ZCO/DANCE PROJECT

"Building an integrated dance company removes attitudinal barriers, reduces prejudices, and stereotyping, increases self-esteem and equips the company members with valuable life skills that many people with physical limitations do not experience in the world of dance [...]. Dance is in my blood, and I needed to bring the joy of movement to people with disabilities [...]. ZCO/Dance Project aims to make dances that are clever, profound, insightful, ground-breaking and interesting." The beauty of #MediaMondays is it allows us to showcase what our organization is all about and all that we represent. This feature by Caribbean Life is definitely a must-read! https://lnkd.in/d5sM5dhj . . . . #nonprofit #disabilityawareness #disabilityadvocacy #inclusion #inclusionanddiversity #caribbeandancer #powerofdance #breakbarriers #dancingbeyonddisability?#pressalert #zcodanceproject

Our latest dance showcase called attention to the amount of discrimination, separatism, exclusion, and systematic barriers faced by individuals from the Caribbean with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ community. The expressions on our faces tell a powerful story! We shall overcome!?#LookPonYuh . . . . #spokenwordpoetry?#storytelling?#dance?#powerofdance?#dancenyc?#inclusionforall?#positiveexposure?#dancingbeyonddisability?#zcodanceproject https://lnkd.in/e9rzsmPa

Happy #MediaMonday! Today we are highlighting our founder’s feature in the global online conference known as “The Future of Fashion Inclusion”. Zazel-Chavah O'Garra, MSW is all about inclusivity and fashion and so is #ZCODanceProject. Be sure to tune in! . . . . #nonprofit #inclusion #inclusionanddiversity #adaptivefashion #fashion #pressalert https://lnkd.in/e3gmVYAq

“Look Pon Yuh!” presented at Flushing Town Hall highlighted powerful stories by artists exploring themes of identity, strength, and perseverance. Featured here are dancers Zazel-Chavah O’Garra, Wendy Ann Powell, Workabeba Yigzaw, Ghal’il Rhodes Benjamin, and Zaman in “Ancestral Voices”, choreographed by Wendy Ann Powell. . . . . #nonprofit?#dance?#powerofdance?#newyork?#flushingtownhall?#dancingbeyonddisability?#danceshowcase?#lookponyuh?#zcodanceproject https://lnkd.in/exQH79UF

This just in...Thank you Stance on Dance for featuring us! #MediaMondays

“Educating people on the importance of accepting everyone and seeing beyond their disability is my mantra [...]. I don’t believe that our differently abled bodies should overshadow our talents and steal our humanity. Each time we have a sold-out performance and people come on stage to dance with us, I know my work is making a difference.” This #MediaMonday, be sure to check out our founder's feature by the National Endowment for the Arts. This is what #ZCODanceProject is all about. . . . . #nonprofit #femalefounder #entrepreneur #changemaker #dance #danceteacher #dancecommunity #inclusion #inclusionanddiversity #pressalert #dancingbeyonddisability https://lnkd.in/ePBAQVjn

“For me dance means freedom of self-expression, healing, and a way to inspire change you want to see in the world.” ~ Zaman Meet?@Zaman_aka-Sundari /?@ZamandariNYC), another one of our dancers in the “Look Pon Yuh, An Evolving Work,” show on November 1, 2024. This is Zaman’s first year being involved with the ZCO/Dance Project and it has been an uplifting, empowering, and incredible experience thus far. In addition to having a theater production background,?Zaman is trained in?Indian classical dance such as?Kathak, Orissi, Bollywood, Bhangra, and Chutney Dance styles. When asked what the notion of inclusion means to him, Zaman simply noted that “From the time people hear you are Gay, they Look Pon Yuh & treat you differently, especially when?you are an openly gay Indo-Caribbean Guyanese dance artist. You are often limited to opportunities and have to always advocate for inclusion.” This is our?#ZCODanceProject?community. ? . . . . #nonprofit?#community?#meetourteam?#dance?#dancersofig?#dancenyc?#lgbtqcommunity?#inclusion?#freedomofselfexpression?#healing?#powerofdance?#lookponyuh?#dancingbeyonddisability https://lnkd.in/eNYZbjrt

"I am incredibly resilient, having triumphed over the challenges posed by being a brain tumor survivor. Following the surgery, which left me with partial paralysis and cognitive deficits, I refused to let adversity define my path. Instead, I transformed this setback into a remarkable comeback by establishing ZCO/DANCEPROJECT, a platform dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities through dance and self-expression." ~ Bold Journey Magazine #MediaMondays with none other than our founder, Zazel-Chavah O'Garra, MSW . . . . #nonprofit #dance #dancecommunity #dancemagazine #dancerswithdisabilities #inclusion #inclusionanddiversity #pressalert #boldjourneymagazine #zcodanceproject https://lnkd.in/eGzuMG-p

Meet Gha’il Rhodes Benjamin, one of #ZCODanceProject’s dancers who all be performing in our upcoming showcase, “Look Pon Yuh”. Gha’il has been with ZCO since 2018 and is known as one of our spoken word performance artists who speaks words that uplift and encourage our audiences. She usually is featured in dances that express the movement and specific scenes that the choreographer is focusing on at the time, from street life to portraying emotions such as the feeling of being included or being excluded from society. Gha’il said that she has learned a lot by performing with dancers with disabilities, the first thing being that there is not much to complain about when you see someone that you’re dancing next to pushing themselves around in a wheelchair in the middle of winter, through the rain, through the snow, and yet, they’re dancing fearlessly. She also notes that she realized that we often take each other at face value, and one may never realize the person right next to you might be suffering from unseen pain, an invisible brace, a surgery that has affected their gait, or a broken heart. “Kindness is always applicable…The power of dance can transform any moment in time” - we agree Gha’il, we agree! This is our ZCO Dance/Project community. ? . . . . #nonprofit #community #meetourteam #dance #dancersofig #dancenyc #dancerswithdisabilities #inclusion #inclusionmatters #spokenwordartist #kindnessmatters #powerofdance #dancingbeyonddisability https://lnkd.in/eyFEvPpG

#MediaMondays Throwback to when #ZCODanceProject was featured on NY 1. This interview is not One to miss! . . . . #nonprofit #dance #dancecommunity #dancerswithdisabilities #inclusion #inclusionanddiversity #pressalert #news #newyork1 #zcodanceproject https://lnkd.in/eXC_J2Au