Definitions for partially inclusive dancing – Dancing for Everybody

Thanks to Birgit Rudolf for creating these pages, which are barrier-free readable ("barrier-free" is German terminology meaning readable on any PC with no use of special characters and limited use of abbreviations or acronyms).

Square dancing evolved with the assumption that participants would be able to walk, hear, see, and understand instructions in a "normal" fashion. Over the years, techniques have been developed that cater to dancers with disabilities in all those areas. But there is scant documentation of the accommodations that can be made to allow people with mobility, sensory, or cognitive challenges to enjoy square dancing.

Birgit has created a set of Basic and Mainstream definitions that incorporate information to help dancers with mobility or vision issues (she terms these "partially" inclusive because she has limited herself to those two areas.) Specific adaptations for wheelchair users have been incorporated into the definitions. The definitions have been shortened and tailored to the needs of dancers. The audio files on the homepage are still under construction and are constantly being updated.

The original versions of these materials and the website are written in German. Birgit is working on English versions and will be updating the website as she gets translations completed. In the meantime, non-German speakers can use Google Translate to translate pages and get a reasonable sense of the material presented. To find a browser extension for Google Translate, search on "google translate browser extension".

For further information, please contact Birgit Rudolf by e-mail.