Inclusion is a process rather than a destination
XDance Festival exists because of the contribution from all the participants of previous festivals since it began in 2016. The actions of generosity have enabled XDance Festival to be what it is now – and influence what it can become. The process of growing is always relevant to what has happened before. This is a process of acknowledging an ongoing journey of growing deeper roots into what inclusion can mean by embodying actions beyond words.
The ongoing negotiation of bridging gaps does not assume we always know what inclusion is. We aim to hold space for whatever arises in the gaps towards a process of assimilation as an ongoing learning possibility to grow application in how and why we do things.
Our bias is that the conversation of inclusion needs to include people with and without disabilities and with and without experience.
Working with inclusive practices allows new ways of thinking and imagination to emerge. Sharing realities of varied orientations to movement, and ways to ‘be’ invites everyone to move beyond what they know. The knock on effect of this means generic thinking about the body and dance are destabilised. As movement is the language of the dance field these orientations contribute to undermining ideas of ableism.
We recognise making mistakes and failing is an imperative aspect of being alive even with the best of intentions. We are presenting an ideal which is offered more as question and investigation rather than a solution. Traversing this landscape we do our best to serve the ideas so we can to grow connection, cohesion and community.
We also want to extend our thanks to all the funding organisations that have supported the work of XDance Festival, DanceAbility Finland, and Kaaos Company over the years – we exist because of you.
Sally Davison, Artistic Director 17th April 2023
PLAIN LANGUAGE TEXT
XDance Festival is here because of many people who came to the festival before. We are thanking them because of what they gave. The festival stands on what has happened before and we are saying it here because it is important.