Dance is a language, the acquisition of which begins from the time an infant tilts its head towards its mother. And last week, a workshop run by ward-winning UK dance company, Northern Ballet Theater (NBT) helped a group of students find their voices.

The free courses were offered to 20 Beijing Union University students aged 18 to 25 at the Beijing Disabled Persons Activity Center starting from December 17. Half of the participants were disabled people nominated for participation by the China Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF), while the remainder was comprised of student teachers.

The ultimate goal was for the participants to develop their own dance performance pieces by the workshop's close. "Though they are not professionals, their body languages are rich, which inspired me to play music," says Bill Laurance, a freelance musician of NBT. He plays impromptu music on a variety of instruments, including the piano, drums and accordion.

From the first session, which focused on introductory exercises and the development of the group dynamic, participants would start every morning with a warm-up that was increasingly tailored throughout the week to better fit their individual needs.

When it came time to get down to work every day, group leaders asked participants to challenge themselves to create original movements based on particular themes. Throughout the workshop, these were developed, refined and rehearsed to become routines.

"My foot ached after the first day of training," says dancer Yang Xiucai. "But it has been lots of fun, and I am enjoying it. I never knew I could dance."

Though there are several foreigners working with the students who aren't fluent in Mandarin, they were still able to communicate with Chinese participants.

"Everybody is so brilliant. Although we don't know each other's languages and backgrounds, we can talk through dancing," says Sophie Alder, a trainer from the Dance Education Office.

NBT's Learning and Access department ran the workshop until December 21, which was the starting date for a three-day run of Madam Butterfly at Poly Theater. Workshop participants were invited to attend the performance on its opening day.

The workshop was organized by CDPF in partnership with the British Council, under the cultural and education section of the British Embassy in Beijing, with recruitment assistance provided by the Special Education College of Beijing Union University.

It was the first event of the Young Advocates Program - Developing the Paralympic Spirit, a British Council-led initiative to secure an international legacy for China's 2008 and the UK's 2012 Paralympic Games.

The Young Advocates Program aims to develop skills in a core group of young people and through them raise awareness of the potential of sport to benefit a diverse range of people in the community. The disabled dance workshop participants will become Young Advocates and take on a volunteer leadership role in their community to promote the Paralympic Spirit and the inclusion of young people with disabilities in sport.

"Giving people the confidence to expand their communication skills is invaluable. The more effectively we can communicate with one another, the more we can understand each other," acting director of the British Council Beijing Samantha Grainger says.

"The participants will have the confidence to express their ideas, explore their own potential and to raise awareness in their community of the Paralympic spirit of social inclusion.

"We hope this project will prove inspirational for the participants, and help them to develop their physical communications skills."

(China Daily 12/26/2007 page16)