Fighting systemic exclusion in dance through education

Can you explain a little about Exis’ history and timeline?

Exis was born in February, 2015, starting out with a team of eight: four disabled and four non-disabled members. Beyond our shared love of dance, research, and the simple joy of moving and experimenting together, we felt a deep need to grow the dance and disability scene.

We wanted to see more groups dedicated to inclusion and the fight for equal rights in dance. Back then, there were even fewer artists and companies than there are today [working in this area]. Finding disabled people already involved in dance was a challenge, so we reached out to people with a background in sports to help build our vision. We chose to approach individuals from the sports world because, on one hand, they already had a connection to the body and movement, and on the other, they were people who understood the discipline and focus required when working with your body in a professional setting.

Today, after 11 years of activity, our team has made significant strides in the field. In 2019, in partnership with the professional theatre company THEAMA, we co-founded ISON Dance-Theatre, an inclusive facility for the performing arts which now serves as our base. ISON is our primary space for rehearsals, meetings, seminars, and performances. Beyond our base, we actively collaborate with disability associations, general and special education schools, and various other organizations. We visit their venues to conduct workshops and to offer training on inclusive dance education. We also partner with dance festivals in Greece and abroad for our performances.

Our school’s space and classes are a vital part of our educational pillar; this is where our members receive their core training and where our team's growth is nurtured.

Can you expand on the training aspect of your work?

Education is a fundamental part of our work, and we dedicate a significant portion of our strategic planning and programming to it. Since the group's inception, the lack of accessible educational structures for disabled artists has been a major obstacle to our creative process. These barriers gave rise to the need for a space for systematic training, leading to the birth of ISON.

At ISON, we offer weekly classes in contemporary dance, improvisation, ballet, and dance for children. We have also implemented a comprehensive training program for both disabled and non-disabled choreographers. Throughout the year, we host various dance seminars and somatic practice workshops for adults and children, as well as three-month intensive training programs and participatory performance workshops.

At this point, it is crucial to mention that in Greece, the admission of disabled people into professional dance schools is effectively prohibited. This is due to the legal criteria of 'physical integrity' (ableism) and 'good health' required for entry. This systemic exclusion makes the creation of programs that offer access to all bodies not just important, but absolutely essential.

What does a typical production look like in terms of how co-creation comes into play along the way? How do members shape and feed into final productions?

In general, we are deeply committed to a collective approach to creation, as it is more horizontal and allows all voices and personal tastes to be heard and reflected within the work. Depending on the size of the team, collective creation certainly presents challenges, as it significantly alters the pace and timeline of rehearsals and the overall process. However, we believe that the benefits—the deep engagement of the artists and the tools they gain through this experience—are far more substantial.

Beyond this, even in works led by a single choreographer, a participatory process and the dancers’ involvement are always present as a method of composition. Collaborating with the dancers to build the piece and incorporating their proposals for the movement material is a core part of our practice. This is how we have always chosen to function.

Do you feel that dance is a sector within the arts that is particularly vulnerable to non-inclusive practices? Were there specific cases or experiences in the world of dance that shaped Exis’ mission and approach?

In general, we believe that contemporary dance—along with improvisation as its integral part and compositional tool—is naturally accessible to inclusive practices. The challenge arises when we deal with established dance 'forms' (such as ballet and other styles that follow specific techniques). However, even in these cases, we believe that exclusion stems from how the form is approached and the fact that it was built specifically for non-disabled bodies. It also depends on how rigid or 'absolute' a teacher's approach is. We maintain that even a strict form of dance can open up to inclusive approaches, but this requires the re-education of the instructors themselves.

The most pivotal experience that led to the creation of Exis was witnessing the abusive educational practices within professional dance schools and their curricula. Their approach tends to exclude many types of bodies, even non-disabled ones, let alone those of disabled dancers. Essentially, the need for a more open and inclusive field in the dance world was the driving force behind our creation.

What is it about dance, as a medium, which you feel is particularly powerful and well suited to championing mutual understanding and co-creation?

The most powerful aspect of dance in building mutual understanding is, of course, that it uses the body and non-verbal communication as its primary medium. We deeply believe that through this, people communicate deeper, more unconscious parts of themselves that words simply cannot reach; this is how empathy and connection are built on a profound level. Dance addresses all bodies; every body has been moving and communicating through motion from the moment of birth.

What contemporary dance offers—and what we consider one of our work's greatest strengths—is that it has decoupled aesthetics from technical perfection (virtuosity), something that doesn't happen in ballet or more classical forms. This is the 'breakthrough' that has paved the way, allowing everybody to participate equally.

The greatest reward in our work is the feedback we receive from the people participating in our classes and seminars, getting to see that impact firsthand.

While you are based in Greece, do you hope to expand in time to operate elsewhere? I imagine the barriers to inclusion that exist in Greece are also prevalent around the world?

Yes, we are very interested in expanding our operations beyond Greece. We’re already working on building an international network through collaborations with European programs and by participating in networks abroad. The barriers regarding inclusive education and creation are indeed a broader characteristic of the dance world and exist outside Greece. We believe this is deeply connected to the fact that dance, from its inception, strongly linked its aesthetics to technical perfection; it is an art form established upon non-disabled bodies, and unfortunately, deconstructing this takes significant time. However, it is very encouraging to see many important initiatives worldwide moving in that direction.

Are there any issues in the arts that you see as particularly problematic in, or specific to, Greece?

Unfortunately, ours is a field that lacks adequate state support. Opportunities for grants that contribute to the sustainability of a team (such as those offered by The Supporting Act Foundation) are minimal to non-existent. Usually, funding is allocated to short-term programs lasting only a few months; this tends to support project-based groups rather than stable companies that work and evolve over time. The 'project-based' nature of funding in Greece means that instead of being able to focus on the long-term artistic development of our dancers, we are often consumed by a constant hunt for short-term grants just to keep our doors open.

Furthermore, pay scales are low and do not reflect the actual time and effort artists invest in their work. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to survive solely on your art.

Maintaining an accessible space like ISON requires steady resources that the state simply does not provide. Beyond the financial aspect, we also face deep-rooted challenges regarding the social gap and prevailing perceptions of what dance is supposed to be. These biases are directly reflected in our daily work and in the enrollment of our classes; it is an ongoing struggle to bridge that gap and convince non-disabled individuals to choose an inclusive school for their professional training.

This is why support for independent collectives is vital—it is about allowing us to focus on our vision rather than just survival.


How will this grant help Exis deliver its programs over the coming years?

This grant will be a game-changer for us, it provides the sustainability we have been deprived of, allowing us to finally move away from 'survival mode' and into a phase of strategic growth. A vital part of this evolution will be the ability to expand our administrative team. By distributing the workload more effectively, we can operate with greater efficiency and professionalism. This, in turn, will give us the essential breathing room to strengthen the work of our disabled members as choreographers, ensuring they have the resources to take the creative lead. Furthermore, it will allow us to provide fair pay for our artists and instructors, recognizing their labor as a vital profession.

Ultimately, this support means we can focus on our true mission: providing systematic co-education for all and creating a space where the aesthetics of dance are defined by the presence of every body, rather than by exclusion.

Where do you hope that your organisation will be in four years’ time?

In four years’ time, we hope to have established a much more stable foundation for both our administrative and artistic teams, building upon the vital opportunity currently provided to us by The Supporting Act Foundation. Our vision is to broaden our horizons through consistent artistic collaborations abroad, while simultaneously expanding our educational programs at home.

We aim to evolve from a project-based collective into a sustainable organization that can offer long-term security to its members. Ultimately, we want Exis to be a key point of reference for inclusive dance, not just in Greece, but as part of a vibrant, international network of creators who prove that art thrives when it is accessible to everyone.