In this ballet company, the priority is the mental health of the dancers

At Azara Ballet, dancers are not expected to make eye contact with directors and choreographers. If company members need an impromptu break from the stage lights during rehearsals, they take one. They also receive clear instructions on hair and makeup well in advance of performances.

The priority at Azara is the health of the dancers. Founded in 2022 by dancers Kate Flowers and Martin Roosaare, both of whom are autistic (and married), the company, based in Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida, is a haven for neurodivergent artists. (The company is made up of 10 dancers, all non-neurodivergent.)

“When I dance,” Flowers said, “as long as it’s in a good environment and a safe space, expression through nonverbal movement is something that helps me a lot.”

Azara fills a gap in the dance world: the need for spaces where people with autism, ADHD, or other conditions falling under the broad term “neurodivergent” can freely experience the art form. Evidence, both anecdotal and empirical, suggests that there is a deep connection between dance and these neurological disorders. This relationship has become an area of ​​growing interest for researchers, artists and performing arts organizations in recent years.

In November, Azara gathered for a rebroadcast of her “Voice of Azara” program in the black box theater where the show would soon take place. The atmosphere of the theater was both active – dancers warming up, reviewing steps, discussing – and calm: there was temperate lighting, pleasantly fresh air and, among the performers, a seemingly innate awareness of the volume of their voice.

To begin the rehearsal, Roosaare gave the dancers an overview of the program for the next three hours. Then, they went through the four pieces – all written by members of the company – before being given grades. While the dancers performed, the music was never extremely loud and corrections were never shouted.