Is physically integrated dance a new art form?
The field of physically integrated (dancers with and without disabilities), or mixed ability dance, is, by most standards, a relatively young art form, but is gaining recognition and acceptance. In a report presented to the National Council on the Arts, dated March 3, 2000, Douglas C. Sontag stated “At some point in the mid-1980’s, wheelchair dance or mixed ability dance companies began to emerge in both the United States and Britain. What began some 15 years ago as a small movement has developed into an exciting and distinguished sector of the professional dance field . . .” However, seeing an entirely new form of expression develop in any discipline is a relatively rare phenomenon.
