The art of dance keeps challenges in perspective

Suzanne Cowan is a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher. She cannot walk and uses a wheelchair.

That is the order in which Ms Cowan would like people to regard her - an artist first and a disabled person later, if at all.

"Using a wheelchair is an aspect of who I am, but it is not the whole of me."

Ms Cowan (42) arrived in Dunedin last month to begin her six-month stint as the Caroline Plummer dance fellow at the University of Otago. The fellowship focuses on community dance and recipients are encouraged to involve non-traditional dancers.

She said she wanted people to get past the idea of dance for disabled people as being only a rehabilitation tool.

"When people see a good performance by dancers with disabilities, they are blown away. They can't imagine people dancing without using their legs, but dance is movement. Even if you can only move your eyes, you can do that."

She said she preferred not to label dancers as being disabled or otherwise.

"Really, we are all dancers."

Raised in Christchurch, Ms Cowan learnt ballet from the age of 5 to 13. After working as a journalist, she began a bachelor of arts degree at Canterbury University and was on a working holiday in Canada when she was involved in a car crash in 1990.

At first she was "shocked" to realise she would not walk again. But as the years passed, she adjusted.

"You have to get over it. You realise there is more to life than not being able to walk."

She began swimming and sailing, and, despite not being that interested in sport in her younger days, took up wheelchair tennis.

Ten years ago, she returned to dance, first as a student and later as a teacher and choreographer.

Between 2000 and 2003, she worked for Candoco, a UK-based mixed ability dance company, touring with it to 24 countries.

Last year, she completed a master of creative and performing arts degree with honours from the University of Auckland.

Candoco and her work since returning to live in Auckland had allowed her to challenge traditional perceptions about dance, she said.

"The general perception is that dancers are young, middle-class white women. It should not be about that. It should be about what is dance and who can dance. I enjoy stretching those perceptions."

Over the next few months, Ms Cowan will choreograph a dance project called Sight Lines from the perspective of people with visual impairments. It will involve musicians, composers, visual artists, sculptors and writers as well as dancers.

She is on the hunt for a private home or vacant building which can become a "house of memories" and the venue for her dance installation.

Professional opportunities for dancers and choreographers were limited in New Zealand and securing the Otago fellowship was exciting, she said.

"It is a great opportunity and provides the financial freedom to create a piece of dance."

• Ms Cowan can be contacted at suzanne.cowan@otago.ac.nz by anyone wishing to participate in her project.