Accessibility
Throughout its history, DansiT has placed a special emphasis 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 engage with in different ways, and that the body and space in creative movement and art are of great significance to people’s lives. We want as many people as possible to have close contact with and access to dance and choreographic work; therefore, a focus on diversity and accessibility is a central part of our mission.
Why focus on accessibility?
For us, actively working on accessibility is about our artistic vision, our values, and our social responsibility. We are all equal, regardless of gender, age, background, or disability, and for art to be interesting, powerful, and relevant, it must be developed and influenced by a diverse range of people with different bodies, experiences, ideas, and stories.
Equality requires equal treatment through accessibility and reasonable accommodations when needed. We recognize and are mindful that the people we work with have different physical, cognitive, sensory, and psychosocial conditions, both visible and invisible. This is reflected in how we work internally within the organization, with our own dance companies, externally in collaboration with artists and other partners, and, not least, in how we work from the audience’s perspective.
Focus on Accessibility Measures for the Public
DansiT caters to a diverse audience. In recent years, we have introduced several regular accessibility measures aimed specifically at people with various disabilities or who, for various reasons, need a more predictable arts experience. Sensory-friendly and/or relaxed performances, sign language interpretation, captions, tactile performances, and audio description are now established as regular offerings in the program. These initiatives have been given their own icon here on the website to make it easier for the audience to navigate the program.
In addition, we focus on accessible language in the textual information we share; we use microphones as standard, avoid venues that are not wheelchair accessible, provide image descriptions for all main images, and give the audience the opportunity to read any content warnings before the performance.
About the Various Measures
Sensory-Friendly Performance
A common feature of sensory-friendly performances is that lighting, sound, and other intense sensory stimuli are toned down. Audience members are often able to move more freely around the space, and alternative seating options—such as cushions, beanbags, or similar—are usually available.
A Relaxed Performance
It creates an environment for audience members who find the typical expectations of being in the audience at a performance overwhelming and uncomfortable. Such accommodations mean that the venue and performers take a relaxed attitude toward movement and sounds coming from the audience; audience members can move in and out of the performance as needed; and latecomers are allowed. Alternative seating options, such as cushions, beanbags, or similar items, are often available.
Sign Language Interpretation
A sign language interpreter conveys what would otherwise be perceived through the sense of hearing. The extent to which a performance or activity is interpreted into sign language can vary—whether it includes all speech, song lyrics, and music, or only certain parts. We primarily use Norwegian Sign Language.
Subtitles
Subtitles are texts that appear in sync with the verbal content of a performance. Subtitles are used to help deaf and hard-of-hearing people, as well as others, follow the dialogue and audio in certain performances. Subtitles are also used for language translation.
Image Descriptions
An image description should describe the subject of the image.
Touchscreen
A tactile tour—also known as a “touch tour”—is a guided experience for audience members with visual impairments or who, for various reasons, need a more predictable approach to the performance space.
The tactile tour usually takes place in the performance space prior to the actual performance, where the set design, costumes, or other key elements are presented in a tactile and descriptive manner. It typically lasts about 30 minutes.
A tactile performance is often organized in conjunction with an audio-description performance, but some performances are suitable for only one of these options.
Visual Interpretation
Audio description is a description of the visual information that is otherwise perceived through the sense of sight. The audio describer’s task is to describe the visual elements of the performance so that audience members with total or partial vision loss can interpret a more multifaceted artistic experience on their own.
Additional Accommodations
“Additional accommodations” means that we have made adjustments that do not quite fit into the categories listed above. Please check the details for each individual event to see what accommodations are being provided and which target groups the event is aimed at.
Accessibility – An Artistic Development Project
How can audience members with visual impairments experience dance as an art form through verbal descriptions or storytelling?
With a grant from Balansepotten, we launched the “Accessibility” initiative in the fall of 2023. The project focuses on further developing ways to present the art of dance to—and enable it to be experienced by—audiences with total or partial vision loss.
The project is led by DansiT’s Access Coordinator, Betty Nilsen, with guidance from certified audio describer Audun Nyhus. The project involves an external working group consisting of people both with and without visual impairments, as well as individuals with diverse expertise, backgrounds, and perspectives in this field. Together, they evaluate and further develop DansiT’s initiatives in visual interpretation, tactile demonstrations, and image descriptions.
The working group consists of Nina Wollny, Gunhild Løhre, Einar Grinde, Yngvild Marie Raudsepp, Maria Puenchir, and Ingunn Mulders.
A three-year seminar series on accessibility during Heddadagene
Read more about the seminar series here
Get in touch
Our work on accessibility and accommodations is constantly evolving and improving. We therefore greatly appreciate your feedback on the work we do. Please contact Access Coordinator Betty Nilsen by email at betty@dansit.no or by phone at 924 35 225 with any feedback or questions.
Read more about DansiT and our governing guidelines here.