Dance Forms and Culture

Jane Fonda is widely regarded as the pioneer of dance fitness due to her popular workout videos in the 1980s.

The National Theatre of the Deaf was founded in 1967 and is the oldest sign language theater company in the United States.

The Deaf Dance Company was founded by Judith Smith in 1981 and is the oldest sign language dance company in the United States.

Edwin Denby was a prominent dance critic for the New York Herald Tribune and is known for his insightful and poetic writing about dance.

John Martin is widely regarded as the father of American dance criticism due to his influential writings and contributions to the field.

Susan Leigh Foster is a dance scholar who has extensively explored the concept of embodied knowledge, which refers to the ways in which knowledge is stored and expressed through the body.

Sally Banes is a dance scholar who has extensively written about postmodern dance, a movement that emerged in the mid-20th century and challenged traditional notions of dance.

Susan Leigh Foster is a dance scholar who has explored the concept of dance as text, arguing that dance can be analyzed and interpreted like a literary text.

Richard Schechner is a theatre scholar who has also written extensively about dance, particularly on the concept of theatricality in dance.

There are a number of dance companies that are known for their inclusive approach to dance, including Aimee Mullins Dance Company, Dancing Wheels Company, and Kinetic Light Dance Company. These companies have a long history of creating and performing dance that is accessible to people with disabilities, and they have helped to pave the way for a more inclusive dance community.

The Dancing Through Barriers Festival is an annual dance festival that celebrates the work of dancers with disabilities. The festival features performances by dancers with a wide range of disabilities, and it provides a platform for these dancers to share their work with the community.

Dance/USA is an organization that advocates for the rights of dancers with disabilities. The organization provides resources and support to dancers with disabilities, and it works to promote inclusive dance practices.

Dancing Wheels Company is a dance company that is known for its work in adaptive dance. The company was founded in 1980 by Mary Verdi-Fletcher, a dancer who became paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident. Dancing Wheels Company creates and performs dance that is accessible to dancers with a wide range of disabilities.

Kinetic Light Dance Company is a dance company that is known for its work in universal dance. The company was founded in 1990 by Alice Sheppard, a dancer who is deaf. Kinetic Light Dance Company creates and performs dance that is accessible to dancers with a wide range of disabilities, including deafness, blindness, and physical disabilities.

Aimee Mullins Dance Company, Dancing Wheels Company, and Kinetic Light Dance Company are all known for their work in inclusive dance. These companies create and perform dance that is accessible to dancers with a wide range of disabilities, and they have helped to pave the way for a more inclusive dance community.