Dancing Disability, 'two-way type casting.'

There are many modern dance companies that feature people with and without disabilities on the same stage. These companies are often called Integrated or Mixed-Ability Dance companies. Individual artists that are accociated with these groups have writen about their frusteration of being considered just a disabled dancer, and not a dance artist, not allowed to do "mainstream" dance. It is true that non-disabled people often type cast, but I also have seen similar type casting within the disabled community when certain artists are "too gymnastic" or "supercrip' or "too mainstream." It goes both ways. (Note: I am not talking about those who simply prefer one type or another due to their personal taste, but those who believe that one type or another simply should not be done because it is "too gymnastic...")

There should be many options to dance for all people. SOme will want to do turns and flips, and others will desire something more easy going, or sometimes less structure is preferable to more structure or vice versa. There is room for DanceAbility classes, and room for classes that are run by the Axis Dance Company. Both will challege you in different ways. Non-Disabled people should learn that dance can be done in many ways by all types of people, and Disabled people should learn the same thing.