I was born with spina bifida and I use a wheelchair in my daily life. A wheelchair is often portrayed as a symbol of something sad and limiting. For me, my wheelchair is my most important key to an independent, creative, good and free life.

Through dancing with and in my wheelchair, I tell the story of how my movements have developed throughout my life. From a little girl playing in the mud, being introduced to a wheelchair for the first time – to an adult woman dancing with her life and dance partner.

The chair becomes part of me, and I become a part of it – while we simultaneously exist independently of one another.

It is a friendship of muscle, metal, bones and tires.

We and I at the same time.

About the artist

Elen Øyen is a Norwegian dance artist, who works as a producer and dance artist for DansiT choreographic center in Trondheim. She is a dancer in the Dance Laboratory, which she has been since 2005. Elen was born with spina bifida, and uses a wheelchair. She dances in her wheelchair and on the floor. Her main focus is improvisation. Elen has a close collaboration with professor at NTNU and founder of the Dance Laboratory Tone Pernille Østern. She has lectured at conferences, seminars and festivals in Norway and abroad. She has developed a broad experience in dance, and worked with the research project “Available artistry?” from autumn 2021 to spring 2023.