Potential is the Foundation for Community Dance’s programme dedicated
to dance and disabled people, and was formally established in 2002.
Potential aims to increase awareness of and access to high quality
professional development opportunities, co-ordinate networking, develop
on-line information resources, and above all else to make a positive
contribution to the perceptions and profile of disabled people dancing.
The
origins of Potential, and the co-mentoring project in particular, can
be traced back to 1999 and a research project undertaken for the
Foundation for Community Dance by consultant, researcher and journalist
Annie Delin. The research report, Do Dancing, reviewed opportunities
for disabled people to dance in the East and West Midlands, as a
participatory arts experience, for recreation and as a career choice.
This
report highlighted the value of peer-learning opportunities and
‘exchange’, in supporting both disabled and non-disabled dancers with
artistic and creative development, exchange of expertise, and knowledge
and understanding of context. To this end, the Foundation for Community
Dance developed a co-mentoring programme for ten disabled and
non-disabled dance practitioners, and promoted this as a professional
development initiative of Potential.
We are pleased to publish
Reflectors, a collection of reflections by participants in this
co-mentoring programme. Our intention here is to reveal process,
outcome and impact through the voices of the participants themselves.
Please see below to download a pdf. of Reflectors.
If you would like to order a paper copy then please visit our online shop.