DanceAbility encourages artistic expression and connection between people of all abilities
By Amy Prince
It’s one thing to dance like no one’s watching, but it’s something else entirely to perform in front of an audience.
This was no ordinary dance, and the four dancers were not ordinary dancers. These dancers broke stereotypes, uprooted misconceptions, and dissolved prejudices by showing the audience that anyone can dance. Variations of this group have traveled all over the world, performing at a wide range of venues.
On Wednesday, April 23, the group known as DanceAbility performed at the University of Oregon’s Redwood Auditorium, dancing to recorded music by Orchestra NEXT, a nonprofit organization based in Eugene.
DanceAbility is a groundbreaking dance method created in 1987 by Alito Alessi and Karen Nelson. Since 1989, it has been led solely by Alessi. The approach centers on improvisational dance to encourage artistic expression and connection between people of all abilities.
After the performance, the dancers responded to questions from the audience. When asked about choreography, Alito said “We collaborate, and we improvise a lot, and layer in concepts that are relevant to our life, like crutches.” He went on to say that the choreography process starts with music first, then movement, or movement first, then music. “Every body interprets its movement in its own way.”
This September-November, DanceAbility is offering a 25 Hour Intensive Course instructed by Award Winning & DanceAbility Founder, Alito Alessi. Classes will be hosted at the Hilyard Community Center in Eugene.
To learn more about DanceAbility International, please visit DanceAbility.com.
