https://doi.org/10.67147/literariness.v1i2.025
Disrupting Ableism: Performance Poetry and the Disabled
DIVYA RAJEEV
Research Scholar
Department of English
University of Calicut
Abstract: Performance Poetry is the term used to describe poems created especially for live performance, frequently in collaborative or multimedia settings that incorporate dance, music, or the visual arts. It serves as an alternative space for the marginalised sections of society who are often sidelined by mainstream media. They find their voice both in form and content through the sound, movements, emotions and silences of the performer. Performance poetry serves as a means for people with disabilities to challenge normative views and dispel the disability myths and misconceptions. Performers express their lived experiences in unique ways. The disabled body and mind are not a limitation but a source of immense creativity. Artists integrate sign language, dance, music and props in their performance, fostering a disability culture. This paper analyses how Performance Poetry challenges ableism and helps disabled communities to assert their identity.
Keywords: Disability Studies, Performance Poetry, Stigmas, Self Expression, Inclusivity, Ableism
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