Since her appointment as artistic coordinator of the Royal Conservatoire Antwerp, Iris Bouche wanted to explore how inclusion dance can contribute to the development and training of a contemporary dancer. From the academic year 2014-2015 on, a module of 10 hours inclusive dance got included in the curriculum in the third year (bachelor 3) of the professional dance education.
During the third trimester (2015), the students of the dance department and the students of ‘Leerexpert Dullingen’, Iris Bouche and actor and drama teacher Karel Tuytschaever, created an inclusive dance performance “De Gedekende”. This performance was performed during the ENTER festival, a two-year festival organized by Demos vzw in collaboration with the social-artistic field.
The importance of inclusive dance practice and developments abroad strengthened today’s dance department of the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp in its choice to incorporate inclusive dance practice as a solid part of the curriculum, both through an offer of inclusive dance classes (the LABO Inclusive Dance Platform) and symposia deepening into the artistic relevance of inclusion dance. In April 2015, the first Rethinking Bodies was organized: an intensive study week with workshops, lectures and performances about the potential of inclusive dance practice for contemporary dancers.
In March 2015, a number of students from De Leerexpert and students of the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp changed their environment for one week to cc Destelheide in Dworp. They created a dance concert under the direction of choreographer Iris Bouche. The performance ‘De Gedekende’ was subsequently programmed at the social-artistic ENTER Festival (Toneelhuis).
Youngsters with and without disability: their differences disappear on stage. This group proves that inclusion works! ( – Iris Bouche)
Below the documentary (Long version with english subtitles) from the perspective of De Leerexpert Dullingen.
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