ABOUT our Integrated Dance Initiatives
FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY has a long 20-year history of working in integrated arts that includes dance training and performance-based work with dancers with intellectual and physical disabilities. Working in often marginalised communities and in spaces where access to dance is not on any real community or professional agenda, FLATFOOT embraces the idea that dance is about creating community and about finding ways to humanise – in practise and in performance. FLATFOOT embraces the idea of collaboration and is very happy to have worked with integrated artists, choreographers and teachers like Jurg Koch (Switzerland), Unmute Dance Company (South Africa), Jospeh Tebandeke (Uganda), Adriaan Luteijn (the Netherlands) and Sydney Erlikh (USA).
FLATFOOT DOWNIE DANCE COMPANY
FLATFOOT is particularly well known for its now 9 year-old integrated dance programme working with dancers with Down Syndrome. Fondly referred to as the “FLATFOOT Downie Dance Company”, FLATFOOT has begun to explore and develop a partnering working/training methodology that opens up participation working with dancers living with intellectual disabilities. This unique dance programme is unprecedented in South Africa and is a celebration of the power of dance to shift lives and to negotiate difference and inclusivity.
FLATFOOT WHEELCHAIR DANCE PROGRAMME
In 2022, FLATFOOT began a dedicated dance programme setting up training and performance platforms with wheelchair users. This programme has focused (over 2022 and 2023) on working with dancers with cerebral palsy and has seen works being presented at the Johannesburg based SIBIKWA Body Moves Festival in 2023.
FLATFOOT ACCESS FESTIVAL
FLATFOOT runs an annual FLATFOOT ACCESS Festival in November to coincide with Disability Awareness Month. The festival began in 2022 and has grown to now include participants from all over the world. The focus of the festival remains on skills development through workshops, residencies and master classes within integrated dance practices, and on showcasing professional integrated dance performance works.
FLATFOOT ACCESS PANTHERS
With the success and growth of the FLATFOOT Downie dance programme and wanting to stretch inclusivity, and with requests from more and more dancers living with intellectual disabilities wanting space to train, FLATFOOT set out (in the beginning of 2023) to start a new intake of dancers. After a series of workshops, and not excluding anyone, a group of six amazing dancers stuck it out, and the group – now referred to as the “FLATFOOT ACCESS PANTHERS” – was born. The group was named by Kelly Louw – one of the participants.
