what I like about this is how it brings out dancing as a tool for disabled people. Many people, I guess, think of dancing as a somewhat elitist sport for very few, especially graceful people, when in fact it can be much more. I'd love to see a performance of you project. Is there any video material on the net? Also, do you run into any problems of the kind I just mentioned, i.e. people not seeing how dancing can be for the disabled?
Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Thank you for taking an interest. I encounter many people who believe that sport is elitist and this is so far from the truth! Dance is for everyone and everyone should have a chance to experience it be it through participation or watching.
Slowly but surely the profile of disabled dancers is rising, with this attitudes are changing too. I have been fortunate enough to witness the great work of GUAG first hand. I have seen them develop into beutiful dancers of today. Alongside thier development as dancers they are growing more as individuals. They are more confident, can communicate more, making decisions that affect thier futures and loving life. They have set up thier own focus group too where they meet to discuss ideas for the group including how to recruit more dancers, how to engage more dancers and how to run thier club night called the Kickin Kangaroo Club.
Due to child protection policies we do not post them on the net, but i will look into getting a clip to you very soon.
Thanks
Vicki Igbokwe
Creative Projects Manager
East London Dance
I agree, dancing is not an elitist activity. Moreover, children with disabilities do not always fit the mold of a paralympic athlete. Just like you and me, they have different interests other than soccer or basketball. It is important for children with disabilities to have as many oppurtunities as possible to express themselves creativly. Music and dancing are universal and this class provides a great oppurtunity for children with disabilities to build confidence, coordiantion, and most of all, friendships. Keep up the good work and I hope you continue to grow.
Hey Vicki!
I am glad to see your project up and the discussion it has started. Perhaps you can tell us more about the changes you see in the youth you work with an where they start with you and where you take them.
I would also like to know more about what other activities you are doing in London...
All the best from Berlin
HC
Heather Cameron
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
The main changes in these young people are their developed self confidence in their abilities. Through the project they use dance to increase thier skill level and learn more about themselves and what makes them unique and very special as are all young people in the world today. Some of them start out as really shy and introvert young people who are now confident and can speak in front of the rest of the group. Others are now taking on more responsibility including working with us in the office to help make plans for the group to meet a few times a year. We have explained the circumstances to them regarding funding at the moment. They have been so keen to stay together that they asked if we could help them to all stay in touch. The group has appointed Cynthia as thier spokesperson. She comes into the office once a month to work with us on researching funding opportunities. Every three months the group meets up to catch up and through Cynthia we update them about were we are at with funing...or not has the case is currently.
Your project is particularly uplifting, Victoria, because you help us recall that even in the midst of a great city in the First World, we still encounter marginalized young people who will respond to care and attention, a combination of athletics and the arts. To teach the ability for public dance and choreography to those who may be otherwise ignored is no simple accomplishment. I'm certain that you encourage a great measure of self-esteem more than anything else.
You mentioned that you had funding for at least a few months, through March of this year. Was that through public sources or private? And have you calculated approximately how much money you need to continue your efforts through a full year, say, and beyond?
Steve Byars
Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California
The funding that we recieved up until March 07 had come from the local Borough. It would take us approximately £15000 a year to deliver. This would include a lead and assisstant tutor at all sessions, 3 terms(Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Sept-Dec) of 10 weeks worth of activity after school. 6 half term intensives (Febx1, Easterx1, Witsunx1, Summerx2, Octx1) of 15 hours per week. We would also have money to pay for the hire of the studio, training for teachers, travel for performances, costumes for the group and most importantly taster sessions that we could deliver at many schools and youth centres to spread the word of GUAG and engage many young people.
Hello Victoria,
Interesting project! I would love to hear more about how it started and about its impact. How many potentially disabled individuals are there out there that you could engage in dance? Could you share a story about the impact that it has had on certain individuals? If possible, include it directly in your entry, you still have plenty of room to expand on your responses! Thank you and Happy holidays.
GUAG started through the need to engage young disabled dancers in dance. As an organsiation East london Dance works with many young people but found that a small percentage were those with disabilities. Also through consultation with disabled young people and thier parents we forund that there was a direct need for projects that catered for this particular group. One of the main things that we cam across was the not so positive experiences of these young people who had tried engaging in projects with abled bodied young people. Alot of this (found out through the consultation) was due to the lack of knowledge and misconceptions that abled bodied young people had of thier disabled peers.
This project has allowed the young people (fortunate to take part in it) to develop skills in many areas including learning dance, team work, creating thier own dances, performing to audiences (Community centre to Trafalgar Sqaure), teaching, apprentiships on other projects, peer motivators and setting up and running thier own comittee.
we could potentially engage with hundreds of young people through dance. Our research has shown that there are many schools and groups in East London that cater for young people with disabilities. If we had the financial backing we could secure links with these schools enabling us to provide a high quality service to thier young people. We could also provide new teachers with training around disability, allowing us to build a bigger team of teachers that can deliver to disabled young people. This would create a better and stronger infrustructure for teachers who were able to deliver intergrated classes for ALL young people
Hey Vicki!
Happy New Year. I wondered if the experience these young people learn through dance makes them more interested in pursuing other physical activities - like sport - once they have begunt o fell and appreciate their bodies in your classes. Can you let us know if any of your dancers also started other organised sports training?
There are a lot of programmes hwere on changemakers providing sporting opportunities for people with a disability - Mysa in Kenya, Lango and the NPC in Zambia, Bart Schell and Paralympic School Day with the IPC...perhaps ome of thse programmes could give you and East London dance ideas for what sort of programmes you could partner with in the UK.
Final point, what sort of parental active support do you get or try to recruit. Do they actively help (or hinder) their kids? Could they help with fundraising and networking? What is their role?
Hope to hear from you soon!
Heather Cameron
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Comments
Hi Victoria,
what I like about this is how it brings out dancing as a tool for disabled people. Many people, I guess, think of dancing as a somewhat elitist sport for very few, especially graceful people, when in fact it can be much more. I'd love to see a performance of you project. Is there any video material on the net? Also, do you run into any problems of the kind I just mentioned, i.e. people not seeing how dancing can be for the disabled?
Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Hi Jasper
Thank you for taking an interest. I encounter many people who believe that sport is elitist and this is so far from the truth! Dance is for everyone and everyone should have a chance to experience it be it through participation or watching.
Slowly but surely the profile of disabled dancers is rising, with this attitudes are changing too. I have been fortunate enough to witness the great work of GUAG first hand. I have seen them develop into beutiful dancers of today. Alongside thier development as dancers they are growing more as individuals. They are more confident, can communicate more, making decisions that affect thier futures and loving life. They have set up thier own focus group too where they meet to discuss ideas for the group including how to recruit more dancers, how to engage more dancers and how to run thier club night called the Kickin Kangaroo Club.
Due to child protection policies we do not post them on the net, but i will look into getting a clip to you very soon.
Thanks
Vicki Igbokwe
Creative Projects Manager
East London Dance
I agree, dancing is not an elitist activity. Moreover, children with disabilities do not always fit the mold of a paralympic athlete. Just like you and me, they have different interests other than soccer or basketball. It is important for children with disabilities to have as many oppurtunities as possible to express themselves creativly. Music and dancing are universal and this class provides a great oppurtunity for children with disabilities to build confidence, coordiantion, and most of all, friendships. Keep up the good work and I hope you continue to grow.
Hi Truexteddy
Thank you for your kind words. Your comment demonstartes a true understanding of the project and its benefits.
Vicki
Hey Vicki!
I am glad to see your project up and the discussion it has started. Perhaps you can tell us more about the changes you see in the youth you work with an where they start with you and where you take them.
I would also like to know more about what other activities you are doing in London...
All the best from Berlin
HC
Heather Cameron
Free University Berlin
University Challenge
Hi Heather
The main changes in these young people are their developed self confidence in their abilities. Through the project they use dance to increase thier skill level and learn more about themselves and what makes them unique and very special as are all young people in the world today. Some of them start out as really shy and introvert young people who are now confident and can speak in front of the rest of the group. Others are now taking on more responsibility including working with us in the office to help make plans for the group to meet a few times a year. We have explained the circumstances to them regarding funding at the moment. They have been so keen to stay together that they asked if we could help them to all stay in touch. The group has appointed Cynthia as thier spokesperson. She comes into the office once a month to work with us on researching funding opportunities. Every three months the group meets up to catch up and through Cynthia we update them about were we are at with funing...or not has the case is currently.
Your project is particularly uplifting, Victoria, because you help us recall that even in the midst of a great city in the First World, we still encounter marginalized young people who will respond to care and attention, a combination of athletics and the arts. To teach the ability for public dance and choreography to those who may be otherwise ignored is no simple accomplishment. I'm certain that you encourage a great measure of self-esteem more than anything else.
You mentioned that you had funding for at least a few months, through March of this year. Was that through public sources or private? And have you calculated approximately how much money you need to continue your efforts through a full year, say, and beyond?
Steve Byars
Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California
Hi Steve
The funding that we recieved up until March 07 had come from the local Borough. It would take us approximately £15000 a year to deliver. This would include a lead and assisstant tutor at all sessions, 3 terms(Jan-Mar, Apr-Jun, Sept-Dec) of 10 weeks worth of activity after school. 6 half term intensives (Febx1, Easterx1, Witsunx1, Summerx2, Octx1) of 15 hours per week. We would also have money to pay for the hire of the studio, training for teachers, travel for performances, costumes for the group and most importantly taster sessions that we could deliver at many schools and youth centres to spread the word of GUAG and engage many young people.
Hello Victoria,
Interesting project! I would love to hear more about how it started and about its impact. How many potentially disabled individuals are there out there that you could engage in dance? Could you share a story about the impact that it has had on certain individuals? If possible, include it directly in your entry, you still have plenty of room to expand on your responses! Thank you and Happy holidays.
Dana Frasz
Changemakers
Hi Dana
GUAG started through the need to engage young disabled dancers in dance. As an organsiation East london Dance works with many young people but found that a small percentage were those with disabilities. Also through consultation with disabled young people and thier parents we forund that there was a direct need for projects that catered for this particular group. One of the main things that we cam across was the not so positive experiences of these young people who had tried engaging in projects with abled bodied young people. Alot of this (found out through the consultation) was due to the lack of knowledge and misconceptions that abled bodied young people had of thier disabled peers.
This project has allowed the young people (fortunate to take part in it) to develop skills in many areas including learning dance, team work, creating thier own dances, performing to audiences (Community centre to Trafalgar Sqaure), teaching, apprentiships on other projects, peer motivators and setting up and running thier own comittee.
we could potentially engage with hundreds of young people through dance. Our research has shown that there are many schools and groups in East London that cater for young people with disabilities. If we had the financial backing we could secure links with these schools enabling us to provide a high quality service to thier young people. We could also provide new teachers with training around disability, allowing us to build a bigger team of teachers that can deliver to disabled young people. This would create a better and stronger infrustructure for teachers who were able to deliver intergrated classes for ALL young people
Hey Vicki!
Happy New Year. I wondered if the experience these young people learn through dance makes them more interested in pursuing other physical activities - like sport - once they have begunt o fell and appreciate their bodies in your classes. Can you let us know if any of your dancers also started other organised sports training?
There are a lot of programmes hwere on changemakers providing sporting opportunities for people with a disability - Mysa in Kenya, Lango and the NPC in Zambia, Bart Schell and Paralympic School Day with the IPC...perhaps ome of thse programmes could give you and East London dance ideas for what sort of programmes you could partner with in the UK.
Final point, what sort of parental active support do you get or try to recruit. Do they actively help (or hinder) their kids? Could they help with fundraising and networking? What is their role?
Hope to hear from you soon!
Heather Cameron
Free University Berlin
University Challenge