Ellice Patterson, 26, has been a dancer since she was four. She stated that exercise is an integral part of her life, but after spinal surgery in 2010, she had to change her movement. Patterson sometimes dances with mobility aids, but not always. A few years ago when she was studying at Wellesley College, she said she was looking for opportunities to perform. “I didn’t find these spaces for myself or for people like me,” said Patterson. Create a space that is really to myself, but it has grown beyond me. “From Abilities Dance, a dance group founded by Patterson made up of performers they refer to as” different bodies. “Some of the dancers have disabilities, others don’t. They are all on a mission to make fine art and at the same time Promoting diversity and inclusion. Recently the company ran an original production of Firebird. The Abilities Dance version of classical ballet included audio descriptions for the visually impaired and interpretations for the hearing impaired, “It’s brand new music, brand new choreography, and we need each other just reimagine, “said Patterson. Bradford Chin, who lives in California, dances with Abilities Dance.” We’re trying to get people to understand that people are more than, “just a factor in their identity,” said Chin . “Every person has this whole set of identities, and we want to encourage people to recognize this in others so we can take care of others.” After a virtual rehearsal, Chin traveled the country to perform at Firebird in Boston, as well like Antione Hunter “I’m deaf,” said Hunter. “I love dancing. Art is the way to communicate with the world … but despite all the discrimination as a kid, I felt there was no place for me in the world. Dance itself, wow, it has Saved my life. “Hunter described how meaningful the experience of dancing with Abilities Dance was to him.” Making Firebird as a person with a disability and being people (with) brown bodies was great, “said Hunter said : “And also, led by a black disabled woman, great.” In addition to the founder of Abilities Dance, Patterson is the director of the nonprofit BalletRox, an after-school and in-school dance program serving Boston public students.
BOSTON –
Ellice Patterson, 26, has been a dancer since she was four.
She stated that exercise is an integral part of her life, but after spinal surgery in 2010, she had to change her movement.
Patterson sometimes dances with mobility aids, but not always.
A few years ago when she was studying at Wellesley College, she said she was looking for performance opportunities.
“I didn’t find these rooms for myself or for people like me,” Patterson said. “(I) decided to really create a space for myself, but it has grown beyond me.”
It grew into Abilities Dance, a dance company founded by Patterson made up of performers whom she calls “different bodies.”
Some of the dancers are disabled and some are not. They all have a mission to make fine art while promoting diversity and inclusion.
The company recently ran an original production of Firebird.
The Abilities Dance version of classical ballet included audio descriptions for people with visual impairments and interpretations for people with hearing impairments.
“It’s brand new music, brand new choreography and we just have to re-imagine ourselves,” Patterson said.
Bradford Chin, who lives in California, dances with Abilities Dance.
“We’re trying to get people to understand that people are more than just a factor in their identity,” said Chin. “Everyone has this whole set of identities, and we want to encourage people to recognize this in others so that we can take care of others.”
After practicing virtually, Chin traveled the country to perform in Firebird in Boston, as did Antione Hunter.
“I’m deaf,” said Hunter. “I love to dance. Art is the way to communicate with the world … but despite the discrimination as a kid, I felt that there was no place for me in the world. Dance itself, wow, it got me saved life. “
Hunter described how meaningful the experience of dancing with Abilities Dance was to him.
“Doing Firebird as a person with (a) disability and being people (with) brown bodies was great,” said Hunter. “And also, led by a black disabled woman, great.”
In addition to the founder of Abilities Dance, Patterson is the director of the nonprofit BalletRox, an after-school and in-school dance program that serves Boston public school students.
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