“Feeling the spirit of the performance”
How the go plastic company’s pop-up Fight for your fairytale can be experienced barrier-free thanks to audio description and tactile guidance
Since 2018, explore dance has been committed to ensuring that all children and young people – regardless of their individual circumstances and personal background – have access to dance as an art form. In this context, the network is also concerned with the question of how its productions can be experienced by blind or visually impaired young people.
Our Dresden network partner HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts has developed an accessible description for the pop-up Fight for your fairytale by the Dresden-based go plastic company together with audio narrator Swantje Henke. With the help of this accompanying audio description and a tactile tour in advance, the playful ‘spirit’ of Fight for your fairytale can also be experienced beyond visual perception.
Other artists in our network also offer accessible adaptations of their plays: Munich-based choreographer and dancer Sarah Huby has developed a version for blind audiences for her pop-up Hey Körper?!. More participation and inclusion through accessible programmes – an important goal that explore dance will continue to pursue together with its artists and partners.
This article uses selected German audio examples to provide an insight into the audio description of Fight for your fairytale. In the concluding interview, audio descriptor Swantje Henke explains the challenges and opportunities of accessible programmes, especially in the field of dance.
By Swantje Henke and Franziska Ruoss | 6 June 2025
1. Listen, touch, feel – how dance can be experienced without barriers
Audio description gives blind and visually impaired viewers access to the visual elements of a dance show or performance. These include the plot, costumes, locations, gestures, facial expressions, objects and other visual communication elements.
The description is provided live via a separate audio track, which is recorded by a professional audio narrator using a wireless headset system. The audience wears the headphones during the performance and receives a detailed description of what is happening on stage – from movements and facial expressions to changes in space. At the same time, they perceive the music, sounds and atmosphere of the live performance like the rest of the audience.
In addition, a tactile tour before the performance offers the opportunity to explore key elements of the play tactilely: the stage space, costumes, objects and the dancers themselves and their characteristic movements. By specifically feeling the most important dance moves and making own movements, visually impaired visitors gain access to the choreography – even before the performance begins.
2. Audio examples from the audio description of Fight for your fairytale
The following audio samples are taken from the audio description by Swantje Henke in collaboration with the go plastic company team. They are initially only available in German.
2.1 Audio-descriptive introduction to the pop-up
2.2 Audio-descriptive sequence from the performance
2.3 Audio-descriptive close-up of one of the dancers from Fight for your Fairytale
3. Interview with audio narrator Swantje Henke
Swantje Henke is an actress, narrator and audio writer based in Berlin.
Franziska Ruoss is artistic project manager for explore dance at HELLERAU – European Centre for the Arts.
