Proximus 💫🦋💫 ...a non-verbal, non-visual narrative about a post-pandemic world. Proximus began as a creative collaboration between Paragon and our partners to produce a series of music, dance and film pieces exploring aspects of identity and lived experiences of disability. The works have been exhibited internationally, including at arts and film festivals and one-off performances. Proximus is an international dance choreography, film and education commission supported by the British Council and Creative Scotland that has seen us collaborate with partners in Italy, Mexico and India to create ground breaking new work by emerging disabled artists. Artists who have been denied opportunities to pursue their creative journeys due to discrimination and inequality had the chance to develop and perform new work collaboratively, creating across borders with fellow artists from around the world. Public performances of the new works took place in Spring 2023. The WorkFour disabled dancers, two in Italy and two in Scotland, created and choreographed two new original dances based on the concept of ‘proximity’. The music for these new dances was composed by four blind musicians, two in Mexico and two in India. The pieces were further developed as dance films and later adapted for live performance. In each country the disabled dancers and musicians were supported by professional mentors who helped and encouraged them as they began to generate their creative ideas. The project was an exploration of communication, informed in part by the different devices and forms of communication each artist used. The creative teams worked across English, Italian, Sign Language and Spanish - as well as with audio descriptive technology - to ensure that the blind musicians could compose music to the dance. Two videographers worked with the artists to develop a visual language for each piece. Costumes, sets and locations were determined in consultation with designers and Senior Producers in each location. Live performances of the project were held in Glasgow, Chennai, Parma and Querétaro. Proximus:A collaboration between dancers Alessandra Cinque and Monica Barone from Italy, and composers Heidi Lu and José Luis Romualdo from Mexico. Proximus was filmed at La Toscanini Parma and Up Fitness Parma in February 2023 and the music was recorded in San Juan del Rio, Mexico, in April 2023.Two astral beings embark on a mysterious journey from darkness into light. They stalk each other across time and space until an encounter with a black hole brings catalyses a twinned metamorphosis of transformation and self discovery. Proximus: Sisterhood:A collaboration between dancers Eilidh Elizabeth Molly and Teigan Quinn from Scotland, and composers Prem Bhagavan and Jyothi Kalaiselvi from India. Proximus: Sisterhood was filmed at Platform Theatre in Glasgow in February 2023 and the music was recorded in Chennai, India in April 2023.The dance film plays with ideas of separateness, nearness, closeness and oneness. The protagonists emerge from different spaces and undergo a transformational coming together, celebrating the love between them. Teigan and Eilidh invite the observer to enter into an environment where trust is paramount and the freedom to be oneself is treasured above all. Eilidh and Teigan perform Proximus at GoDance 2023 at Theatre Royal, GlasgowResearch and development at Out of the Blue, EdinburghResearch and development at Out of the Blue, EdinburghAlessandra and Monica prior to performing at Fondazione Arturo Toscanini, Parma The Project Extension: The Proximus extension project aimed to reach a new generation of young artists in each country by informing them of developing practices in the arts that are both inclusive and sustainable. Collaborating partners engaged young performing arts audiences and students in different ways, aiming to help them expand the scope of their creative outputs by including disabled artists. Collaborators in Italy developed an interactive masterclasses, discussion and performance tour (FREAK OUT!!!!); In India, a transformative inclusive music and dance festival--Aavaa Dingi--in Chennai; and in Mexico a short tour delivering performance masterclasses to students and arts organisations in the region. Paragon ran a series of workshops titled Advanced Tools for Inclusive Dance Technique where dance students were introduced to the principles and applications of Universal Design - an inclusive approach to learning and teaching that informs Paragon's Inclusive Practice. Eilidh and Alex with students at Dundee and Angus College Alex and Eilidh lead the students in danceAlex, Eilidh and Teigan with students at Performing Arts Studio Scotland, EdinburghEilidh with students at Performing Arts Studio Scotland, EdinburghCreative Director, Ninian Perry with students at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, GlasgowDevelopment workshop for FREAK OUT!!!!!, Milan 2023A group performance at Aavaa Dingi 2024, ChennaiArmonia E Inclusion with students and workers at Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, 2023-- Big love and thanks to our friends and partners at Armonía E Inclusión AC, DCF Voice, and La Toscanini