MoMo dance workshop in Calgary Alberta

May 23, 2010 Calgary Alberta

Today was the very first day of a week long dance workshop in Calgary. Six of us from Propeller Dance—Shara, Renata, Hannah, Liz, Ximena and Jessie (that’s me!) flew on airplanes from Ottawa to Calgary because we wanted to learn to be better teachers, dancers and performers in this workshop that MoMo Dance hosted for all people.

Alito Alessi taught us about sensation, relation, time and design. We were in groups of people we did not know. It helped us to communicate with other people and to get to know them through this area of strength.

“If you can breathe, you can dance.” That motto is true in every way because your breath can become movement. When Alito told us about sensation it released a cool breeze of relaxation for me.

This workshop is helping Propeller Dance a lot because we want to be better dancers and performers. It’s telling us that integrated dance is for all people who want to be integrated and to be equal. You don’t have to have a certain body type to dance. MoMo dance and Propeller dance are trying to break down the barriers that keep people who have disabilities “out of the way” or should I say segregated. If the barriers are out of the way the people who have disabilities and people without disabilities should be able to dance and to express their selves, together.

We are a global community, says Alito, and global means we include everyone. That is our full community.

Highlights today: I got to meet new people, I got to meet Alito! Chocolate fondue for dinner! And all us Propeller girls!