachievementandreflectontheirskillsandexperiences.Thissortofrelationshipisreciprocalasitenablesdisabledpeopletocontributetoaswellasbenefitfromrelationships.Theymaintainthatempoweringrelationshipscanalsobecreatedwhentherearedifferencesinabilitybetweenthevariousparties.Heretheyarereferringtotherelationshipbetweencare-takersandpersonswithdisability.Thetermusedtoexplainthisis‘co-empowerment’(Bond&Keys,inSprague&Hayes2000:685).

SpragueandHayes’(2000)viewofempowermenthasconnectionstothenotionof‘collectiveempowerment’(MannHyungHur2006)sincethisreferstoindividualswhojointogethertolearnanddevelopskillsforcollectiveaction.Synthesisingwritinginthefieldofcollectiveempowerment,MannHyungHur(2006)referstoitskeycomponentsas‘communitybuilding’—whichreferstocreatingasenseofcommunityamongpeople;‘communitybelonging’wherepeopleareabletoidentifywithsimilarothers;‘involvementinthe


community’wherepeopleparticipateincommunityactivitiesandeventsthatcouldleadtosocialchange;and‘controloverorganization’thatreferstogroupsupportandadvocacy.

Insummary,empowermentasaconstructisconnectedtoanethicofcaresinceitvaluesrelationshipswithothersandseesindividualsasuniquepersonswhocangiveandreceive.Itisconnectedtoanethicofjusticeasitmaintainsthatpeoplecanworktogetherinequalpartnershipandbemembersofacommunitywheretheycontributefullyandbelong.Moreover,withinthiscommunitythereisaspacetohaveavoice.Finally,itisconnectedtoanethicofcritiqueasitrefersto‘powerwith’wherepeoplecanacttogethertobringaboutchange.

Methodology

Aqualitative,interpretivecasestudywasusedtocapturethearts-basedcommunityworker’sstory.Acasestudywaschosenbecauseitisaneffectivewayofpresentingrichnarrativesonindividualcases(Maykut&Morehouse1994).Itisalsousefulasitenablestheuseofmultiplesourcesofdata(Cavana,Delahaye&Sekaran2001).Threemaindatasourceswereusedinthisstudy.Theseincludedanin-depthsemi-structuredinterview,aseriesofunstructuredobservations,andtwodocumentswrittenbythecommunityeducatorabouttheprogram.Firstly,aninterviewwasusedasitenablesaparticipanttoreflectuponandmakesenseofhisorherexperience(Siedman1991).Asetofkeyquestionsoutlinedinaninterviewguidewasmadeavailabletotheparticipantpriortotheinterviewprocess(Minichiello,Aroni,Timewell&Alexander1990).Theparticipantgrantedtheresearcherpermissiontotaperecordtheinterview.Thequestionsfocusedonherbackground,thedanceprogramsheintroducedandfacilitates,thecentralvaluesunderpinningherworkasacommunity-basedartseducator,herleadershipapproachandstrategiesandthechallengesfacingpeopleinherfieldofwork.


Secondly,anobservationoftheparticipantfacilitatingatwo-hoursessionwiththewomenintheprogramwastheseconddatasource.Thisobservationwasofan‘unstructured’variety(Cavanaet al.2001)andtheresearcherobservedandtooknotesonallaspectsofthesession.Thiswasfollowedbytheresearcherlisteningtoaone-hourdebriefingsessionfacilitatedbytheparticipantwithherco-facilitatorandstudentregardingtheworkshopthatday.ThefinalobservationincludedthewatchingofaDVDthatcapturedtheperformanceofthecohortfrom2008.Thirdly,documentanalysiswasused(Maykut&Morehouse1994)wheretheparticipantmadeavailabletotheresearchertwodocumentspertainingtoTheRadianceDanceProject.Bothofthesewereinformationhandoutsabouttheprogram.

Aftertheinterviewwascompleted,atranscriptwassenttotheparticipantforcheckingandendorsement.Theanalysisofthetranscript,inlargepart,wasguidedbytheproceduresoutlinedbyMarton(1988).Forexample,commentswerebroughttogetherintocategoriesonthebasisoftheirsimilaritiesandcategoriesbeingdifferentiatedfromoneanotherintermsoftheirvariances.Datafromtheobservationsanddocumentswereintegratedwiththethemes.Theoreticalconstructsalludedtoearlierinthediscussionwereusedtoassistintheinterpretationofthethemesthatemergedfromtheanalysis.Adraftofthispaperwasgiventothecommunityartsworkerforhercommentsandendorsementthatitpresentedanauthenticaccountofherworkandideas.Thenextpartofthediscussionisbasedaroundthreemainthemes:theperson,theprogram,andtheinterpretation.

The person

Morganwasbornin1972,thefirstoftwochildren.Sheattendedanalternativehighschoolthathadachild-centredcurriculumandphilosophy.Theschoolwasidealasitenabledhertopursueher‘love of performing arts and the creative process in general’.Becauseof


hergreatinterestintheartsshecompletedadegreeineducationaltheatreatuniversityfollowedbyagraduatediplomaineducation.Between1998–2000sheworkedasaneducationofficerforOxfamCommunityAidAbroadonTheWorldNeighboursEducationProject.Itinvolvedraisingawarenessofsocialjusticeissuesthroughtheperformingartsforyouthinschools.Thejobinvolvedmanagingandadministeringpresentersandcreatingnewworks.DuringthistimeMorgansecuredfunding(forOxfam)todeviseanddeveloparoleplaybasedonrefugees.Sheandherhusband(whohadexperienceworkingasarecreationofficerwithchildren)performedthisparticularpieceforschoolsintheACTforayear.ShesaidworkingatOxfamwasa‘turning point’asitgaveheradeeperunderstandingofsocialjusticeissuesrelatedtopeopleexperiencingdisadvantageandenabledhertointegrateherloveoftheartswithherstrongcommitmenttosocialjustice.

MorgandecidedtoleaveOxfamonceshefellpregnantwithherfirstchild.SinceleavingOxfamshehasbeenself-employedasacommunityartsworkerwhereshehasworkedforarangeofcommunityorganisationsandwithpeopleofallagesandabilities.Overthenextcoupleofyearsshecompletedamastersofartsincommunication(culturalperformance),hadanotherchild,andworkedpart-timeasabellydancingteacher,skillsshelearnedwhilstatuniversity.Throughafriend,shewasaskedtotakeabellydancingclassforagroupofwomenwithdisabilitiesandsherealizedhowmuchsheenjoyedworkingwithpeoplewithdiverseabilities.Atthistimeshedecidedifshewantedtocontinuewiththistypeofworkandtobeabletoofferaprogramthatwasaffordableforwomenwithdisabilities,shewouldneedtoseekfunding.UsingskillsgainedwhileatOxfam,shewassuccessfulinsecuringaninnovationsgrantthroughtheACTgovernment.Thefirstprogramwasofferedin2005andrunbyMorganandherfriendwhohasworkedwithherasco-facilitatorsincethattime.Morganpromotedtheprogramthroughthecommunitysectoranditgrewfromsevenpeople(onthe


firstdayofthefirstprogram)to25bytheendoftheyear.Ofthe25participants,23hadsomeconnectionwithdisabilities.Theprogramisnowinitsfifthyear.Morganstatedthatofthe27womenenrolledinthisyear’sprogram,abouthalfhavedisabilities,whiletheotherhalfhavenoconnectionwithdisability.Shereflectedthat,‘to me [that] marks a big part of the evolution of the group in terms of how willing people are to get involved with something that’s inclusive in the broader community’. Likesomanycommunityprogramsthatrelyonsecuringfundingfortheirongoingoperation,Morganhashadtoapplyforfundingeveryyeartopayforthedirectcostsinvolvedinrunningacommunity-basedartsprogram.

The program: The Radiance Dance Project

Radiance has grown out of the lack of opportunities for people with disabilities to access and participate in ongoing dance/movement classes, programs or projects and a need for opportunities for people with and without disabilities to dance, create, explore, collaborate and perform together. It has grown into a project that sees all humans as having diverse abilities and offering a space where individuals can express their unique selves in connection and collaboration with others. (Jai-Morincome2009)

Asindicatedbythequote,theprogramisbasedonanumberofassumptionsandmanyoftheserelatetotheimportanceofvaluingdifferenceanddiversity,integratinglearningandcreativeopportunitiesforpeoplewithandwithoutdisabilities,andtheabilitythateveryonehastoexpressthemselves.Asanintegratedprogram,Radianceis‘open to and actively promotes dance that involves people with and without disabilities’(Jai-Morincome2009).Inthisway,itprovidesopportunitiesforpeopletoexperienceandtoappreciateeachother’sdiverseability.Allbodiesareseenasbeingabletodanceandeveryonehastheabilitytoexpressthemselvescreativelyandartisticallythroughperformance.Thus,Radianceisbasedontheassumptionthattherearenorightorwrongwaysin


moving.Forthisreason,participantsareencouragedtomovesafelyyetextendtheirrangeofmovementvocabularyandexplorenewwaysofcommunicatingandmoving.Hence,thedegreeofphysicalityisdependentonwhateachpersonisabletodoandcontribute.Activeparticipationispromotedwhereeachpersonisencouragedandsupportedtoparticipateasbesttheycan.Infact,supportworkers/carers(eitherpaidorunpaid)areexpectedtobeactiveparticipantsintheprogramandtocontributeinthesamewayasotherparticipants.Co-activeassistanceisencouragedwhereparticipantsexpressthemselvesintheirownwayandthefacilitatorsavoidofferingmovesorexamplesunlessthesearepartoftheactivity.Thefinalassumptionunderpinningtheprogramistheimportanceofacultureofkindnesstooperatesothatparticipantscanworktogetherinasupportedandsupportiveenvironment.AsstatedbyJai-Morincome(2009),‘we approach each other with openness and kindness [in] a loving, supportive and respectful environment’. Itisthiscultureofsupportandinclusivitythatenablestheparticipantstofeelateaseandtoimmersethemselvesinthecreativeexperience.

AuniquefeatureofRadianceisitisofferedtowomenonlyandthemainreasonforthisishistorical.AsMorganindicated,whatisnowknownasTheRadianceDanceProjectgrewoutofapilotprojectwithanexistingwomen’sgrouprunbyalocalserviceprovider.Astheprojectevolved,itremainedawomen’sonlygroupdueinlargeparttothepositiveresponsesoftheparticipantswhoappreciateditssinglegenderfocusanditsabilitytoenablethemtofeelsafe,supportedandfreetobethemselves.RadianceistheonlysinglegenderprogramthatMorganprovides;herotherprogramscaterformixedgenders.

Radiancespans40weeksintheyearcommencinginFebruaryandendinginDecember.Onceaweek,participantsmeetforovertwohours,includingabreakformorningtea.Eachweekbuildsonfromthepreviousweeksoparticipantsareencouragedtoattendweeklyandmakeafirmcommitmenttoremainintheprogramuntiltheend


oftheyear.Thefirst10weeksoftheyeararedevotedtoexploratorywork.MorganexplainedthatmuchofherideasaboutmovementandimprovisationhavecomefromtheseminalworkofRudolfLaban(1988),teacherandchoreographer,whoseinfluencehasbeenfeltinfieldssuchaseducation,danceandthearts.

Thenext10weeksoftheprogramaredevotedtofurtheringskilldevelopmentinmovementanddancemakingaswellasgeneratingpotentialperformancematerial.Bytheendofterm2,ideasbegintobeworkshoppedtoseewhichoneshavethepotentialtobeusedintheperformance.Participantsareencouragedtocontributeandexploretheirideasbyengaginginimprovisedactivitiesinsmallandlargegroupsinclass.Asawayofensuringthatparticipants’ideasand‘voice’areaccuratelyrecordedandthereforeabletobebuiltupon,Morganand/orherco-facilitatortakephotographsandvideoasmanysessionsastheycan.Theseideasarethenexploredinfollow-upclasses.Duringtheirdebriefingsessionfollowingtheclass,Morganandherco-facilitatordiscusswhatissuesemerged,whatworkedwell,andwhattodointhenextsession.Anotherimportantsourceoffeedbackisthetwice-yearlyevaluation(conductedinthemiddleandendoftheyear),whenparticipantsareaskedtosharetheirperceptionsandreflectionsabouttheprogram.Thoseparticipantswhocanwriteareaskedtorecordtheirresponses,whilephotographs,videomaterialandartmaterialsareusedforthosepeoplewhoareunabletospeaktocapturetheirreactions.Supportworkerswhoaccompanythewomenwithdisabilitiesarealsoaskedtoarticulatetheirperceptionsofhowtheprojectisgoingforthemselvesandforthewomantheyaresupporting.

Interms3and4,participantsworkshopandrehearsethevariouspiecestowhichtheyarecommittedandwishtoperform.Performancepiecesareusuallysemi-improvised(mostlyun-choreographed).AsMorganstated,itisaparticipant’s‘way of moving [that] inspires what direction the pieces take’.Foreachperformance,thereareseveralpiecesthatareperformedandsomeoftheseinvolveasmall


numberofparticipants,whileotherpiecesinvolveallparticipants.BothMorganandherco-facilitatorperforminmanyofthepieces.Morganexplainedtheperformanceisnotavarietyshowbutaseriesofsegmentsthatareconnectedlooselytoathemeandthatthethemeusuallyemergesaseachpiecedevelops.Thecumulativeeffectofthe40-weeksessionsisaperformanceofferedtothepublicontwodaysinDecembereachyear.In2008,over200peopleinthelocalcommunityinCanberraattendedtheperformances.

The interpretation

Dance as a vehicle of empowerment

Dancehasbeendescribedasthemost‘ephemeral’oftheartssinceitcannotbecapturedinwrittenorrecordedform(Borstel2006:66).Itisavisualspectaclethatinvolvescreativemovementandexpression.Movementandtheatre,forMorgan,arethecreativevehiclesthroughwhichsheenactsherworkasanindependentcommunityartsworker.AttheheartofTheRadianceDanceProjectistheinvitationalspaceshegivesparticipantstobecomeempoweredindividuallyandcollectively.Individualempowermentisdemonstratedbyparticipants’emergingandgrowingawarenessoftheirbodiesandthedevelopmentandexpansionoftheirskillsofmovement(James1996).Collectiveempowermentisvisibleviathewayparticipantsareencouragedtoimprovetheircommunicativeandrelationalskillswithothersinthegroup(Fulleret al.2008).Itisthroughparticipants’relationshipsandinteractionsthattheylearn,developandcreate(Sprague&Hayes2000).

Thenotionsof‘powerto’and‘powerwith’,bothrelevanttofeministtheoriesofpoweranddisability(Blocket al.2001,Fennell1999),wereapparentintheactionsofparticipantsduringtheclassthatwasobserved.‘Power to’ wasevidentwhereparticipantswereengagedinactivities,interactingwiththeenvironmentandparticipatinginawaythatsuitedthematthatmoment.‘Power with’wasevidentnotonlyin


howMorgandescribedherwayofworkingwithparticipants,butalsodemonstratedthroughtheopportunitiessheprovidedforparticipantsinsessionwhentheytookownershipofthevariousactivities,sharedtheirideaswithothersandrespondedindividuallyandcollectively.

Ethic of care

AnimportantoperatingprincipleofTheRadianceDanceProjectisaclimateofopennessandkindnessinaloving,supportiveandrespectfulenvironment.Caringforindividualsasuniquepersonsandacceptanceoftheiruniquegiftsandabilities(Fromm1957,Starratt1996)arecentraltoMorgan’svaluesasacommunityartsworkerandevidentinherpracticesandrelationshipswithparticipantsandherco-facilitators.

AnimportantfeatureofRadiance,asdistinctfromotherprogramsdesignedtosupportgroupsofpeoplewhohavedifferenttypesofdisability,isitsintegratedandinclusivefocus.Morgansaidthat,throughtheapproachthatsheandherco-facilitatortake,theexercisestheyuse,andtheprinciplesthatguidetheprogram,shebelievesshehasbeensuccessfulincreatingacaringenvironmentwherebarriersbetweengroupsofpeoplearenotanissue.Asshesays,the

groupbecomesverycloseveryquicklybecause[of]…workingtogetherthroughmovement,notreliantonwords,whenyou’reactuallymovingtogether,isaveryintimateact.Soweareclosewitheachother,we’reclosephysicallyandthatreallydevelopsabondbetweenpeople.

KerrandDarso(2008b)concurwhentheystatethat‘[a]rtcaneducateus…thatweareabletoenterintoconversationonadeeperlevelthanwenormallydo,andtheartisticexperiencecreatesstrongrelationshipsandafeelingofconnectedness’(p.591).SpragueandHayes(2000:687–688)maintainthatpeople,regardlessoftheirabilitiesordisabilities,seektobeinrelationshipsthatare


empoweringyettherealityformanypeoplewithdisabilitiesisthattheyare‘severelyconstrainedbyinterpersonalandsocialstructuralrelationshipsthatinonewayoranotherdefinethemas“other”,asobjectratherthansubject’.Itistheseconstraintsandthenotionof‘theother’thatMorganandherco-facilitatorhaveworkedhardtodiminish.

Ethic of justice

AccordingtoStarratt(1996)anethicofjusticeisconcernedwithfairandequitabletreatmentofothersinaninclusiveclimate.Morganstatedthatsheisacutelyawareofthedifficultiesthatpersonswithdisabilitiesfaceregardingaccesstoarts-basedprograms.Forexample,manypeoplewithdisabilitiesareunemployedoronlowfixedincomes.Inrecognitionofthisissue,theprojectisfullysubsidisedandparticipantsdonotpaytoattend.

Anotherillustrationofjustpracticeistheinclusiveclimatethatiscreatedthatenablesdemocratic/sharedleadershipapproachestooperate.Agoodexampletohighlightthisistheimportantexpectationthatcarersorsupportworkerswhoaccompanypeoplewithdisabilitiestotheprogramareexpectedtobeactivelyinvolvedinthedancesessionsandperformances.Asitstatesintheinformationsheet,‘[s]upportworkers/carersareconsideredfull,activeandequalparticipantsintheprogram’(Morincome2008:1).Therationaleunderpinningthisexpectationcanbeexplainedbyreferringtotheconceptsof‘co-empowerment’(Bond&Keys,inSprague&Hayes2000)and‘collectiveempowerment’throughcommunitybuilding(MannHyungHur2006).Co-empowermentisanotionstemmingfromafeministstandpointanalysisthatmaintainsrelationshipsdevelopedbetweenpersonswithdisabilitiesandthosewithoutdisabilitiescanbeempoweringasbothcanlearnanddevelopfromtheconnectionandinteractionwithothers(Sprague&Hayes2000).Byhavingsupportworkersinvolvedintheprogram,aswellaspeoplewithoutofficialdisabilities,Morganandherco-facilitator


areendeavouringtocreateopportunitiesformutuallyrespectfulandinterdependentrelationshipstobeforgedandwhereleadershipismulti-directionalandcancomefromanyoftheparticipants(Pearce&Conger2003).

FollowingMannHyungHur’s(2006)work,collectiveempowermentissaidtorefertobuildingasenseofcommunityamongpeopleaswellasenablingpeopletofeelasthoughtheybelongtoacommunity.Thereisalsotherecognitionthattheroadtoempowermentislikelytobedifferentfordifferentpeople(Sprague&Hayes2000).Forthisreason,Morganencouragesallparticipantstoexpressthemselvesindividuallyandcollectivelywithinacommunityoflike-mindedothers.Itisthebuildingofthecommunitythatprovidesaspaceforexpression,newwaysofrelatingtopeople,andthepromotionofkeyvaluessuchassharingandtrust(Jazzar&Algozzine2006).

Ethic of critique

Anethicofcritiqueisonethatsupportshumanrightsofallcitizensandprovidesthemwithavoice.Itquestionshowpowerisusedinsocietyandaimstoredressinjusticesandinequalities(Starratt1996).Morgan’sstrongbeliefsaboutsocialinclusionrevealhowshesubscribestothisethic.Shesays:‘I have a commitment to social inclusion and I have a belief that that is the right way to go and that it’s our society that needs to change in order to accommodate difference, not people who are perceived as different’. MorgandescribedRadianceasa‘statement against segregation; it’s a statement for inclusion’.TheworkofRadianceis‘a form of activism and we do that through performance. We do it through the weekly sessions; … it’s a political act just for the fact that adults with and without disabilities are coming together when in most areas of life we are separate’.ItisthroughdancethatMorganisabletoprovideanarenaforparticipantstobecollectivelyempowered(MannHyungHur2006)bybelongingtoacommunity,byidentifyingwithothersinthecommunity,andbyparticipatinginactivitiesthatcanleadto


socialchange(MannHyungHur2006).AsClover(2007)argues,creativityisanintegralpartofsocialactivism.

Indescribingintegrateddance,Hickey-Moody(2006)saysthatit‘possess[es]acapacitytoreframethewaysinwhichbodieswithintellectualdisability[orotherdisabilityforthatmatter]canbethought’(p.89)since‘differentbodiesandabilitiesmapoutnewpossibilities’(Davies2003:Abstract).AsDavies(2003)indicates,watchingdifferentbodiesdancehelpsustoreconsiderandreframewhatispossibleonstageandwhatispossibleinlife.Morganhassimilarsentimentswhenshesays,‘I see how it could be and I want to take people on that journey to how it could be, how it could be different, how it could be more empowering, more connective for communities’.

Conclusion

Thiscasestudyhasendeavouredtocapturesomeofthevaluableinsightsandpracticesofacommunityarts-basededucatorinAustralia.Herstorywastoldbecauseitisaninspirationalone.Itisinspirationalforitscreativity,itsvisionandenactmentofsocialinclusion,itsresponsivenesstodifference,anditspoliticalcontentandintent.Itisinspirationalforits‘hope,celebrationandoptimismforthefuture’—threekeynotionsthatarecentraltofeministcommunitybasedprojects(Clover2007:520).Itisinspirationalforthespaceitprovidesforpeopletousewhateverlanguagetheyhaveavailabletothemtosharetheirideasandcreativeresponses.Itisinspirationalbecauseitexistsinasectorthathasbeenmarginalisedbyinstrumentalistthinkingandincreasingfundingcuts.

Acknowledgement

MysincerethanksgotoMorganforallowingmetheopportunitytolearnmoreaboutherinnovativeandcreativedanceproject.


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About the author

Lisa Catherine Ehrich is an Associate Professor in the School of Learning and Professional Studies at Queensland University of Technology. Her substantive research interests include leadership and management, professional development of teachers and professionals, and mentoring.

Contact details

School of Learning & Professional Studies, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059

Tel: (07) 3138 3038 Fax: (07) 3138 8265 Email: [email protected]

shall we dance? the story of the radiance dance project · the session is part of the radiance...

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