4 minute read
Dance inclusion with physical impairment
Ayshia Moreton, who is based in Chichester, shares her story of inclusion in the ballet studio.
As a young child, I always dreamt of being a ballet teacher and 16 years later, I have qualified. However, it hasn’t been the straightforward road I imagined. I have always suffered with hypermobility but last year I was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and degenerative cartilage; doctors advised the need for a double hip operation and intense physiotherapy to relearn how to walk. This caused unimaginable pain, especially in ballet classes, resulting in my favourite style of dance turning into a class I could barely get through. I still had to pass my Intermediate Ballet in order to progress to my DDE Ballet exam. This was looking more and more unachievable as my mental and physical health deteriorated. I was told by many to give up dancing or wait until after my operation, but I knew there was a chance I might never be able to dance again. Despite the pain, my determination and the support of my amazing teacher Irela Strachan, who constantly pushed me and believed in me, I managed to pass my Intermediate Ballet. Four months later I took my DDE Ballet, which I passed with a mark I am extremely proud of, which demonstrates that you do not need to be an outstanding dancer to be an outstanding teacher.
This experience has opened my eyes to what the role of a teacher is and what I want to take forward in my own teaching practice. As a teacher, I want to create a safe environment where I can nurture and educate the next generation as well as encourage them to believe that they can achieve anything they put their heart and mind to, despite mental or physical disabilities. Teaching is much more than delivering high-class training, it is also about developing social, emotional and other life skills such as responsibility and teamwork. From my ISTD teacher training I have realised the importance of continually developing my knowledge to ensure I can deliver the best education to my students. Additionally, I have learned to understand and be able to adapt to individual students’ needs to promote inclusion and diversity.
Over the last 100 years, ballet has come a long way with respect to equality and diversity. In 1932 Janet Collins was requested to paint herself white to perform with Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo; she declined. 37 years later Arthur Mitchell founded Dance Theatre of Harlem, the first minority race ballet company. The ISTD has moved with the times, offering analysis exams for Advanced 1 and 2 Imperial Classical Ballet for mature students who may not be able to physically dance the syllabus. As a community there is still a long way to go to make ballet fully inclusive. One of the biggest barriers is access to high quality dance education due to location, financial and social circumstances. I am lucky because my conditions did not impact me until I was older, so I had the opportunity to enter and pass graded examinations. However, many aspiring dancers are currently struggling, as their disabilities mean they cannot pursue opportunities their peers have, such as entering exams, and this becomes progressively more difficult at vocational level. As Imperial Classical Ballet teachers and as a society it is our responsibility to strive for further inclusion, diversity and equality whilst also celebrating our history and how far we have come. The new generation is our future, and as a newly qualified ICB teacher I am determined to support and encourage my students to achieve their aspirations.
Ayshia Moreton
