The Dancing Wheels Formation is the first dance group for integrated dance in Bulgaria where disabled and not disabled people take part together. It is established on October 29, 2002 by Nonka Yordanova - ballet dancer and choreographer. The project is raised thanks to the special attention and financial support of the British Council – Sofia!
The Dancing Wheels Formation was created with the noble aim to motivate disabled people to overcome the isolation in which they live and to participate actively in the cultural life of Bulgaria, stimulating the development of their creative skills in the field of dance arte. The stage realization of dance productions together with not disabled people is a way of destroying the psychological barriers and the feeling of uncertainty and inferiority in the consciousness of many talented people. The improving of self-confidence and self-respect of disabled people is their motivation for reasonable, worthy, qualitative life of full value.
PREHISTORY:
On June 30, 2002 by invitation of the British Council – Sofia, the CandoCo Dance Company from the United Kingdom presented for the first time in Bulgaria the unlimited possibilities of integrate dance art to Bulgarian public in the National Palace of Culture (NPC).
Inspired by the great effect of professional art of CandoCo, Nonka Yordanova – ex sister and present mother of disabled child, former competitor of figure skating and present professional ballet dancer and choreographer – decided to form a group for integrate dance in Bulgaria! The Premiere spectacle intended to perform for December 3 – the World Day of Disabled People!
On December 4, 2002 in the National Palace of Culture in Sofia on the occasion of the World Day of Disabled People, the Dancing Wheels Formation presented the premiere of the Invisible Limits spectacle with the financial support of the British Council – Sofia. A special invitation and a moral support to the Dancing Wheels were given by Maria Mihailova, main organizer of this cultural event. She works as a journalist in the Silence news-paper of the Union of Deaf People in Bulgaria; she is manager of the First Group of Deaf People for Song Performance with Gesture and Dance.
This first spectacle of the first formation for integrated dance in Bulgaria produced a great interest, enjoyed a remarkable success and was widely commented by mass media.
In the end of the same month the founders of the Dancing Wheels Formation decided to dedicate themselves to the cause of elimination of the so called “hidden” discrimination towards disabled people in Bulgaria and to defend their human rights of equality and existence of full value!
After the first event many others activities were realized – participation in charity concerts, TV and Radio broadcasts, media campaign:
• Participation in the Slavi’s Show – BTV, December 16, 2002;
• Easter Charity Concert;
• Salon of Arts – the NPS, by invitation of the Association of Choreographers;
• Artistic training and presentation in the Saint George National Center for Social Rehabilitation, Pomorie, Bulgaria;
• Participation in the Charity Evening of Music – International Female Club;
• Joy and Creation National Festival – Varna, Bulgaria;
• Miss Sofia Competition – the NPC;
• A charity concert under the patronage of the Council of Ministers;
• Assistant for Independent Life media campaign with the financial support of the Dutch Organization for International Development and Collaboration – NOVIB;
• Participation in the Short Stories documentary of Iglika Trifonova;
• The Real Dreams dance spectacle - the NPC with the financial support of the Seven Eight, EAD;
• Charity concert with the financial support of Mobiltel, EAD;
• Workshop in Turkey along with Gülum Pekcan Dance Theatre, Ankara by the invitation of the British Council – Sofia and Ankara.
• Participation in the "Miss and Mister SOFIA +" - for people with physical disabilities in the Sheraton Hotel - Sofia
• "Dancing Stars" - Bulgaria, are guest at a rehearsal of " Dancing Wheels ";
• Participation in the International Music Festival for people with physical disabilities, Pomorie City, Bulgaria
Very important part of the Dancing Wheels Foundation’s program is the Dance Studio for Disabled People which works constantly! The process when creating dance studies and spectacles is realized with dance techniques within reach of all participants in integrate environment. This method for mastering and improving qualification in the sphere of dance art is accomplished in informal creative atmosphere! The working process in the Dance Studio is carried out on the principle of stage preparation of professional dance theatre, which is a real opportunity for professional realization of the Dancing Wheels!
THE MESSAGE of the Dancing Wheels Foundation to the public is the striving for pure human relations – respect, tolerance, sympathy, friendship and love – evaluation of people on the basis of their personal qualities and merits not only by their physical deficiency!
THE MISSION of the Dancing Wheels Foundation is to destroy the invisible barriers put in front of the disabled people in Bulgaria because they need their realization in all spheres of social life!