EDCON 2018: ACCESSIBILITY
Sometimes we don’t see students with
different needs at our studios, but it’s not
necessarily because they aren’t interested in
our programs—it may be because they have
looked at our websites, fees, or locations and
concluded that our programs aren’t an option
for them. How we set up our programs and
present them to the public is an important
factor to take into consideration.
For example, are our circus programs
accessible:
• FINANCIALLY: Do we have significant
financial support available for folks with
lower income? Is that information clear
and easily found? Would people feel
comfortable asking for financial support
or do they have to jump through many
hoops or reveal excessive personal
information?
• GEOGRAPHICALLY: Can people get to our
sites via public transportation?
• LINGUISTICALLY: Are our materials
available in different languages? Do we
have instructors who can speak different
languages? Do we know how to access
qualified ASL interpreters? Do we know
how to translate our materials into Braille
if requested?
• “VIRTUALLY”: Does our website meet
or exceed accessibility standards? Do
the images on the website accurately
reflect the student and instructor
population, and if so, would students from
diverse backgrounds and with different
body types feel welcome attending?
Would the language used be clear and
understandable to most English speakers,
or does it use a lot of jargon or complex
language?
• CULTURALLY: Would people from different
cultural backgrounds feel comfortable
participating in a class? Are there
adjustments we could make that might
make things feel more inclusive?
• PHYSICALLY: A long list of items could go
here, from parking spaces to elevators to
bathrooms to changing areas.
Alex Daves wrote to me about working at
SANCA with a girl with hemiparesis (weakness
on one side of the body):
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“With kids with physical
disabilities, I teach them that
they get to explore apparati in
the way that makes sense for
their bodies. I spot them, but I
trust that we can work together
to figure out a safe way to
use equipment. For example,
right now, that student does
not go upside down on the
German Wheel but she is able
to balance and rock back and
forth (something she couldn't
do when she started), and walk
through the German Wheel as
it’s rolling. Mostly, I work with her
on her confidence and her sense
of mastery and she is thrilled
that she can use things like the
German Wheel and fabric and
trampoline. I tell her that almost
everything she does is something
no one has ever done because
she has had to adapt it to her
body.”
There is amazing work being done by many
in the U.S. community to ensure accessibility
and inclusion in circus—most notably by Carrie
Heller and her team of the Circus Arts Institute
in Atlanta; the team at SANCA in Seattle, led by
Jo Montgomery, Ian Jagel, Amber Parker, and
others; and Erin Ball of Kingston Circus Arts
(Canada). Several circus organizations have
specific programs for students with disabilities
(Circus Mojo, AcroSports, SANCA, Circus
Juventas), while many others state clearly on
their websites that their programs are available
to students of all abilities and also demonstrate
a commitment to accessibility/inclusion (Circus
Up, Phoenix Youth Circus Arts, Sky Candy, Wise
Fool, Circus Academy of Tucson, Circus Moves,
FOCUSfish). Additionally, there are many more
programs that may not make a specific statement
about accessibility, but which demonstrate
just as much of a commitment to ensuring
accessibility and inclusion for all of their
students (ex. Circus Harmony, NECCA, Prescott
Circus Theatre, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus). There
are also some extraordinary programs around
the world, including Circus Stars (Australia),
Circability (New Zealand), Circus Sonnenstich
(Germany), Cirque Bijou/Extraordinary Bodies
(England), Disability Gymnastics (throughout
the UK), Palestinian Circus School (Palestine),
Skylight Circus Arts (England), Circo Inclusivo
México (Mexico), Westside Circus (Australia), and
the Women’s Circus (Australia). Finally, many,
many more circus organizations, such as Trenton
Circus Squad, The Circus Project, D’Air Project,
and organizations previously mentioned, have
demonstrated an extraordinary commitment
to making their programs accessible financially
and in other ways. This list itself is also far from
exhaustive!
Ensuring accessibility is an enormous and
important topic, and this article just scratches
the surface. I hope that this is a continuation
of an ongoing conversation and that we will find
ways to continue to communicate with each
other about these topics. I look forward to
finding ways we can network to support each
other in these efforts and to continue to discuss
these ideas and move forward as a community.
If you have ideas for connecting interested
individuals, or if you would like a list of some
additional resources that I have found to be
helpful (or to share your own), please feel free to
contact me.
USEFUL RESOURCES
PERSON-CENTERED/IDENTITY-FIRS T LANGUAGE
(not the same as person-first language)
• radicalcopyeditor.com/2017/07/03/person-
centered-language/
• thinkinclusive.us/why-person-first-language-
doesnt-always-put-the-person-first/
• autistichoya.com/2011/08/significance-of-
semantics-person-first.html
• autistichoya.com/2011/11/identity-and-hypocrisy-
second-argument.html
ACCESSIBILITY VS. ACCOMMODATION
• “Accessibility v. Accommodation,” by Katie Rose
Guest Pryal - Part One & Part Two
• “Navigating Our Journey of Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion” by Diane Nutting
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
• www.ada.gov
• ADA National Network: Information, Guidance, and
Training on the Americans With Disabilities Act
ADDITIONAL
• The Accessible Stall podcast: Episode 25,
“Accessibility vs. Inclusion”
• Kids Included Together
• Doing Things Differently
• Webcourse: A free, self-paced webcourse for
discovering the best practices for effectively
working and interacting with people who have
disabilities. The course takes about 2.5 hours and
includes real life scenarios, quizzes and a final exam.
Education credit is available.
The wonderful thing about accessibility is that
the more we address it and invest in it, the more
we ensure that our programs can be enjoyed by
everyone.
A SANCA student practices in a German wheel.
Photo provided by SANCA.
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