The Mobility Scooter Dance Collective is the first dance group of mobility scooter users who perform choreographed routines. By showcasing joy and creativity, they challenge the stigma around the scooter's use and highlight the artistic potential, self-empowerment and social connections it offers.
A new way to self-expression and social connections
The Mobility Scooter Dance Collective is the first dance collective existing of people using a mobility scooter as an extension of their body, or as some call it: “their new legs.”
Mobility scooters are widely used in the Netherlands by people with impaired mobility, improving their quality of life. However, the scooters still face a social stigma—mainly rooted in ageism and ableism—deterring those who need them. Het Scootmobiel Dans Collectief (The Mobility Scooter Dance Collective) is a group of individuals who perform choreographed dances using their mobility scooters as extensions of their bodies. By collectively exploring and executing new dance moves, the group amplifies the visibility of the mobility scooter community in the Netherlands. By showing beauty and joy of the vehicles, the collective aims to destigmatize the scooter’s use. An accompanying documentary reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the performance, presenting the self-dependency, social connections, and fun found in The Mobility Scooter Dance Collective.
The full project and video is on show at the 'Bridging Minds' exhibition at Van Abbemuseum.