PHYSICAL DISABILITY AND DRAMA ACTIVITY

Abstract

Drama activity presents a great challenge for adolescents with physical disabilities, and at the same time it provides them with much experience for life. Adolescents are educated through theatrical activity; they test numerous new roles, develop their attitude towards the art culture, and most of all they get the insight into different life situations, which have not been known to many of them so far. By experiencing different roles, an adolescent gets personal recognition, undergoes a process of personal changing and thus tests his or her personal perceptions of life. As regards drama activity we follow the presumption saying that being different is also an advantage. The main purpose of the drama activity is gradually realized through the programme: getting to know yourself and the theatre medium in general. Adolescents meet the multilayered communication and public appearance, which helps them in their personal life. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

Headnote

Abstract

Drama activity presents a great challenge for adolescents with physical disabilities, and at the same time it provides them with much experience for life.

Adolescents are educated through theatrical activity; they test numerous new roles, develop their attitude towards the art culture, and most of all they get the insight into different life situations, which have not been known to many of them so far. By experiencing different roles, an adolescent gets personal recognition, undergoes a process of personal changing and thus tests his or her personal perceptions of life.

As regards drama activity we follow the presumption saying that being different is also an advantage.

The main purpose of the drama activity is gradually realized through the programme: getting to know yourself and the theatre medium in general. Adolescents meet the multilayered communication and public appearance, which helps them in their personal life.

Key words: adolescent with physical disabilities, drama activity, expression

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1. Introduction

Level of physical disability:

1. No or minor physical disability;

2. Moderate physical disability;

3. Major physical disability;

4. Severe physical disability.

The level of physical disability depends on whether an individual person performs certain mobility activities with more or less difficulty, whether an individual person needs different items for help and other adjustments, whether an individual person depends on the help of other people, or whether, in the worst case, an individual person cannot perform certain activities at all.

Physical disability is a very wide concept, as it can be shown in case of an individual person in a large variety of forms, to a number of different extents, and there are also plenty of reasons for it to appear. We can say that a person with physical disability is that person with an inborn or acquired physical deformity or trouble which is evident in decreased walking capability, use of hands or performing other mobility activities. Besides problems in the field of moving and mobility, these people are also often limited in the field of personal care, communication, learning and other activities in life. If the physical disability is a consequence of a damage of the central nerve system, the specific needs of children are especially complex, since in this case the child's intellectual and psychosocial development is also often different.

1.1 Educator-animator

Our educational work is often referred to as "the school for life". Adolescent with physical disability acquire the experiences they do not have but are essential for life. Without animation activities, these shortages cannot be developed. This way the activities are constantly tied in the educational work and vice versa. Educational work is expressed through animation activities to a large extent. The activities actually help us realize our set goals. They do not only present an active use of leisure time, but they rather have a deeper meaning. An educator teaches through animation activities, tries to reach the set goals, and due to the adolescents' lack of experience, the educator creates situations through which the adolescents obtain the experience.

In performing the animation activities, the educator has the role of an animator. Each activity needs to be adapted to specific needs of an individual, which requires educator's high improvisation capacity and at the same time professional capacity.

The significance of animation activities, their influence and help with realizing the set goals is seen in a large spectre of the possibilities of testing life situations, new experiences, development of value system, emotional field, development of creativeness, intellectual capacities, and in obtaining of social experience and functional knowledge.

2. Adolescents with physical disabilities and drama activity

Physical disability of an individual person provokes communication disorders, namely from minor and all the way to severe disorders, where the only means of communication are the non-verbal methods. Disorders in psychosocial functioning appear. All these problems are often accompanied by behavioural and personality disorders. Such people often have difficulties perceiving, understanding, responding to stimuli, and communication with social environment. Adolescents are educated through theatrical activity.

Òhey test numerous new roles, develop their attitude towards the art culture, and most of all they get the insight into different life situations, which have not been known to many of them so far. By experiencing different roles, an adolescent gets personal recognition, undergoes a process of personal changing and thus tests his or her personal perceptions of life.

3. Theatrical activity

Theatrical activity includes the theatre (getting familiar with the theatre space, theatre season tickets) and drama activity.

The theatre is a medium, a form of creating, which is important to research personal identity, build attitude towards the environment, other people, and for socialization.

It emphasises the need for cooperation, connection and team work, and helps in formation.

4. Drama activity

As regards drama activity we follow the presumption saying that being different is also an advantage; most of all in the theatre space where being different is something which is desired and appreciated among performers and the public. The theatre can exceed the notion of being different and adolescents with special needs (physical disability), and at the same time it can equip these persons with additional tool - creativity.

Due to the consequences of physical disability, adolescents with special needs have a specific attitude towards their bodies and their self image. Often, the body is something which does not exist, or something that needs to be hidden. Drama activity, however, offers the possibility of expressing and accepting personal body through the game of roles.

When an adolescent gets accustomed to playing a role of somebody else, he or she forgets about being physical disabled, and thus relaxes much more easily. By accepting the role of somebody else, a person contributes to self-awareness, reduces impulsivity and increases sensitivity for non-verbal signs. As result, this creates the feeling of success and satisfaction.

Drama activity provides for the awareness of personal body and all body parts, which are created for and capable of mobility. We discover the love for mobility and acting, for spontaneous connection among adolescents, and for expressing and communicating with mobility irrespective of impairment.

Basic guidelines of individual workshops:

1. Warming of entire body

2. Dance techniques

3. Breathing

4. Voice exercises

5. Improvisation

6. Relaxation (visualization, meditation...)

Adolescents WITH physical disabilities try themselves in different ways of mobility in order to obtain the feeling for mobility and at the same time the desire for further mobility.

Interpretative mobility is composed of esthetical and creative movements. Ms Dobnik believes interpretative movement is expression of performer's feelings with the use of his or her own body (1).

4.1 Drama activity work programme

Drama activity programme is based on work with an INDIVIDUAL and a GROUP.

In case of an individual, creativeness, creative movement, attitude to performance and theatrical activity in general are encouraged.

We pass from an individual to a group, to group improvisation.

The purpose of drama activity is to make a performance.

Time of duration: 10 months

We meet one a week for two classes.

Performance creation phases:

I. Introduction

The work is based on the following elements:

* Relaxation.

* Conversations (private, theatre).

* Development of the feeling of safety.

* Development of an individual's imagination (imagination is analysed for each individual separately, we do not try to form it by force, it is gradually developed).

Work is performed individually, in pairs, small groups and in the entire group.

II. Individual

* awareness, presence and direct experiencing (2);

* contact;

* emotions;

* imagination.

The emphasis is on warming up and relaxation of the body, development of senses and getting to know yourself (2).

We encourage and at the same time teach the adolescents with physical disabilities expressive mobility, which is comprised of everyday movements. Body posture, gestures, facial expression... is all part of this. The work on establishing relationships with other members of the group runs parallel to this and passes to group work, group improvisation.

III. Group

It is important that everyone gets to feel him/herself within the group, and develops a relationship with other members. Creativeness of every individual, followed by the entire group, is very important.

IV. Performance

All the material that we have obtained during individual workshops (presentation, self-portrait, public appearance, different improvisations) leads to the search for an appropriate text or its formation.

All skills, all rehearsals we have made come to expression. Here, responsibility of each individual for work in drama group is encouraged.

Development of imagination improvisations runs parallel to this, and all rehearsals that we already know are used.

Work on the text and performance includes all materials which the adolescents have used in their presentations. We try to use in the performance all individual skills of adolescents, their playing of instruments, singing...

We have regular weekly meetings based on work connected with the performance and performing until the end of the school year.

The main purpose of the drama activity is gradually realized through the programme: getting to know yourself and the theatre medium in general.

Adolescents also meet the multilayered communication and public appearance, which helps them in their personal life.

5. Conclusion

Drama activity presents a great challenge for adolescents with physical disabilities, and at the same time it provides them with much experience for life.

With drama activity - acting, such adolescents can use their physical disability as an advantage. By taking the role of another person, relaxation is achieved much more easily, and consequently, the feeling of success and self-satisfaction is obtained.

References

... / References

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