TYPE OF WORK
Professional dance theatre company integrating able-bodied, disable artists and performers

TARGET GROUPS
The company integrates performers with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, sensory impairment and mental health problems with able-bodied dancers, actors and musicians in dance and theatre based workshops and performances.

GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
UK, East Asia Pacific, South Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Western and Southern Europe.

COMPANY POLICY
Amici is a unique dance theatre company integrating able-bodied and disabled artists and performers. Amici was founded in 1980. Since then its productions and workshops have had a major impact challenging conventional attitudes about disability and the arts. Amici runs regular weekly classes for its 30 plus members at Sands End Community Centre in Fulham, London.

The artistic team from Amici runs workshop residencies, student placements, and performances throughout the year and all over the world.

SCALE OF PROJECTS
Number of Practitioners: 2-8
Number of participants: 35+
Preparation time: Varies
Contact time: 2 hours – 1 week

PERMANENT STAFF: 40
Wolfgang Stange, Artistic Director
Colm Gallagher, Co-Director
Charlotte Cunningham, Management (Turtle Key Arts)
Alison King, Turtle Key Arts
Shaun Dawson, Turtle Key Arts

Trip to Jaffna (Sri Lanka, 2003)
Jaffna has been a no go area in Sri Lanka for many years.

“No Muslims and no Sinhalese are residents of the northern city except of course Sinhalese in the shape of soldiers guarding their captured area. It is difficult to ascertain what the real feelings of the people are. The Tigers are operating freely now in the government controlled areas and their propaganda machine is working full out. People are a little apprehensive and don’t show too much openness towards anybody, feeling they have to be careful what they say and to whom they say it and even then they can’t be sure.

“The workshop was the space where they were free to express their artistic talent and they gave it with their full heart. We did not talk about politics or make any statements, but supported them in their artistic expression which seemed to be very much appreciated. There was only warmth towards our team which was of course Sinhalese dominated with Rohana, Ramini my co-director and his wife, Lal, a wheelchair user and Nandana, a young Downs performer, as well as Hema, Selvi the blind Tamil girl from Killinochi and Lathan our translator.” Wolfgang Stange

Contact the company for details.