Barrington Seetachit ... Dance

Expectations

When I applied for the Mapping New Territory mentorship in dance, I knew that I liked dance, and that I enjoyed teaching.  I was not clear as to what the term "creative dance" referred, I had no experience working with people with disabilities, nor (despite her appreciable accomplishments in her field) was I familiar with the name Kat Worth.

My expectations were not specific. In a general sense I hoped to gain insight into working with diverse groups of people, people who might have needs other than those I am familiar with, and I hoped to learn something new about dance.

Outcomes

In the course of this program I feel I have reached my personal goals, and have gained quantifiable benefits beyond my vague expectations. I learned:

• The nature of creative dance,

• The nature of working in creative dance with people with intellectual disabilities

• The nature of working in dance with people with physical disabilities

• The structure of a working class (warm up, main theme, etc)

• The discrete steps to build a dance from the life experience of a group of people

• How to take the work and transform it into a performance piece

• Strategies for including people of all abilities in the dance environment

Experience

Overall, I was very satisfied with my experience with MNT.

As a mentoree, my main relationship was with my mentor. Kat was warm, approachable and patient. She was generous with her time, and offered resources in the form of books and videos to help me gain a context for my training. Her teaching style for me was very effective. At first she allowed me to observe and ask questions, then encouraged me to help plan sessions and lead parts of the workshops, gradually expanding my zone of comfort to leading an entire session. I particularly admire her skill in guiding me through this transition from participant to leader.

I also enjoyed getting to know many of the participants and support workers through the workshop process, as well as management, and the advisory board at various meetings. Hearing varied concerns and viewpoints gave me a fuller picture of the Alice Springs disability community.

Our coordinator Veronica Calarco negotiated many of the essential components of our sessions: Coordinating venue bookings and transportation, communicating changes and pulling participants in our direction, and acting as liaison with the key members of active and potential client groups. I found that a coordinator’s efforts greatly influenced the ultimate success of the workshops and events.

Future Endeavours

After my mentorship with MNT I feel sufficiently confident to lead the ongoing Monday night classes, as well as consider other opportunities that might arise in the field of disability and dance. At the same time I am personally aware that my understanding of the concepts and skills I have acquired in one month of training are superficial relative to someone like Kat, who has devoted years cultivating her skills and knowledge. Similarly, with time constraints and limited resources, I am concerned that the knowledge I pass on will also suffer some loss of resolution and clarity.

To minimise, or even prevent this degradation in quality, I am very enthusiastic about assembling a team of people who are committed to the continuation for the program, who can support each other in seeking knowledge and exchanging best practices. I think that that the potential team members, including myself, can contribute learning from diverse backgrounds to the workshop structure, to cultivate an enterprise that is both original and our own. At the same time I feel it is essential to the integrity of the program that we continue to pursue avenues to provide first generation learning from experienced professionals in dance and disability.

For further information contact Veronica Calarco

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