Today I interviewed Sothon, he is the first of
the students from the Inclusive Arts Course that I will interview during my
research at Epic Arts in Cambodia.
The Inclusive Arts Course (IAC) takes students
from the deaf, disabled and non-disabled communities in Cambodia and provides
an inclusive, arts based, education program in Dance, Theatre, Art and also Literacy
for two years. Epic Arts hope the IAC students will become advocates for a more
inclusive society in the future.
Sothon has been studying on the Inclusive Arts
Course at Epic Arts in Cambodia for the past year and is an important part of
the team. Sothon has a visual impairment.
Inclusive Arts student - Sothon @ Epic Arts
Interview Thoughts and Comments
How would
you describe inclusive arts?
SOTHON: Inclusive arts
means ‘joined together in creating things’, whether that is in art, dance or
drama, all different people join together to make art from everyone’s minds and
ideas
What do you think are the things that you do or
think that make successful inclusive arts happen at Epic Arts?.... Can you give
me an example?
SOTHON: The students on
the Inclusive Arts Course work together, but we are all different; different bodies,
different ways of moving and doing things, but we do this by working together
and listening and watching each other. We work together by sharing our ideas as
a group, we listen to each other’s ideas and views when we create our own work
and we always start by sitting together to share ideas to give people space and
a chance to say their creative ideas. Some people in the group are deaf, but we
make sure we communicate in their language as well as ours so everyone understands;
we take it in turn to translate for our deaf friends when we work in groups without
a translator.
“Inclusive arts means ‘joined together in creating
things’”
When I work with
wheelchair users, we both share our ideas first of what we think or what we
want to do and I see what they do and then I adapt my body to move to get the
same type of movement, even though my body is different. If I think of an idea
I want to do in movement, I just show them (the wheelchair user) like they
would show me, I don't change it for them, that is their decision and they know
what their body does and how to work with their wheelchair better than I do. So
I show them my idea and they change to make it move on their body so it looks
the same style. We are always encouraged to find our own way and find a creative
answer to the problem that works in our own bodies.
“We work together, but we are different; different
bodies, different ways of moving and doing, but we do this by working together
and listening and watching each other.”
What do you think other people need to do or
think to make successful inclusive arts happen?
SOTHON:
People need to be confident to be part of the arts, Khmer (Cambodian) people
are often shy and do not what to stand out, but for people to be successful in inclusive
arts, we need to change from being shy and hiding away and try to push our energy
out to the world. Teamwork is also very important, each person needs to take responsibility
in the team to work together, to do what they are needed to do and to work
equally as hard as each other.
You say people need to work as a team and be
confident. Have you ever seen that happening at Epic Arts or outside of Epic
Arts?..... Can you give me an example?
SOTHON: I feel very much
included as part of the team, even though I find it hard to see, my team adapt
and work with me. When I dance, my team know that it helps for me to be
connected to someone so I know where I am on stage. I trust my partners very
much and know they will be there to connect with me and will not leave me
alone. I have to be confident in my team and know they will work with me and
support me. They keep me safe and help me to express myself, but do not stop me
from doing anything, I can move and dance freely when I trust them.
What do you think people do or think that can
stop successful inclusive arts from happening?
SOTHON:
Generally Khmer people say that disabled people cannot do anything, they should
just stay at home and must be helped. This thinking is wrong, disabled people
can do things and can be part of society and the activities in the community. I
think when people see the inclusive arts students from Epic Arts perform, they
are shocked at what people can do, those with disabilities do not need help or need
to stay in the house, they can do many things when they are shown how. The
performances we do change peoples way of thinking in Cambodia, they see disabled
and non-disabled working together and they are the same high quality, they have
the same skill and they are good.
“In Cambodia people
see me as not good because I have a disability and I am different, but inside I
am a person and I am an artist and I can do many things.”
People
with disabilities in Cambodia need to see what they can do, what the
possibilities are, as many of them only experience what their families say.
Their families say ‘stay in the house’ and 'you cannot do anything' and
that they (their families) are embarrassed of them, so the people with
disabilities stay in and they do not know that there is a world for them
outside. Our performances can change peoples thinking in Cambodia, I want
people hiding inside their houses with disabilities to come out and see what
they can do.
“Their families say
stay in the house and that they cannot do anything and that they (their
families) are embarrassed of them, so the people with disabilities stay in and
they do not know that there is a world for them outside.”
Have you ever experienced this yourself and can
you give me an example?
SOTHON: Before I came to Epic
Arts my friends did not feel comfortable with me, they think that I am too
proud because I walk with my head up high in the air and I look too confident.
But people did not understand that I walk like this with my head high so I can
see better, it is how I move and how I live with my disability, I am not too
proud. They did not understand or have knowledge about me so they judged me. I
would like to say to all people ‘please do not see outside of me only, but
please see deep inside of me to the person I am inside’. In Cambodia people see
me as not good because I have a disability and I am different, but inside I am
a person and I am an artist and I can do many things.
“Please do not see outside of me only, but please
see deep inside of me to the person I am inside.”
What has this told me about the inclusive arts
practice within this activity at Epic Arts? What are the key themes?
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Space
Sothon talks about how when the students are creating work they give each other the space to share their idea in the group. All ideas are listened too within the group.
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Teamwork Sothon talks about the importance of teamwork in the inclusive arts course, how everyone is expected to work and do his or her part in the team. They must support each other and there needs to be trust between them when they are working |
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Individual Creativity Sothon explains about how when they start to create work as a team they are interested in everyone’s ideas and solutions to a task. Each person’s individual creativity is respected |
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Confidence Sothon comments on how Cambodian people can be shy and do not what to stand out. But he said that people in Cambodia need to be confident and stand out to be part of the arts, they need to be strong. |
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Listening
Sothon talks about how the students listen to each other’s ideas and they actively gather in a circle to share so everyone can be a part of the discussion
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Inclusive Communication Sothon comments on how when the students discuss and share ideas they do so using Khmer spoken language and Cambodian sign and that as a team they share the responsibility of translating for their friends in sign when there isn't a translator with them. |
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High Quality Sothon talks about his experience of the audience reaction when the students perform. People are amazed by the quality of performance form the students regardless of their ability |
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Knowledge
People with disabilities need knowledge of what they can do, and Sothon feels that when the inclusive arts students perform in local villages, they can show people that disabled and non-disabled people can do many things together. He said that he felt it was important for people with disabilities in Cambodia to be aware of the possibilities. Sothon also shared a personal experience of how people who lacked knowledge about him, made a judgment about him. He feels people need knowledge and awareness and understanding to know why people might do certain things. As a student, Sothon knows that it enables him to dance when he has physical connection with someone else during movement. The other students have knowledge and awareness of this and know what he needs or doesn’t need to enable him to be actively involved in the creative process.
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Adaptability Sothon talked about how when he is working with people with a physical disability, they are both adaptable to each other’s bodies. He said that it is not his place to change the movement so the wheelchair user can do the movement, but that it is the responsibility of the wheelchair user to creativity adapt, as they know their body better. Sothon also talked about his personal experience in the team as a person with a visual impairment. He said that the other students adapt to his disability and are aware of his needs, but do not stop him or restrict him. |
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Sharing
Sothon see the importance in the performance team visiting local villages and sharing performances. He sees the effect that this has on people watching and hopes that it will educate people about what people with disabilities can do and also encourage those people in the villages to get out and explore possibilities.
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Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, please feel free to add comments or to email me at laura@epicarts.org.uk
