Impossible dances: Staging disability in Brazil

In this article I discuss the creative experiences of dance artists with disabilities and their relationship to an economy of social inclusiveness that animates the neo-liberal tendencies of democratic Brazil. I discuss dance performances that involve people with disabilities in the context of Brazil’s artistic communities and social policies. I begin with my experience as a dancer and director of Roda Viva Cia de Dança and then review other contemporary artists with disabilities from Brazil, such as Marcos Abranches, in order to reimagine not only the social but also the artistic implications that disability might have for dance in Brazil. My goal is to move ideologically beyond the inclusive model that allows everyone to dance and emphasize the ­importance of artistic voice and creative autonomy.