Hello everyone! Callum Brazzo here, newly appointed Director at Diamondz Dance.
Firstly, welcome to the first (but far from the last) blog from yours truly.If you are familiar with my work, you may be aware that I wrote a column for many years under the Lincolnshire Free Press under the name Autistic Lincs….but forget all of that from now! Whilst I’ve written briefly about dance in my former columns, it is refreshingly exciting to write in a more focused way on everything dance. So here we go, the Big I.
Inclusivity.
Before I joined the Board, I had worked previously with Diamondz as a creator in the collaborative show Unify Through Creativity only a piece called Flow. I quickly found the process of meeting Abbi, Diane and the whole team in a more consistent sense, connecting with the young talent we have here through conversations around stimming and utilising my community’s pride flag as part of the eventual performance, to be massively rewarding.
It was inclusivity in practical terms. We weren’t just inspirational words on a visual map of ambitions, a goal to reach. The way we approached things was living proof.
The desire and commitment from staff and students alike to portray a message of solidarity to the masses in the form of dance can never be understated. I remember half-joking during the studio sessions (I think in relation to the WiFi but maybe to the movements we were developing together) that just like it, I had felt disconnected all my life. It was an honest take on things but I have never felt more heard, more ‘found’ than in those moments of rehearsal.
Students listened with open minds and remained true to themselves and disciplined in their art form whilst taking my story as an autistic man and blending both into a finished piece I am personally extremely proud of.
I don’t write this to pretentiously propose that we are the brightest beacon of inclusivity (and the way we do things is constantly evolving as society evolves) but that’s the point.
It’s an ongoing conversation on what works for one person as opposed to another, the nuance of individuals as well as the equally important core value of being in a team. Inclusivity is about illuminating potential.
The potential within a space, such as Boston’s Haven High where UTC was held.
The potential within individuals and collectively as a creative entity during a performance.
Since my firsthand experience of Unify Through Creativity’s process began in 2022 and moving into the future, I’ve known that Diamondz is a company that puts the spotlight exactly where it needs to be.
By looking at the I in Team, it helps everyone to SHINE.
…and to understand a little better why I would want to write about this, I’d love you to check out my full bio on our Meet The Team page (MEET THE TEAM | Diamondz Dance)
Until next month…check out these blogs in the meantime!
Join the conversation with your thoughts and feelings on our socials with #DiamondzDialogue
This is me- Callum Brazzo!
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