G-dance training day at Danssport Vlaanderen 2021
On October 3, 2021, I had the privilege of giving a "trainer's lesson" for 14 dancers – trainers for the federation "Danssport Vlaanderen" as part of further education for G-sport within the Flemish Trainerschool.
I would like to thank the federation for addressing the debate, the need, and the future perspective of inclusive dance lessons for "blind and visually impaired" people through me at a training day. Only by connecting, sharing, knowledge transfer, talking, debating, trying out, feeling, touching, and experiencing can we make work of this topic. The sole goal in all of this must be: to give blind and visually impaired people the opportunity to naturally dance their way on the dance floor.
Therefore, we must inform sighted trainers, but above all, train as many blind and visually impaired people as possible to become dancers and perhaps much more. A work of years, an idea that can evolve... maybe one day we will see it in a completely different way.
In any case, there is nothing stopping us, the dance community, from going all in for this goal....
Here is the link to the full presentation of that day: click here
Image Description
photo 1: text
video 1: A sighted dancer dances modern on the white cane, with her eyes closed. Reflection afterward: “I felt safe with the cane, the more I moved, the more I could gauge the distance and dared to move further.” In the video, you can clearly see what she means by “daring,” as the technical dance moves improve more and more towards the end.
video 2: A sighted dancer dances with connection against the wall for support. Reflection afterward: “Even though I could move based on the connection with the wall, it hindered my full dance expression.”
video 3: The students stand in pairs facing each other. One with eyes closed, the other with eyes open. They perform the body roll.
video 4: One of the students gives instructions to another student who has her eyes closed. She has to perform the steps open - toe - open - toe with a slight forward bend during the opening of the legs.
