Accessibility Information
The conference will take place both in Warner Center and the Wurtzel Theater at Oberlin College. Registration, two of our morning moving sessions, performances, and receptions will all take place in Wurtzel, which is fully, independently wheelchair accessible. Warner Center has an operational wheelchair lift for events, such as the Underscore, that will take place in Warner Main. This lift is not independently accessible and will need an attendant to unlock and operate it. There will be an access needs portion of registration where attendees can indicate this and any other needs they may have. Additionally, in terms of accommodations, the Oberlin Hotel and Kahn Hall, which is reserved for the event, are fully wheelchair accessible.
If you require additional information in order to plan your attendance to the conference please email us at criticalmassci50@gmail.com for more information.
Accessibility Statement
Here we hope to document as honestly as possible the steps we are taking to make this event more accessible and the shortcomings we will inevitably face. This is a working document and we welcome feedback, requests, and clarification.
Unfortunately and unjustly, Critical Mass: CI@50 and Oberlin College fall far short of being fully accessible to all. Oberlin is a primarily white institution originally built for neurotypical people without physical or sensory disabilities, and contact improvisation has historically yielded primarily white and white-centered disability-exclusive jam spaces. These are structural issues with deep roots but the intention of Critical Mass: CI@50 is to be actively anti-racist in our program and processes and to work against ingrained ableism, fatphobia, sexism, xenophobia, prejudice, and bigotry of all kinds. Hopefully, we can cultivate a community space where we are able to work together with respect and accountability.
-The entirety of the event will have accessibility coordinators whom you can reach out to when they’re available about access needs around disability, race, class, gender & sexual identity, and more. The accessibility coordinators are Charlotte Andrews, Cara Graninger, Adrianna Michalska, Joy Mariama Smith, Taja Will and Kelly Blaser.
-For violations of the Community Agreements or Festival Guidelines you can reach out to a Response Team member.
-Right now we have one BIPOC Jams and two Affinity jams on the schedule in the afternoon/evening. In addition, Studio 3 is available for individuals to reserve space for affinity group discussions.
-There will be some events and spaces where children are welcome to participate along with their parents, as well as supervised kid spaces supported by the family access team.
–There is plenty of modern wheelchair-accessible housing available for attendees, with mini-fridges made available upon request to those who need cold storage for medical reasons. Warner Center, where most of our workshops will be, has a wheelchair lift that will be operated upon request. However, it has only one “wheelchair-accessible” bathroom that is not fully ADA compliant. The bathroom’s narrowest access point is 28” wide and the toilet seat is raised to about 20” high with grab bars beside it and behind it. The building for all the evening performances is fully wheelchair accessible.
-The bathrooms at Warner Center are open to all genders, and there are gender-neutral bathrooms accessible throughout the college and town.
–There will not be ASL interpretation or professional audio description for any events. However, CI@50 team members can provide informal audio description upon request, by describing the action without subjective commentary.
–We will make a text-only copy of the schedule available online for screen readers.
–The building and rooms where most workshops, jams and classes will be held have LED tube lighting. The lighting is mostly bright white so might be experienced as intense. However, the LED tubes do not flicker like fluorescent tubes. During the daytime, it will be possible to dance with just sunlight a good part of the time. In addition, there will be a low-stimulation REST/SANCTUARY room in the main building with low noise, peaceful lighting, and low activity.
–We will ask all attendees to come scent-free and limit pet dander.
–If you’re signing on for meals, the cafeteria can meet some dietary restrictions but not all. Please be in communication with us about your dietary restrictions.
–There are plenty of chairs in the theatre where panels happen. We will provide some chairs in dance studios as well; please give priority for chair use to those who need them.
–Interpreters will be available at least some of the time for translation into French, Spanish, Polish, Russian, German, Tamil, and Hindi.
-Covid guidelines: Prior vaccination against Covid 19 is required for all attendees unless a medical or religious exemption was requested and granted. You will be required to show your vaccination card upon arrival at check-in. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated students, staff, faculty, and visitors wear masks indoors unless in their residence or office with the door closed.
Accessibility Coordinators:
Cara Graninger --- caragraninger@gmail.com
Charlotte Andrews
Adrianna Michalska
Joy Mariama Smith
Taja Will
Kelly Blaser
Response Team:
CI50ResponseTeam@gmail.com
Gabriel Torta
Yusa Jacobo
Guru Suraj
Adrianna Michalska
Nicholas Travers
Charlotte Andrews
Vova Kuperman