SENSORIA | OUR HOUSE 5 MAY The collective bringing radical access to the Arts

As a disabled dancer/choreographer moving through the dance space, I feel lucky to have attended SENSORIA’s inaugural event a few Saturdays ago, at East London Dance. Overflowing with community, restorative practices, and meaningful conversations, SENSORIA: OUR HOUSE was a three-day event unlike any I’ve previously encountered and was a true reflection of the values of radical care, accessibility, and collectivism championed by this incredible organization.

We Are Sensoria team

Saskia Horton photographed by Emily Almodovar

Founded in 2023 by Saskia Horton, a disabled, chronically ill multidisciplinary artist, SENSORIA is on a mission to support disabled, chronically ill, and neurodiverse people to express and exchange through music and movement. The title of their first event, SENSORIA: OUR HOUSE, perfectly captured their commitment to creating safe community-driven spaces that center care and radical access. Throughout the event, attendees and I were not only invited but actively supported to reclaim space.

From personal experience and speaking to fellow neurodiverse, disabled, or chronically ill peers, I have found that our time in the dance space is often marked by feelings of being misunderstood and undervalued. In recent times, amid increasing awareness, dance spaces and organizations have enthusiastically waved the access banner. However, these ideals are rarely practiced in a meaningful way. Even when dance spaces attempt to be accessible, it often feels like an afterthought. The result is that, be it through intention or oversight, the silent but deafening message to dancers like myself is "You don’t belong here." The most dangerous thing about this is that over time, we begin to believe this.

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