ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the concept of participation benefit as it has entered political thinking, particularly within the framework of policies concerning themselves with social inclusion and exclusion. It discusses the implications for choreographers working with the socially excluded within the context of the ongoing discourses concerning both inclusion and exclusion. For many choreographers, artistic impetus is more important than social imperative. For choreographers, the importance of the artistic impetus is also inherent in the job of choreographing for community groups. The dance film choreographed by Catherine Seymour was shown on its artistic merit without mention of homelessness. Dance in health projects, where people in healthcare facilities or people with specific health conditions participate in dancing, are examples of where therapeutic outcomes are often seized upon as evidence of dance's benefit. It is clear that individual choreographers working in social exclusion settings use different methods and processes based on personally formed values.
