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Alexandra Ditoro

Sarah Cullen Fuller

DANC 280-101

18 October 2017

Midterm Essay

Full Radius Dance: Providing Authorship and Advocacy for Physically Integrated Dance

Full Radius Dance, originally known as dance force, was founded in 1990 by artistic and

executive director Douglass Scott. The company was a ‘traditional’ dance company until 1995,

when Douglas began incorporating dancers with and without disabilities into works after

beginning to teach dance classes to dancers with physical disabilities in 1993 (Full Radius

Dance). Douglass was, “intrigued by the challenge of creating a modern dance technique that

would be inclusive and challenging for all physical abilities; one firmly arts-basted and not

designed to be ‘therapeutic’” (Full Radius Dance). Thus, Douglass developed an inclusive style

of modern dance. In 1998 Dance Force merged with the company E=Motion to create Full

Radius Dance (Full Radius Dance). Full Radius Dance is a touring company who performs

regionally, national, and internationally as well as performing locally in Atlanta. The Modern

Atlanta Dance (MAD) Festival is produced by the company annually (Full Radius Dance). Full

Radius Dance’s mission is, “to promote, advance and enhance the modern dance form by

exploring the sweep of the human experience through physically integrated dance” (Full Radius

Dance). As well as advocating for disabled dancers in modern dance, the company also is

strongly rooted in educational community outreach to bring a “unique artistic experience to

schools” (Full Radius Dance). Through a model based on the trifecta of performances, dance
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festival, and education programs, Full Radius dance commits to advocacy for modern physically

integrated dance and community outreach.

Fundamentally, Physically Integrated Dance should focus on the ability of the dancers,

rather than focusing on what dancers cannot do. Communication between dancers is essential in

the creative process in order to adapt movement for every body. In an article for Dance Informa,

director Scott talks about his collaborative choreographic process, “I’ll bring in movement for

the dancers who use wheelchairs and ask the dancers without disabilities to transpose the

movement to their body, or vice versa. Other times, I’ll have the beginning of a duet phrase, set it

on the dancers, and observe the movement on the bodies. That gives me clues to what direction

the dance will go” (Violin). The company’s process expresses the belief that person should

author their own experience artistically. In addition to creating your own dance experience, Full

Radius Dance declares, “Your body is perfect. Your body has undiscovered movement. Your

body should experience dance” (Volin). The audition requirements for Full Radius Dance further

support their maxim that all bodies should experience dance. Full Radius Dance does not require

dancers with disabilities to have had any previous dance training, since training opportunities for

people with disabilities are limited (Full Radius Dance). Allowing all disabled dancers interested

to audition opens you up to inclusively and equally giving the opportunity to dancers with

disability to being their journey with Physically Integrated Dance. Considerations towards

accessibility for disabled dancers is always made by the company. Full Radius Dance provides a

‘a list of technical requirements for performances and events, or a ‘Tech Rider,’ to ensure spaces

are accessible (Full Radius Dance). The Tech Rider explains all requirements that make a space

accessible for their dancers, such as uncarpeted flooring, an even space, ramps and/or elevators,

as well as having accessible bathrooms (Full Radius Dance). Many buildings or spaces are not
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fully accessible, or are not accessible at all. The Tech Rider serves as a written agreement that

dancers with disabilities will have no issue entering or working in the space—dancers deserve to

arrive and be able to properly utilize the space. Creating a company based on understanding

towards ownership of adapting movement and opening opportunity to dance up for disabled

dancers adds to the company’s model, by promoting modern physically integrated dance as

available to all.

The model’s inclusive nature prompts Full Radius Dance to perform though-provoking

works. Forgotten is a running series of site-specific works to explore historic monuments within

Atlanta (Full Radius Dance). A performance in February follows a social justice due to the the

monument representing Mary Latimer McClendon, a leader in the prohibition and women’s

suffrage movements in Georgia (Full Radius Dance). Taking dance off of the stage and

performing in a site-specific setting brings dance to people who would not otherwise view it,

thus broadening the lens of physically integrated dance and the audience that will have the

opportunity to experience it. Full Radius Dance believes, “Site-specific work also draws people

into unfamiliar places, alerting them to look at the site in a different way. It creates a sense of

place that is not as fleeting or ephemeral as the performance itself. It reminds them there’s more

to see than what they first imagined” (Full Radius Dance). Performing dance in unconventional

locations humanizes dance, and breaks down barriers a stage creates. Exposure to physically

integrated dance through site-specific works can help the public recognize the possibilities of

physically integrated dance, by presenting work to an audience that did not have to pay or plan to

attend the performance. Unconventional performances magnify the language of a new, original

modern style and demonstrate the performance aspect of the company’s model, and how

performance can embrace members of the community who are unfamiliar with dance.
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Continuing to advance their mission of modern dance, Full Radius dance annually hosts

the MAD festival. The company has, “Presented more than 90 companies and independent

choreographers on the MAD stage; more than 1200 dancers; and have paid more than $60,000 in

honoraria to MAD participants” (Full Radius Dance). The festival brings a community of

dancers together, including Full Radius Dance and other dance companies. Joint classes and

events held during the festival support the local dance community coming together (Full Radius

Dance). Incorporation of a physically integrated dance company working and performing

alongside other companies allows disability and dance to be visible to the rest of the community

and demonstrate the unique experience physically integrated dance provides. This assists in

breaking down the social model of disability, which is caused by how society is organized, rather

than by a person’s disability. MAD Festival classes and events allow Full Radius Dance to

demonstrate how disabled dancers author their own experience within the classroom to others in

the field locally. In a review from ArtsATL in May of 2013, the festival was praised in a review,

which stated, “Presenting the work of five dance companies in one short evening is a wonderful

way of sampling choreographers and dancers we don’t often see” (Renault). Full Radius Dance’s

model is exemplified by the MAD festival and the dance community it creates, in order to further

modern dance with other professionals

Exposure to people with different bodies in a dance setting allows for a broader education

for people with disabilities’ role in dance and dance making, bringing disability and dance

together. Full Radius dance offers classes and workshops that touch on the basis of physically

integrated dance technique, with creation of choreography and physically integrated partnering

included in the class (Full Radius Dance). Choreography and partnering in a physically

integrated setting allows dancers to develop skills for this inclusive branch of dance, as well as
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allows dancers taking the class to explore the concept of what it means to move with disabled

and nondisabled dancers. Likewise, the conversion of different abilities within a class leaves

open the option to give the dancers agency of adapting movement to their ability. Instructors can

also provide guidance to adapt movement. Classes Full Radius Dance offers for adults focus on

modern dance technique, where, “an emphasis is placed on the transportation of each exercise for

the individual’s ability and authentic embodiment while maintaining the integrity of the

movement” (Full Radius Dance). The focus on creating, rehearsing, and performing allows for

students to perform on a stage and helps destigmatize dance as an elevated activity, that only

certain highly-trained professionals can perform. Including a population through an educational

setting allows Full Radius Dance to begin to develop the educational aspect of their model.

Additionally, the company also offers outreach programs. The programs include

performances of several works, and serve as an introduction to modern Physically Integrated

Dance techniques (Full Radius Dance). Programs that turn towards a different community

advocate for Physically Integrated Dance; because, they are now sharing an inclusive

representation of dance with the next generation. By sharing their unique modern style, Full

Radius Dance is demonstrating to their audience that all bodies are capable of dance. They also

bring performances to locations where people may not be able to watch dance otherwise, such as

places like senior facilities and hospitals (Full Radius Dance). This form of outreach, where

people in these facilities cannot leave, presents a social justice theme to bring dance to people

who otherwise could not enjoy it. Going to a place like this provides an opportunity for people to

come into contact with Physically Integrated Dance who normally would not have the ability to.

Outreach through an educational institution promotes advocacy for the next generation; it is

important to bring dance to those outside of the ‘bubble’ of dancers inside the artistic community.
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The program Full Radius Dance provides is just, because of their willingness to adapt classes and

their specificity in choosing spaces, furthering their focus on education within their model.

The company also brings Physically Integrated Dance to schools through assembly

programs (Full Radius Dance) The programs introduce students to the idea that any body can

dance or explore these concepts. The company’s website states, “Assembly programs by Full

Radius Dance are a meaningful way to get students of all ages involved in confronting and

discussing critical issues such as obstacles, negative beliefs about self-image and identity, and

difference” (The Legend of the Dragon Study Guide). Thus, Full Radius Dance is using their

performance, question and answer section, and lesson plan as a teaching tool for body positivity,

to share their belief with students that all bodies are capable of dance. Certain age groups require

a theme suitable for their level. It is important to know your audience and perform and teach

them something within their range of knowledge. For school assembly programs, Full Radius

Dance has programs with appropriate age and content selections, and can also create customized

programs if necessary (Full Radius Dance). For example, in Full Radius Dance’s lesson plan

provided, grades K-2 are learning about how animals can be symbols and what those symbols

represent; on the other hand, grades 3-5 are learning about famous people with disabilities (Full

Radius Dance). Artistic modern dance that tells a story helps give students a basis of discussion,

because of how important storytelling is for young ages. Full Radius Dance is providing a way

for students to discuss Physically Integrated dance; in other words, the company is following

their model by being committed to education and outreach.

While Full Radius Dance may not be an all-encompassing physically integrated dance

company, due to the fact that their dancers are all standing dancers or dancers in chairs, the

company follows their mission and does their duty to reach out to the dance community and
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beyond. Their choreographic process is collaborative because it gives agency to company

members to make movement fit their bodies. Likewise, the company also offers an equitable

audition process to give disabled dancers the opportunity for training and performance. The

performances and festivals by Full Radius Dance demonstrate the ability for Physically

Integrated dance to uniquely and originally showcase a classical style of dance, and how these

classical styles can be adapted. Additionally, the education programs they offer allow for

solidarity and the ability for different bodies and different people to come together and learn

about dance and how it can be inclusive. All of these factors contribute to Full Radius Dance’s

model and help advocate for Physically Integrated Dance.

Works Cited
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“Full Radius Dance.” Full Radius Dance, CyCore Systems Inc.

Renault, Gillian Anne. “Review: Modern Atlanta Dance Festival Goes MAD for Fast

Paced, Sharply Focused Short Works.” ArtsATL, ArtsATL, 2 June 2013.

Volin, Emily Yewell. “Full Radius Dance: A Physically Integrated Dance

Company.” Dance Informa Magazine, Dance Informa, 6 Mar. 2017.