Time to shine for performers living with disabilities

Months of hard work have come together for more than a hundred Australians living with a disability.

With flowers in her hair and a colourful skirt around her waist, Joanna Goumas is still buzzing from her big performance.

“We rocked the house!” she says.

Ms Goumas uses a walking frame for mobility, but it hasn't stopped her from practising her dance moves.  

For months, she has been preparing to perform the Beach Boys classic "Surfin' USA" to an audience of about 200 people. 

She finally got the chance on Wednesday, taking to the stage with a group from SCOSA, a South Australian not-for-profit organisation that supports people living with disabilities.

“When I got on stage, I was very excited, but I was nervous at the same time,” she says.
The act was part of Performability, a showcase John Tobin of SCOSA says is designed to put the focus on the abilities of their clients.

‘They’re people living with cerebral palsy, with autism, Down Syndrome and a range of other physical and intellectual disabilities,” he says. 

“Especially for many of our clients that may be non-verbal, or they have limited traditional communication capacity, the arts is a fantastic way for them to be able to express themselves, to get their feelings out and to engage with their friends here at SCOSA.

“It’s also very good from the point of physical and mental health.”

For young performer Jessica Hobbs, it was also an opportunity to work on confidence and leadership skills.

Her role included public speaking, introducing her group’s joint performance with Elizabeth Downs Primary School. 

“I’ve learned that I won’t let my disability get in the way for who I am,” she says.

Joanna Goumas is already hoping for a chance to do it again. 

“I love it, actually,” she says. 

From the smiles and laughter of more than a hundred participants, it's clear she was not the only one who thoroughly enjoyed her moment in the spotlight. 


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By Rhiannon Elston


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