by Noella Noelophile®
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
Dance, music and visual arts will all be a part of this weekend at Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific. And you get to participate, as well as watch.
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
This Saturday and Sunday, January 30th and 31st, Aquarium of the Pacific celebrates the creative gifts of people with disabilities, at its 13th annual Festival of Human Abilities. Artists with and without disabilities will be inviting guests to join them for free thirty- to forty-five minute art workshops, throughout both days.
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
Among the day’s performing artists will be world music guitarist Dat Nguyen, who is blind.
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
In addition to exhibiting his work, artist Tommy Hollenstein will be teaching workshops on wheelchair art.
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
On Sunday, visitors also get to paint a hat with abstract artist Michael Seale, Jr….
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
…and both days, they can learn a song in sign language with the Love in Motion signing choir.
There will also be a service-dog demonstration at 12:30 on Saturday. On Sunday, guests are invited to experience Interactive Art with Dani Bowman and Powerlight Danimation Studios.
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
And, be prepared to show off your best moves! Auti Angel and the Walk and Roll Dance Team invite you to learn wheelchair dance with them.
(Photograph courtesy of Aquarium of the Pacific.)
Whether you attend on Saturday or Sunday, be sure to be there by 11 am (or 3 pm if you already have a busy morning planned). That’s when you’ll get to meet Cody Unser, founder of the First Step Foundation, and hear her multimedia presentation on adaptive SCUBA diving! (Cody will become the first person in a wheelchair to be inducted into the Women Divers Hall of Fame™, this spring.)
Diagnosed with transverse myelitis at thirteen, Cody created her nonprofit First Step Foundation, not only to raise awareness of the disease that paralyzed her, but to share her passion for diving with others with disabilities.
And on Sunday morning at 11:45, Long Beach nonprofit Arts & Services for Disabled, Inc. will be receiving the Aquarium’s annual Glenn McIntyre Heritage Award.
Come prepared to celebrate, enjoy–and have fun being creative.