Reference: Powles, M. (2007). Touch compass: Celebrating integrated dance. Auckland: David Ling Publishing Limited.
This book is a summary of the history of the Auckland based integrated dance company, Touch Compass. It walks through the development of the company, its dancers, the choreographers and the companies performance history. It is a beautifully presented book, packed with powerful images from the company and personal quotes from company members and journalists. The book really encompasses the joy of the dance. The company pushes the boundaries of what is possible for an integrated dance company. Achieving many great milestones, touring internationally and nationally, combining theatre, dance and even exploring the medium of video. The company combines people with and without disabilities on stage, using contact improvisation techniques to choreograph works. The company also uses aerial work to enable the dancers to take flight. Touch Compass runs workshops, taking their techniques and aerial equipment into the community so that more people can experience dance. The future direction of this company is to continue to produce professional works and expand dance into the community by providing training both to dancers and to teachers of dance.
The future direction of Touch Compass is all about enabling disabled people to participate in dance. Occupational Therapists can be part of this process by promoting, supporting, referring to and leading dance initiatives in their own work and communities. Infact I believe Occupational Therapists would be fanastic leaders of mixed ability dance groups. With their knowledge of biomechanics, disabilities, communcation skills, group facililation skills and the belief of the value of occupation and therefore dance.
This book is a summary of the history of the Auckland based integrated dance company, Touch Compass. It walks through the development of the company, its dancers, the choreographers and the companies performance history. It is a beautifully presented book, packed with powerful images from the company and personal quotes from company members and journalists. The book really encompasses the joy of the dance. The company pushes the boundaries of what is possible for an integrated dance company. Achieving many great milestones, touring internationally and nationally, combining theatre, dance and even exploring the medium of video. The company combines people with and without disabilities on stage, using contact improvisation techniques to choreograph works. The company also uses aerial work to enable the dancers to take flight. Touch Compass runs workshops, taking their techniques and aerial equipment into the community so that more people can experience dance. The future direction of this company is to continue to produce professional works and expand dance into the community by providing training both to dancers and to teachers of dance.
The future direction of Touch Compass is all about enabling disabled people to participate in dance. Occupational Therapists can be part of this process by promoting, supporting, referring to and leading dance initiatives in their own work and communities. Infact I believe Occupational Therapists would be fanastic leaders of mixed ability dance groups. With their knowledge of biomechanics, disabilities, communcation skills, group facililation skills and the belief of the value of occupation and therefore dance.
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