Reinforcing Zionist ableism in Israeli wheelchair folk dancing

ABSTRACT

This article examines a culturally specific case study of integrated dance. While integrated dance must constantly combat what I termed as disdance to earn legitimacy, each project might do this differently in its particular context. Based on documentary analysis and ethnography, I argue that in the Israeli context, wheelchair folk dancing utilises a Zionist version of ableism to promote cultural approval. The reinforcement of Zionist ableism includes: national hierarchy, militaristic myth, and exclusion of those who fail to represent overcoming. I conclude that public acceptance of Israeli disabled participants as dancers relies on their symbolic status as soldiers and/or overcomers.

KEYWORDS:

• Zionism
• Israeli folk dance
• disabled veterans
• overcoming
• the chosen body

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Nili R. Broyer is a PhD candidate in the Disability Studies programme at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She is a scholar-artist and a member of UIC’s Program on Disability Art, Culture, and Humanities (PDACH), and Bodies of Work: A Network of Disability Art and Culture.