Exploring New Dimensions in Dance: Axis Dance Company’s Unique Approach
Axis Dance Company is redefining the boundaries of dance by embracing the unique interpretations each performer brings to the stage. Whether it’s a dancer utilizing a wheelchair or employing crutches as an extension of their body, Axis sees these as opportunities to push the creative possibilities of movement.
According to Nadia Adame, artistic director of the company, “It’s about how you create the same image or idea of movement for someone with a different body.” This philosophy is at the heart of Axis Dance Company, which features a diverse ensemble of disabled, non-disabled, deaf, and neurodiverse performers. Recently, the company engaged in a weeklong residency at the University of Virginia, thanks to support from the UVA Arts Council, where they conducted workshops and classes culminating in a performance.
First-year student Georgia Upson from Denver reflected on the experience, noting, “Working with professionals is just really, really cool. It’s like getting the chance to interview someone who’s an expert in their field. But at the same time, you’re on an equal playing field, because you’re making your own movement and moving together.”
During one workshop, students were encouraged to interpret movement prompts such as imagining dancing through water or performing a twirl. Participants were guided to explore movements close to the ground, adopting poses like a lizard or reenacting swimming motions while lying on their backs.
Adame emphasizes the “translation” of dance movements, showing that even performers without the use of their legs can execute a plié, utilizing their upper body instead. This adaptability was further demonstrated when students were prompted to twirl; one might pirouette while another spins in a wheelchair.
Elizabeth Moore, a fourth-year student in biology with a dance minor, expressed how these workshops expanded her understanding of dance. “The class pushed me even further,” she said, having recently choreographed a piece that translated movements across different body parts for her spring concert.
Axis company member Isaiah Newby remarked on the reciprocal nature of the workshops, “When you pour into students, they pour that back into you.” He and fellow company member Alaja Badalich led a composition class where they found students eager to learn and explore new methods of making dance accessible.
Badalich shared her enthusiasm for teaching students who blend academic education with creative pursuits. “I didn’t go to college for dance myself; I was in a training program,” she noted, appreciating how this dual focus influences students’ practices.
In the class, limitations were set to inspire creativity in students’ interpretations. Badalich explained, “Often in the creative field, you can be overwhelmed that you have so many choices. Having something that confines you can be super freeing, because you can find creativity in your own interpretations.”
Education and outreach remain central to Axis Dance Company’s mission, as they continue to challenge and transform conventional perceptions of dance.
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