Vanessa Cruz
Disability Not Ability
2021
Film
15.39 minutes
$150 suggested donation for downloadable file
Framed still image
16" x 20"
$200
Website: galaxiesdance.info
VO by McKerrin Kelly
2021
Film
15.39 minutes
$150 suggested donation for downloadable file
Framed still image
16" x 20"
$200
Website: galaxiesdance.info
VO by McKerrin Kelly
| Audio Description of "Disability Not Ability" |
| dna_program_descriptor.pdf |
ABOUT THE FILM:
Audio described version.
This experimental dance film encompasses poetry, dance and scenic artwork. This piece is a deeply personal work that dives deep into my journey as a disabled dancer owning my identity. One of the greatest moments of my life was reclaiming disability as my identity and culture and honoring its history.
This experimental dance film encompasses poetry, dance and scenic artwork. This piece is a deeply personal work that dives deep into my journey as a disabled dancer owning my identity. One of the greatest moments of my life was reclaiming disability as my identity and culture and honoring its history.
STATEMENT:
The vessel of life is the experiences that we hold, whether they are meaningful or leave us with a trail of scars. As a choreographer I am fascinated with the different experiences that hold spaces within our psyche. That translates into my dancing by exploring the interstitial crevasses of authenticity, and embodying rawness to project that unto the world.
As a Mexican American physically disabled woman artist, I strive for innovative provocation to provide genuine equity in the dance community. I find ways in which disability isn’t the center of attention, but instead is a part of life that is deep with lived experiences. I believe it is imperative to create work that touches upon emotions, stories, and experiences that are difficult to express through written forms. I dive deep into dark aesthetics, abstractions, and storytelling that engage the imagination and its relevance to reality.
Translating choreography onto my disabled body is my greatest adventure as a dancer. I find ways to piece together my artistry into the material that is given and to remain curious about the process. It is an opportunity to dive deeper into the choreography on a more intimate level. I get to explore and play with musicality, speed, and dynamics while ensuring the integrity of the movement. The process is the most crucial phase as it helps me develop an authentic, raw performance.
As a Mexican American physically disabled woman artist, I strive for innovative provocation to provide genuine equity in the dance community. I find ways in which disability isn’t the center of attention, but instead is a part of life that is deep with lived experiences. I believe it is imperative to create work that touches upon emotions, stories, and experiences that are difficult to express through written forms. I dive deep into dark aesthetics, abstractions, and storytelling that engage the imagination and its relevance to reality.
Translating choreography onto my disabled body is my greatest adventure as a dancer. I find ways to piece together my artistry into the material that is given and to remain curious about the process. It is an opportunity to dive deeper into the choreography on a more intimate level. I get to explore and play with musicality, speed, and dynamics while ensuring the integrity of the movement. The process is the most crucial phase as it helps me develop an authentic, raw performance.
DESCRIPTION:
Disability Not Ability (still)
Diagonally across the center is the text "DNA" in green neon letters outlined with a thin green neon box. On the right is the head of a dark haired woman inside a distorted red diamond. The black background is textured. Across the middle of the image is a banner that fades from purple to pink. On the left are glitched out words that read "Disability not ability".
-art description by Vanessa Cruz
Diagonally across the center is the text "DNA" in green neon letters outlined with a thin green neon box. On the right is the head of a dark haired woman inside a distorted red diamond. The black background is textured. Across the middle of the image is a banner that fades from purple to pink. On the left are glitched out words that read "Disability not ability".
-art description by Vanessa Cruz
Presented by USC Visions and Voices. Organized by Pamela Schaff (Medical Education, Family Medicine, and Pediatrics), Julie Van Dam (French and Italian), Erika Wright (Medical Education and English), Sabrina Derrington (Pediatrics), and Ron Ben-Ari (Internal Medicine and Medical Education). Co-sponsored by the Keck School of Medicine’s HEAL (Humanities, Ethics, Art, and Law) Program and the Center for Bioethics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
DONATE via Fractured Atlas!
Opulent Mobility by A. Laura Brody is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
The Opulent Mobility license refers to the exhibit and its audio descriptions. Individual artworks are the property of the individual artists.