Accessibility
DansiT Choreographic Center has always focused on stretching, bending, and challenging ideas about what dance can be and who can be dancers, choreographers, and educators. We believe that dance is a language that everyone can express, experience, and perceive in different ways and that the body and space in creative movement and art are of great significance to people’s lives. We strive to ensure that as many people as possible have close access to dance and choreographic work, making diversity and accessibility a central part of our mission.
Why focus on accessibility?
Actively working on accessibility is both an artistic perspective, a core value, and a societal responsibility for us. We are all equal, regardless of gender, age, background, or disability. For art to be engaging, powerful, and relevant, it must be shaped and developed by a diverse range of people with different bodies, experiences, ideas, and stories.
Equality requires equity through accessibility and accommodations when necessary. We acknowledge and are aware that the people we collaborate with have different physical, cognitive, sensory, and psychosocial conditions, both visible and invisible. This is reflected in how we operate internally within our organization, work with our dance companies, collaborate externally with artists and partners, and, approach our audience.
Accessibility Initiatives for Audiences
DansiT facilitates an inclusive experience for diverse audiences. In recent years, we have introduced several regular accessibility initiatives specifically designed for individuals with various disabilities. Sensory-friendly performances, relaxed performances, sign language interpretation, subtitles, image descriptions, touch tours, and audio descriptions are now established as regular part of our program.
Except for image descriptions, each initiative has its own icon in our website’s program, making it easier for the audience to keep track of the available options.
About the Different Initiatives
Sensory-Friendly Performance
Sensory-friendly performances have dimmed lights, reduced sound levels, and minimized strong sensory stimuli. Audience members can often move more freely within the space, and alternative seating such as cushions, bean bags, or similar options may be available.
Relaxed Performance
Designed for audiences who may find traditional theater etiquette overwhelming or uncomfortable. This format allows venues and performers to adopt a relaxed attitude towards movement and sounds from the audience. Audience members can enter and exit the performance as needed, and latecomers are allowed. Alternative seating such as cushions or bean bags may also be available.
Sign Language Interpretation
A sign language interpreter conveys auditory information visually. The level of interpretation may vary, covering all speech, song lyrics, and music, or only specific parts. We primarily offer Norwegian Sign Language interpretation.
Subtitles
Subtitles display synchronized text for verbal content during performances. This aids deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences and helps with language translation.
Image Descriptions
Image descriptions provide textual descriptions of visual elements in images.
Touch Tour
A touch tour is a guided experience for a blind or partially sighted audience, or those who benefit from a more predictable introduction to the performance space. Usually held before a performance, it allows tactile exploration of key elements such as set design and costumes. Duration is typically around 30 minutes.
Touch tours are often paired with audio description, but some performances may feature only one or the other.
Audio Description
Audio description provides spoken descriptions of visual elements to enhance the experience for blind or partially sighted audiences.
Additional Accommodations
Additional accommodations refer to adjustments that do not fit within the above categories. Check individual event details for information on specific accommodations and target audiences.
“Tilgjengelig Gjøring” – An Artistic Development Project
How can blind or partially sighted audience members experience dance as an art form through verbal descriptions or storytelling?
With support from Balansepotten, we launched the “Tilgjengelig Gjøring” project in fall 2023. This initiative aims to further develop how dance can be conveyed and experienced by blind or partially sighted audiences.
The project is led by DansiT’s accessibility coordinator, Betty Nilsen, with guidance from certified audio describer Audun Nyhus. An external working group composed of individuals with and without visual impairments, along with diverse expertise, backgrounds, and perspectives, collaborates to evaluate and refine DansiT’s accessibility efforts, including audio description, touch tours, and image descriptions. In spring 2025, they will develop and implement two original audio description scripts.
Contact Us!
Our work on accessibility and accommodations is continually evolving. We greatly appreciate feedback on our efforts. Please contact accessibility coordinator Betty Nilsen via email at betty@dansit.no or call +47 92 43 52 25 for inquiries or suggestions.
Learn more about DansiT and our guiding principles here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tilrettelagte visninger
