Making an Entrance is the first ever practical introduction to teaching dance with disabled and non disabled students. This clearly written, thought provoking and hugely enjoyable manual is essential reading whether you're just starting out or are already active in the field. Taking improvisation as his focus and as the starting point of choreographic exploration, Adam Benjamin asks what it has to offer as an art form and how it can be better used to meet the changing needs of dance education. In the theoretical section Benjamin explores the history of a disintegrated dance practice, placing it within the wider context of cultural and political movements. He questions what is meant today when we talk about 'inclusive' or 'integrated dance' and what we might expect of it. The book includes over 50 exercises and improvisations designed to stimulate and challenge students at all levels of dance. Benjamin also includes useful hints on the practicalities of setting up workshops covering issues as diverse a class size, the safety aspects of wheelchairs and the accessibility of dance spaces.

The first of its kind, this book focuses on the value of inclusivity in the tap dance studio, instructing on how to bring the rhythmic world of tap dance into the lives of individuals living with disabilities or mobility issues. No longer should those with mobility challenges be denied the opportunity to enjoy the unique delight, challenge and excitement of tap dancing. Based on the author's inclusive program called Tap for All, this book is part inspirational memoir and part instructional manual, detailing how tap dance's enormous cognitive benefits can benefit those living with Alzheimer's, dementia, cerebral palsy, arthritis, traumatic brain injuries and more. The author outlines her experience opening the hearts and minds of other dance instructors and studio owners, showing that shifting their perspective about dance is beneficial to both client and studio. Chapters also instruct on the physiological effects of music and dance, guide the development of dance routines, and outline the author's tap programs for various student skill levels and experiences. Practicing ability inclusion can ensure that everyone, not just those fortunate enough to have a fully functioning physique, can learn and enjoy tap dance.

This first-of-its-kind text provides a comprehensive presentation and review of the unique aspects of adaptive sports medicine and adaptive athletes, who are increasingly active and prominent, not only individually and in local leagues and organizations but also in larger settings like the Paralympics. Divided into thematic sections, part one covers the history and natural course of the care, policies and laws that have been developed over the years for persons with disabilities, as well as the biomechanics and technology of wheelchair sports and adaptive sports prostheses. The medical considerations of the adaptive athlete comprise part two, including injury epidemiology, emergent care, and surgical and rehabilitative considerations. Part three, by far the most extensive section, discusses specific wheelchair and adaptive sports, including adaptive running, cycling, water sports and throwing sports, wheelchair basketball, softball and rugby, as well as adaptive combative and extreme sports. Selected topics, including event planning, advocacy and controversies such as doping, are covered in part four. A comprehensive yet practical text, Adaptive Sports Medicine is a go-to resource and will be an invaluable reference for any sports medicine or primary medicine practitioner working with this unique population.

Describes the creation, training, and performances of the dance troupe known as Dancing Wheels who incorporate the movements of dancers who dance standing up and those who are in wheelchairs.

This second edition of Making an Entrance is a practical and thought-provoking introduction to teaching dance with disabled and non-disabled students, updated with expanded coverage, new and revised exercises, and chapters that cover post-pandemic and online practice, diversity and inclusivity. With improvisation as his central concern Benjamin covers an extensive range of topics, including new autoethnographic writing, mental health, performance, feedback, and The Dancers’ Forest, and interrogates what we mean when we talk about ‘inclusive’ and ‘integrated dance.’ There are over 50 stimulating and challenging exercises purposefully designed for dance students of all levels accompanied by teaching notes, and examples drawn from the author’s experience as a teacher, performer, and dance maker. Useful hints are provided on the practicalities of setting up workshops covering issues such as class sizes, the safety aspects of wheelchairs and accessibility. An essential read for both students and teachers of improvisation who are seeking ways to engage with issues of diversity, written to be accessible whilst offering areas of increasing complexity and challenge for more experienced practitioners.