Michèle and Manuel stand in the middle of a large dance floor during the Gentse Feesten. They are both wearing Etage Tropical t-shirts. The logo features a dancing lady in yellow on a black background. Michèle has her headset (microphone) on. They are surrounded by approximately 200 sighted dancers, all deeply focused on the exercise. The figure “très,” an advanced bachata move, is being performed by nearly 200 dancers. Young and old, all nationalities, everyone is thoroughly enjoying it. The sun is shining brightly on the dance floor, and smiling faces show the joy. Manuel supports Michèle with great precision. In the dance world, this is called "clean" dancing. He keeps his right hand on his chest as he performs the initial bachata steps, then guides Michèle in a half-turn from left to right with a marked pause on the fourth beat, before unwinding from right to left. Michèle is clearly enjoying herself. She gives verbal instructions to the many dancers while regularly counting through the microphone. When everyone masters the move, she bursts into laughter, filled with happiness, which is mirrored by Manuel, as he and the dancers are having just as much fun.
The video features the logo of Sport Vlaanderen and the Etage Tropical logo, along with a reference to the website www.danceorientation.eu.
For Michèle, this is a very important video because it demonstrates her success as a trainer for “dance for the blind and visually impaired.” Michèle is training Manuel to become an assistant instructor and aims to break traditional dance protocols: namely, you don’t need to see to excel in your passion. With this dance, Manuel wants to show that even classical partner dances are accessible to the blind and visually impaired. Manuel demonstrates that, among 200 sighted dancers, he, as a blind dancer, masters the figure and can provide clear guidance to the follower (Michèle). It’s a groundbreaking exercise we are proud of! Bachata for the blind and visually impaired: the path to a love for Latin American dances.