Axis Dance Company: Changing the face of dance & disability. We accomplish our mission through three pillars of activity: artistry, engagement, advocacy
The heart of AXIS is the commissioning, creation, and performance of contemporary dance that is developed through the collaboration of dancers with and without physical disabilities. Our artistic vision to collaborate with high profile choreographers and cutting edge innovative dance makers of our time was an excellent strategy that has resulted in artistically stunning and significant dance works. More than any other company in the United States, AXIS has been at the forefront of the field, building a bridge between contemporary dance, integrated dance, and disability culture.
A few weeks ago, Axis Dance Company based out of Oakland, California introduced a new form of dance – integrated dance – in a day long workshop hosted by the University of Utah region, BTSALP.
AXIS created the opportunity for the children with disabilities at Jordan Valley School to engage in dance with their peers from Sprucewood Elementary (Canyons School District.) They addressed the challenges and opportunities that integrated dance and inclusion present to students, teachers and BTSALP specialists.
Jonathan Hale, BTSALP Visual Art Specialist at Sprucewood Elementary School (Canyons School District,) worked with each grade level to create a colorful mural. Each Mosaic Mural is a compilation of concepts taught at each grade level. Students worked to develop images in clay and then used recycled and donated items to complete the picture. Students reviewed and explored grade level concepts while creating and constructing these mosaic murals.
1st Grade Mosaic Mural
Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main focus of the 1st grade mural is on changes that occur; the seasons change bringing different kinds of weather. In spring the caterpillar changes into a butterfly, plants and flowers grow from seeds. In fall the tree leaves change color and fall to the ground.
The flowers and the snowflakes were constructed using composite shapes. The students explored their knowledge of community making bees, complete with the queen bee and worker bees. The mural emphasizes colors as a way to show temperature and the seasons.
2nd Grade Mosaic Mural
Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main focus of the 2nd grade mural is on the local, state and national symbols. Students created their homes, neighborhoods, and communities including their very own Sprucewood Elementary School, stores and the post office. Students then represented state symbols like the Utah State flag, Utah’s Dinosaur Monument and Arches National Park. At the national level students helped to make the United States flag and the Statue of Liberty. In addition to the local, state and national symbols, students created phases of the moon with shapes divided into equal parts.
3rd Grade Mosaic Mural
Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main focus of this mural is the interconnection of the sun and earth and the rotation of the moon. The mural also includes elements of space with constellations, satellites, spaceships, and the occasional math problem. The constellations were made using a grid with students calculating the area and perimeter of their creations.
4th Grade Mosaic Mural
Connections to Grade Level Learning: The mural focuses on the state of Utah. This mural highlights the many rock formations and types of Utah land forms, how they are formed and the effects of erosion. It also features fossils, Petroglyphs and and the people who told their stories through them. The mural also showcases the meeting of the two railroads at Promontory Point in 1869, Utah counties and even an Allosaurus. The water cycle is featured along with mathematical concepts of symmetry, angles and rays.
5th Grade Mosaic Mural
Connections to Grade Level Learning: The main theme of this mural is the formation of the United States of America. Each mural has a central image and four quadrants that highlight the explorers, patriots, inventors and Yankees that helped shape the American we know and love.
Two of our BTSALP Visual Arts specialists in the University of Utah region have concluded and published some exciting research.
Read about Jonathan Hale’s joint project between Sprucewood Elementary School and Jordan Valley School (Canyons School District, Salt Lake City, Utah) in VSA INTERNATIONAL: The Kennedy Center Office of VSA and Accessibility blog post below.
Megan Hallett, Director of Framework Arts and BTSALP specialst at Escalante Elementary School, (Salt Lake City School District, Salt Lake City, Utah) is the mastermind behind the Family Art Studio project – a unique parent/child art class. Read more about the Family Art Studio and Megan’s research in the PDF below.
