Using this Toolkit is like learning a language. It can serve as a first introduction to the body, as well as a deepening of an existing (somatic) practice.
You don’t need any prior experience with movement, dance, or somatic practice. It doesn’t matter what your movements feel or look like; there is no right or wrong.
We consider our bodies as our primary research instrument. If your body doesn’t feel like a safe place, you might want to explore the Practices with someone you trust, who can support you in making friends with your body again in the context of your research work. Please organise what you need in order for this to be a supportive and playful exploration.
The current Practices mostly address people with two active legs, arms, and hands. Please feel free to adapt them to your own circumstances and unique body, for example, if you are working from a chair or wheelchair.
People with auditory impairments can access the scripts in PDF format. We will eventually provide these via a link on each Practice page. Until then, please email us and we will send them to you.
Living with such specific challenges will likely influence some of the lenses you look through in your research. Equally being ‘able-bodied’ can be a lens, (or perhaps more of a blind spot!), because we take it so much for granted. Core Practice 3, Identity: Noticing your Lenses, can be supportive to work with your perceived level of (un)awareness regarding body, ability or other parts of yourself.
We hope that this becomes a supportive resource that you can apply in your own unique way.
If you have any suggestions of how to make this more inclusive of other communities, or use more appropriate language that supports inclusion, please be in touch, we would love to hear from you.