I am currently reading articles and blogs about my proposed area of enquiry into dance teaching for autistic children. The above image to me seems to encapsulate the idea of freedom and striving to gain the most out of life. It struck a chord with me as I had just read the heart rending blog below about a mother's struggle to get her autistic daughter to perform a dance onstage. This image is in stark contrast with the harsh reality faced by many with autism who are not free to follow their dreams but shackled by the restraints imposed upon them by their disability.
https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2012/08/29/place-dance
The child mentioned in the blog desperately wanted to perform on the stage but had to be excluded at the dress rehearsal because she wanted to run round the stage and wasn't able to behave appropriately. I couldn't blame the dance teacher for taking the decision to exclude her, as she would have spoilt the dance number for the other children and the audience, but, at the same time, I felt a deep empathy with the parent and child who were so upset by the fact that she had to be excluded at the last minute.
Fortunately the mother eventually heard about Boston Ballet's adaptive dance programme and the child got the opportunity to fulfil her dream of dancing on stage.
It was not the dance teacher who referred the mother to Boston Ballet, but another parent. The teacher probably wasn't even aware of its existence. This made me wonder how many dance teachers might be faced with similar situations and not sure how to handle them.
It made me more determined to explore further my enquiry into what training and resources are available for dance teachers in the area of autism and what dance opportunities are available for autistic children.
Dance is a way of expressing joy and freedom and shouldn't be denied to anyone whatever their disability.
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