ARTSwego will host “Kinetic Light: Under Momentum” in Waterman Theatre on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.

Kinetic Light is a “disability arts ensemble” in which “disabled artists create, design, and perform the work,” according to their website.

Conversations about bringing Kinetic Light to campus first started over a year ago, Miranda Traudt, director of arts programming for ARTSwego said. She said that she is part of a group of other programs similar to Oswego, and that she began working with other organizations to design a tour for Kinetic Light across the area. SUNY Oswego is one of several spots on this tour, which received funding through a grant from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation.

In addition to performing, Kinetic Light is hosting workshops and other events throughout the week on campus. One workshop, which took place on Sept. 13, was hosted by founder and Artistic Director Alice Sheppard. This examined culture, access and its history, Traudt said. Another workshop on Sept. 14 examined arts and technology, hosted by artist-engineer Laurel Lawson. The group has been working with the theater department as well, Tradut said, and hosted a workshop on Sept. 11 with front-of-house staff.

Traudt said having the group on campus has “opened our eyes to a lot of things,” and promoted conversation about access.

One way this is hapening is with the addition of sensory kits, Traudt said. These will be distributed to audience members who may struggle in a performance setting. A quiet room will also be available for audience members who may need to step out of the performance space. Other accommodations include wheelchair-accessible seating, audio descriptions and American Sign Language interpretation.

Another aspect of the performance is the use of Audimance, a unique experience for blind and low-vision attendees. Audimance was developed in association with another Kinetic Light performance and uses an app and headphones to allow visually impaired audience members to choose their own listening experience throughout the performance, according to Kinetic Light’s website. The software is designed to be downloadable to mobile devices, and thus does not require specialized equipment.

Traudt said that audience members can look forward to “lots of new things” at the performance. She added that during the performance, attendees will experience the use of the wheelchair as an integrated artistic element of the show.

Disability and access are becoming an increasingly prominent discussion, and Traudt said the arrival of Kinetic Light is helping to start that conversation. 

“It’s not seeing disability as something that happens to someone, it’s who you are and it can be an empowering part of who you are,” Traudt said. 

Kinetic Light says their work “speaks to and emerges from disability aesthetics and disability culture, and it is connected to the rich traditions and exciting contemporary conversations of disabled artists in all artistic fields.”

Tickets for “Kinetic Light: Under Momentum” can be found at tickets.oswego.edu and are free for SUNY Oswego students and $20 for the general public. Due to the nature of the performance, masks are required for all attendees.

Photo via oswego.edu