Speaking Up Without Speech

How do we voice things without speaking?

A recurring theme in the Humanities course is society’s suppression of marginalized voices. One way people in marginalized groups have asserted their voices is through performance, for, as we discussed in professor Bory’s unit, performance can communicate on a level deeper than words.

The voices of people with disabilities have historically been unacknowledged by society. Performance can amplify the voices of people with disabilities, especially for those who do are not verbal in the conventional way. The galleries below consist of times I’ve witnessed my friends with disabilities communicate with audiences through performance.

Martha

My good friend Martha has Down Syndrome, and since we became friends as little kids I’ve seen her dominate the stage time and time again. From dancing to singing to acting, Martha has communicated to audiences that she is very capable of being a star.

Martha in Performance

Martha with my sister Kessler after performing in the musical “Amahl and the Night Visitors.”

Martha singing at Central Presbyterian Church.

Martha dancing in front of guests at a Best Buddies convention.

Martha and my sister Kessler singing “Let it Go” at a camp talent show.

Martha singing “Defying Gravity” in a camp talent show.

Martha performing at a retreat in Montreat, North Carolina.

BEST

doooooooooooooooooooooooo

BEST (Believe Everyone Should Try) is a student-run group in which adults with disabilities from the Davidson community come to Davidson College each week to dance with student participants. At the end of each semester we perform what we practiced for an audience during the Davidson Dance Ensemble Showcase. In BEST, our dancing together on stage tells the audience that people with large differences can work with one another by acknowledging that each person has the same level of humanity.

BEST in Performance

All images taken during BEST performance in the Fall 2019 Davidson Dance Ensemble Showcase.