The Wind Is the Power: Social Empowerment for Disabled Performers Through Development and Performance of Personalised New Musical Interfaces

This paper presents research carried out with individuals from Dancehearts,a performance group for young people with disabilities. The author seeks toshow that interactive media technologies can significantly increase the levelof social empowerment experienced by individuals taking part in public per-formance. The power of art for social change, and the question of power and visibility in public space are discussed in relation to the concept of intersection-ality. The author describes the custom designed wireless electronic controllers that the dancers use to “play” music and sound using the movements of their bodies and wheelchairs. These tools magnify the effect of their own actionsand movement in space. The dancers are no longer solely choreographed per-formers, but additionally they affect to the whole performance space through aural interaction, controlling the soundscape used in the performance. For aperson with disabilities, the ability to harness media technologies for artistic expression challenges their perceived public role. They become, through their own actions, active subjects