new zealand …uphill

TASC profile – Rodney Bell

May 13, 2009 on 7:00 pm | In TASC profiles | 1 Comment

Rodney Bell

I was born and grew up in Te Kuiti. 19 years ago at the age of 19 I obtained my disability as result of a motorbike accident and am now paralysed below the chest and use a wheelchair for mobility.

I have set my life around dance. Dance has been my passion for 14 years and with that experience I have earned the opportunity of employment based in San Francisco, California, USA, dancing for AXIS, one of the world’s leading Mixed Ability Dance Groups, redefining Dance. I moved to the USA in 4th July 2007. The contract is for 2 years but will be reviewed annually and once completed I will return eager for opportunities to share my growth and development with other dancers with or without disabilities working within New Zealand. The Company tours both within the USA and internationally.

As I also teach dance in New Zealand to schools both with and without disabilities and I will be teaching also in the USA. It is my hope that the disabled peoples of the future can see that my passion and drive is reachable, and that as young disabled artists they will grow and develop and they will be the future of not only dance but also disability representation for all social, recreational and sports expression within Aotearoa.

Arohanui
Rodney Bell

Ngati Maniapoto
Foot note – Rodney will be featured on TV1s Attitude program on Sunday May 17th at 10am.