ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author draws the work and experiences of a number of disabled dance artists, most of whom are either based or have worked for at least some of their professional career in the UK. She discusses how community of dance artists have effectively taken ownership of their working practices and how their modes of making and performing demonstrate how dance is a powerful mode for their self-expression. Dancers with disabilities may choose to study dance and pursue a career in dance for a variety of reasons. One of the challenges for dancers with disabilities finding a route into a dance programme is that dance training assumes a baseline from which all dancers develop. Those dancers with disabilities who do sustain careers are relatively few and through their resilience are often perceived as ambassadors or leaders, even if they see themselves as 'accidental leaders,' which places responsibilities on them that they may not have chosen for themselves.
