Background

As part of Plymouth’s Big Arts Festivals in February 2007 and February 2008, Power Pack and The Barefoot Project ran Wheelchair-accessible dance projects. These days were successful in their aim to introduce young wheelchair users to dance through workshops, performance and film. They generated an enthusiastic response from the young people, their families, carers and friends, who expressed an interest in having regular opportunities to participate in Dance.

96 people attended Wheelfever 2007 and 46 attended the workshop day in February 2008.

Thanks to the support of Childrens Services a series of pilot Wheelfever workshops ran in May, June and July 2008. They were also a success and the project was awarded funding from the Youth Opportunity Fund to continue running monthly for another 12 months.

The Workshops are aimed at young people between 11 and 21yrs of all abilities.  The participants are offered an inclusive dance experience with a freedom of movement delivered through fun, challenging and provocative methods.

Community involvement for activities and Arts is limited for young disabled people and dance is not an easily accessible art form. Many young people we have met think they can't dance, the project defies that thought.

Lucy K aged 11 said;
  "....it is quite good the way we moved with space and movement. Sometimes we moved in wiggly lines, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, we moved high and low close together and spread out. It's fun.
If we did ballet lots of us couldn't do it, but with this kind of dance everyone can do it. "

Whatever the dancer's physical ability creating dance has healthy benefits, physically, mentally and socially, increasing a sense of self and belonging.

Next terms dates are :