Interview with Manuel Delaere by the City of Ghent for the Ghent Festivities 2024
'I am blind, but that doesn't stop me from dancing. On the contrary: I take dance lessons, but I also occasionally teach now. During the Ghent Festivities, I will be giving a quickstep workshop. Because just because you can't see doesn't mean you can't be a trainer. The workshop is for everyone: visually impaired, blind, and sighted. The principle of Michèle's dance school is that everyone dances together.
I think daily about a method to teach the blind and visually impaired. Because sight is absent, you need to describe much more and in greater detail. You don't just say "take a step to the left," but rather "turn 60 degrees to the left." You have to work in steps. By breaking everything down step by step, it becomes easier to understand. This is not only beneficial for people who are blind or have low vision; for sighted dancers, it adds extra details that they can also benefit from.
When I teach, Michèle stands by my side. We stand facing each other. Our fingertips touch, allowing me to maintain my line. At that moment, she is my eyes and can indicate whether everyone understands and whether I can move on to the next exercise. She conveys the important information to me.
Obstacles are there to be overcome. I want to be an example for others, to show what is possible and explain the benefits. Dancing gives you more self-confidence and self-awareness. You become more confident in your body and feel safer, both on the dance floor and beyond. I work as an engineer. For me, dance is a counterbalance. I can physically let off steam and thus find more balance in my life.
With our group of blind and visually impaired dancers, we hope to strive towards our own dance language. We share the same challenges and look for ways to deal with them. Dance goes beyond what you see in the mirror. As an engineer, I see it more like a Swiss clock: when everything is in sync, I feel good. How it feels is more important than how it looks; that's the essence of dance.'
Join the quickstep workshop by Manuel from Danceorientation on Friday, July 26 at 6 PM in the Baudelohof.
More about accessibility at the Ghent Festivities: link
Image description
photo 1: Michèle and Manuel strike a dance pose. In the background, the salsa bar's dance floor is full of dancing couples
