Aesthetics of Access

with Julia Watts Belser, Claire Cunningham und Nadja Dias

We invite you to witness this discussion on the Aesthetics of Access in dance and performance art, emphasizing the importance of centering disabled experiences. Claire Cunningham and Julia Watts Belser highlight the need for inclusive and flexible spaces that prioritize the comfort and needs of disabled individuals. They discuss the challenges of making access seamless yet visible, the significance of disrupting normative expectations, and the ethical implications of creating welcoming spaces. The conversation also explores the concept of beauty in disability, referencing Tobin Siebers' work on disability aesthetics, and the importance of flexibility in accommodating diverse access needs.

Julia Watts Belser (she/her) is a rabbi, scholar, and spiritual teacher who works at the intersections of disability studies, queer feminist Jewish ethics, and environmental justice. She is a professor of Jewish Studies at Georgetown University, Senior Research Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, and core faculty in Georgetown’s Disability Studies Program. A longtime advocate for disability and gender justice, she currently directs the Disability and Climate Change Public Archive Project, an initiative that documents the wisdom and insights of disabled activists, artists, and first responders navigating climate crisis. Her latest book, Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole (Beacon Press, 2023), won a National Jewish Book Award. She is a passionate wheelchair hiker, an avid gardener, and a lover of wild places. https://www.juliawattsbelser.com/