Critical Dialogues | Issue 7 | Disability | Sept 2016

Page 52

For me, participating in Catalyst as a

is so named for its synergistic potential

choreographer and workshop facilitator

in new collaborative beginnings and

provided an extension on my research

research exchange between the disability,

into developing an all-inclusive embodied

performing arts and marine science

marine environmental awareness practice

communities. Utilising this, I carry

methodology. It has been an invaluable and

out research sessions, direct inclusive

intrinsic platform for me over the last five

performance works, facilitate workshops,

years in developing the inclusive aspects of

teach dance and composition at various

my movement research.

tertiary institutes and present lecture-type demonstrations at arts and environmental

In 2007, I started scuba diving and on

science events.

my very first dive I had an epiphany. I was suddenly bombarded with images,

I enjoy engaging diverse and marginalized

possibilities and methods of how I could

community groups and individuals because

incorporate subaquatic experiences into

I love empowering people, especially

my dance practice. In fact, I couldn’t wait

those who, for whatever reason, feel

to resurface and get started. Since then,

excluded. Catalyst played a substantial

I have been building an interdisciplinary

role in developing the inclusive aspects

and disability-inclusive research and

of ‘PrimeOrderly’ research by affording

performance making practice that has

me time and space to work with large

embodied environmental awareness

groups of people living with vastly diverse

communication at its core.

abilities, many of them experts in their own right in living through systems of exclusion.

My approach to bringing marine environ-

I enjoy being part of this new wave of

mental ecology and technologies (marine

inclusive dance practice experimentations

science and scuba diving) into inclusive arts

and discovery. Catalyst Dance has helped

practice, through embodied application,

in making ‘PrimeOrderly’ a methodology

is entirely unique. I call this research-

that everybody can participate in – which

led practice ‘PrimeOrderly’. It embodies

was my interest all along. Without this

rigorous practical and theoretical inquiry

platform, I would not have been able to

of both inclusive arts and environmental

fast track some of my inclusive movement

science research findings. I rely on my

inquiries to the degree I have. I plan to

SCUBA diving practice as an experiential

continue developing the transformative

means to embody the realms I wish to

effects ‘PrimeOrderly’ has had on people

draw my research from. ‘PrimeOrderly’

living with diverse abilities, and extend its

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