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Dance

Just because a person has a disability does not mean that he or she cannot dance. Dance is an art that can improve one's quality of life, there are several opportunities to learn to and practice dance in Kansas. Also, don’t forget there are dance studios that teach everyone, not just people with disabilities. So grab you partner and dance!

Grooveability

Groovability is located in the Kansas City Metro area. JoAnne Fluke, Director, states, “Understanding the importance of dance, for everyone, Groovability, Inc. was born! Our purpose is to provide the art of dance to individuals with physical disabilities, and their non-disabled partners, thereby improving the quality of life with exercise to increase range of motion, flexibility and physical strength; creative thought to feed the mind; and social skills designed to break the barrier between the disabled and non-disabled communities.” If you would like more information, contact JoAnne at (785) 248-3023.

DanceAbility

According to DanceAbility International’s website, its mission is to encourage the evolution of mixed-abilities dance by cultivating a common ground for creative expression for all people. This mission is accomplished through performance, educational programs, teach training and workshops.

The work of DanceAbility International helps decrease prejudice and misconceptions about diversity in the field of dance and by extension in society.

AXIS Dance Company (Oakland, California)

AXIS Dance Company, one of the world’s most acclaimed and innovative ensembles of performers with and without disabilities, will change the way you think about dance and the possibilities of the human body forever.

Having Fun

Free time is when you relax and relieve the daily routine for a bit. Most of us don’t have enough leisure time in our lives; we don't take time off, or feel we can't take the time or we don't use it constructively. It is important to include fun activities in our lives to have a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The Assistive Technology for Kansans Project (ATK Project) can provide information about adaptive equipment for sports. Contact Sheila Simmons at ssimmons@ku.edu for more information.

The links on the left-hand side of this page can give you some ideas for leisure time activities. Of course, these topics are not all inclusive. If you have an area of interest that is not addressed, you may want to do an Internet search for what interests you.

Have fun checking out the pages and enjoy your leisure time!

Photography

Taking pictures and videos can be a fun hobby or career that allows you to record your own personal history and the sights around you.

Almost anyone can be a photographer, including people with vision impairments, blindness, dexterity impairments or mobility issues. In recent years, technological advances have allowed more people with disabilities to become photographers.

Examples of resources and websites:

• Shooting Beauty - This effort started out as a non-disabled photographer’s project to give cameras to people with disabilities so each could tell their story through photographs. One of the goals for the project was to help break down stereotypes. Another was to assist people with disabilities to tell their stories. The project ended up as a movie called “Shooting Beauty”.
• Christopher Voelker is likely the most recognized photographer with a disability. Read more information about Mr. Voelker on Wikipedia.

Travel and Vacation

When we think of vacation, we think of traveling. Now people with disabilities can travel to almost anywhere that people without disabilities can go. You may need to research accommodations so your travel experience is successful, but fortunately travel resources abound for people with disabilities.

• National Parks: Accessible to Everyone
• Travel Tips
• Traveling with Service Animals
• Air Carrier Access Act Fact Sheet

For Accessible Car Rental Information, Contact United Access at 1-888-939-1010 or visit their website.

TSA Cares Helpline Assists Travelers with Disabilities

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched TSA Cares, a new helpline number designed to assist travelers with disabilities and medical conditions. You can go to the TSA website and in the search box type "TSA Cares" and the topic you are interested in. For example, service dogs, medication, Autism. Unfortunately there is not a TSA Care website, so you have to search for the topic you are interested in.

Travelers may call TSA Cares toll free at 1-855-787-2227 prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. TSA Cares will serve as an additional, dedicated resource specifically for passengers with disabilities, medical conditions or other circumstances or their loved ones who want to prepare for the screening process prior to flying.

The hours of operation for the TSA Cares helpline are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST, excluding federal holidays. Travelers who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to contact TSA Cares or can e-mail TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov.

If you would like to make advance arrangements for screenings at airports, travelers can contact TSA using Request for TSA Assistance, a web-based tool that allows passengers to reach out to an airport Customer Service Manager directly, and the TSA Contact Center, 1-866-289-9673 and e-mail, where travelers can ask questions, provide suggestions and file complaints.

Travel Kansas

Kansas Travel and Tourism has a great website with lots of places to travel in Kansas. Ready-Made Adventures, Scenic Byways and Backways, Quirky Kansas, historic sites and much more await you in Kansas.

Did you know?

In order to have a tourist attraction sign on Kansas highways, the attraction must be accessible? Check out those sites while on your way across Kansas.

Quick Link

• Frixo - a service in England for finding out how highway traffic is on certain roads.

Sports and Hunting

Can I play sports if I have a disability? You bet you can! Due to the advancement of technology and assistive equipment, sports can be part of everyday life for people with disabilities.

Sports are a great way to enjoy socializing with friends, teammates, and competitors while also building physical strength, resiliency, teamwork skills and self-confidence. From wheelchair sports to adaptive skiing, from power-lifting to adaptive sailing, there are hundreds of adaptive sports options available to you and even more organizations ready to help you participate and enjoy them.

If there is a sport you are interested in trying, go to the Disability Resources Sports and Leisure website to see the organizations with information about sports that accommodate people with disabilities. This site concentrates on non-competitive sports, where the only person you are competing against is yourself. There is a wonderful feeling of well-being as you become part of the beautiful rugged outdoor world!

The Assistive Technology for Kansans Project (ATK Project) can provide information about adaptive equipment for sports. Contact Sheila Simmons for more information.

Olympics

Special Olympics - Special Olympics is an international year-round program of sports training, education and athletic competition for more than one million children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

Paralympics - Today, the Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes with a disability. They emphasize, however, the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability. The movement has grown dramatically since its first days. In fact, the number of athletes participating in Summer Paralympic Games has increased from 400 athletes from 23 countries in Rome in 1960 to 3,951 athletes from 146 countries in Beijing in 2008 to 4,280 athletes from 166 countries in London in 2012.

Hunting

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has information on disability permits issued by the Law Enforcement Division. The two permits issued to help people with disabilities are:

• Disability Assistance Permit
• Hunt from a Motor Vehicle Permit

The agency also issues free hunt and fish licenses to disabled veterans as funds permit. For more information on this, call the Pratt office at (620) 672-5911.

Hobbies

A hobby is an activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, typically during one’s leisure time. However, having a hobby can be an excellent remedy for depression, boredom, and stress relief for anyone. In some cases, one’s hobby can become a home business or money making adventure.

Examples include collecting, games, outdoor recreation, performing arts, creative and artistic pursuits, scale modeling, cooking, gardening, fishing, quilting, bee keeping, sports and adult education, to name just a few. There are a myriad of specific hobby ideas under each of these headings ranging from coin collecting to remote control planes.

Most people with disabilities can pursue a hobby with little or no difficulty, and adaptations for pursuing a hobby are much easier today with technology. Here are a couple of links that will give you a start:

• Hobbies
• Enabling Gardens are accessible to people with disabilities. This concept was started by Gene Rothert whose book, The Enabling Garden: Creating Barrier-Free Gardens, inspired Enabling Gardens across the United States. 

Media Arts - Film Making

Media and film-making can be a hobby or a career for anyone, including someone with a disability. Check your television stations to see if they have opportunities to learn more about the careers in broadcasting. They can tell you where they learned their skills.

High schools and colleges have opportunities (classes, clubs, etc.) to learn media arts and film making. A lot of information about how to get started also exists online.  Just Google "Screen Writing" or "Film Making Schools" and check out the options.

Resources

• The Filmmaking Process for Beginners  - The Filmmaking Process: Seven Essential Steps
• New York Film Academy - learn about all the programs in addition to film making at both New York and Los Angeles campuses
• Should I Go To Film School? is an article about the film industry and how to get into film careers.

Music

Music is a universal language for all people including people with disabilities. In fact, researchers say that music has a profound effect on the body and mind. But we don’t need researchers to tell us that because most of us at some point in our lives have used music as therapy. It might be unwinding to a classical composition or blowing off steam to the beat of a pop song. Music can alleviate stress and put us in touch with memories.

There are a myriad of different styles to choose from such as jazz, rock and roll, classical, heavy metal, country, gospel, rap, etc. Technology has also helped more and more people with disabilities to play instruments, sing, or be involved in the music.

If you haven’t already done so, put some music in your life through listening, playing an instrument, singing or writing.

Examples of other people with disabilities who are involved in music:

• Signmark - a deaf rapper gaining popularity across the globe. Already has released two albums. Signmark on YouTube.
• Deaf Professional Artists Network (D-PAN) - They make videos that promote professional development and access to the entertainment, visual and media arts fields for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Susan Boyle - singer from Ireland that ended up on British Idol. Article - Susan Boyle Reveals Abuse, Learning Disability and video - Susan Boyle - Britains Got Talent 2009 about Susan Boyle.
• Musicians with Disabilities
• Flame - Read an article about Flame, a band of musicians with disabilities.

Performing Arts/Theatre

Being involved in performing arts and/or theater is another opportunity for all people, including people with disabilities to participate in their communities. Performing arts can include, but is not limited to participating or attending concerts, playing an instrument, local theater performances and groups, etc.

Access to performing arts is achieved when all people have equal opportunity to attend, participate in, and learn through arts experiences.

Examples of people with disabilities who are involved in theater:

• Abilities United Productions - a listing of current actors and actresses with disabilities

Kansas Resources

• Accessible Arts (website no working as of 7/23/2014, but indicates it is under construction) creates access to the arts for children with disabilities
• National Arts and Disabilities Center lists resources for the Arts.

National Resources

The Kennedy Center's VSA Program was and continues to be a pioneer in the field of arts and disability. VSA has played a significant role over the years in changing society’s attitudes toward people with disabilities. With that change, the organization has regularly looked at its own identity to ensure it is consistent with current attitudes and language used by the disability community. Artists with disabilities play an important role in VSA's efforts to advance the value of the arts in classrooms, communities, and ultimately society. VSA believes the arts are an essential avenue of growth and independence in the education and careers of persons with disabilities. VSA also has a wealth of resources for parents and teachers.

National Arts and Disability Center (NADC) whose mission is full inclusion of audiences and artists with disabilities into all facets of the arts community. The NADC is a leading consultant in the arts and disability community, and the only center of its kind. Recipients of their technical assistance include museums, performing arts organizations, art centers, film and television companies and unions, universities and colleges, national publications, disability specific groups, artists with disabilities, arts educators, students, arts administrators and government policy makers.

Please also check your local community calendars for local theater classes or events that you would like to participate in.

Volunteering

Have some extra time? Volunteering may be the answer. Volunteering not only improves the lives of others, it makes one feel good and gives you the satisfaction of helping others in need.

When looking for volunteer opportunities, think about what you like to do. If you like children, volunteering at your neighborhood school might be a good fit. If you like working with people who are ill, there are opportunities at the local hospitals and nursing homes. Visit your local volunteer center.

Check out “12 Ways to Volunteer in Your Community”. Also the Internet, television, radio, and your local newspaper have opportunities to volunteer in your community. Look in the phone directory to see if there is a Volunteer Center in your community that could guide you to volunteer work that you might be interested in.

Two good videos about volunteering:

• Why volunteer?
• The Volunteer Experience