Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Last week I spoke to Rita Marcalo, the Portuguese dance artist with Epilepsy, who planned to induce a seizure live on stage, while on-lookers filmed it on their mobiles. The 24 hour event happened last Friday to Saturday at the Bradford Playhouse, where Rita, who hadn't been taking her anticonvulsive medication for over a week, drank wine, and was exposed to strobe lighting and flash photography, amongst other usual triggers.

I didn't know how I felt about the event itself. Rita spoke so eloquently in our interview about how her work, Involuntary Dances, was part of a trilogy of pieces, which would take her on an autobiographical journey, exploring the relationship between Rita's body and her epilepsy. She owned her condition she said, and she had taken pains to ensure that the risks to her health were minimal. In fact, as she usually chooses to have a seizure on her own, often in a public toilet, being in a confined space full of cushions and having paramedics on standby made it practically safe. Still, I felt there was no comfortable ending and judging by the press she had received beforehand, she was in for a rough ride whether she achieved her goal or not.

Rita didn't have a seizure. She is reported to have been slightly embarrassed by this but said that the second work in the trilogy would feature video taken of her attempts. As I suspected, the press varied in their post Involuntary Dances reporting. Read blogger David Thompson's of Rita's attempts, and then this slightly more balanced review from Jo Verrent at .

So as Rita moves forward and the second work in the trilogy is set to become a reality, what has Involuntary Dances achieved?

Big charity Scope - the one's that used to specifically be about cerebral palsy and who are now kind of about all disability but with a secret love for CP'ers - has just launched an online advent calendar.

It's December 1st so Scope are giving you what you really want. At long last ... a disability advent calendar. Joy to the world.

In all seriousness, we're just sick we didn't do it first. We talk about it every year but it just didn't happen again in 2009. Maybe next year. Oh and hope we summed up Scope in a helpful way for you. It's hard to define sometimes ... like is Leonard Cheshire only for people who live in Chester and called Len? I was in Cheshire the other day as it happens ... but that's where I'm gonna close this blog entry because I'm rambling like a loser. Merry early Christmas Scopesters out there.

We know you like to hear about disability things that are bubbling under on TV so here's a bit of a round-up.

This Friday night in Channel 4's Comedy Showcase you can see the latest comedy from (disabled producer) Ash Atallah - he of IT Crowd and Ricky Gervais The Office fame. It's called and stars Rhys Darby from Flight of the Conchords, playing a master illusionist. It also features a running gag with a deaf nurse played by Genevieve Barr.

How To Look Good Naked is doing a three part disability special in the new year. Gok Wan is, by all accounts determined to make sure everyone has body confidence. Big up the TV guy! He's chosen three women whose self esteem is at rock bottom: Di (54) the blind magistrate, Claire (44) a leg amputee and Tracey (40) a wheelchair user. See how they fare on 19th January.

In the new year the Dancing on Wheels show comes to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ3. You'll have heard little bits about this if you're an Ouch reader or read the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's press office pages. It could also perhaps be called Strictly Come Off Benefits or something like that. More in the coming weeks.

Notably, none of the above feature Sophie Morgan. Where will she pop up next?