Our collaboration STREAM WALKERS with Ana Monro Theatre during the Shared Environments programme, and supported by the Four Nations International Fund, marked a major evolution in how mixed‑ability ensembles create outdoor performance. Working together on Stream Walkers, we entered a shared creative space where Deaf, Disabled, DeafBlind, sight‑impaired and non‑disabled artists could explore new ways of leading, cueing, moving and communicating in real terrain and shifting light.

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What began as a rehearsal residency quickly grew into a deep exchange of practice. Through Deaf and Disabled leadership, the ensemble opened new thinking within Ana Monro’s team — demonstrating that access is not an add‑on, but a creative engine. The Shared Environments artists modelled multi‑sensory communication: tactile cues, proxemics, multilingual signing, vibration‑based signals, acoustic tracing, and environmental listening. These tools reshaped the dramaturgy of Stream Walkers and challenged traditional hierarchies in outdoor theatre-making.

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  Introducing NO EXCUSES

From this collaboration emerged a new shared methodology: NO EXCUSES — a practice built on trust, accountability and the removal of barriers that limit artistic participation. NO EXCUSES is not about pushing harder; it is about removing the reasons people are told they “cannot” participate.

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The model centres Deaf and Disabled leadership, prioritises environmental responsiveness, and ensures that every performer contributes to access, communication and safety. Instead of waiting for external support, the ensemble builds access directly into the choreography, staging, timing and dramaturgy. This creates a resilient performance structure capable of functioning in forests, riversides, parks, festivals, islands and urban spaces — the environments where Shared Environments thrives.

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  Stream Walkers: Technical & Artistic Breakthroughs

During several development sessions across the summer, Signdance Collective, Ana Monro, 73 Degree Films, and Transmitter Performance worked intensively on solutions for performing in low‑light and darkened conditions. Together we explored:

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• Cueing systems for Deaf, DeafBlind and physically disabled artists

• Terrain tracing to map safe movement pathways

• Acoustic delivery — identifying where sound originates and how performers physically trace it

• Sightlines not only for audiences but for performers navigating the space

• Placement strategies for ensemble safety

• Tactile cues for transitions, timing and shared improvisation

• Light‑responsive movement for night‑time performance

A major breakthrough came when the team decided to use a roving camera instead of a static image. This allowed the ensemble to use the camera’s light as an adaptive tool, creating flexibility and enhancing inclusion. The multi‑camera setup also enabled performers to engage directly with the camera operator, making the piece more accessible for David, who cannot see in dark blue light. This approach became part of the dramaturgy itself — a structured improvisation shaped by shared cues, environmental awareness and collective responsibility.

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 A Transformative Collaboration

For Ana Monro, the process opened new artistic pathways. They witnessed how disability‑led methods deepen ensemble connection, sharpen environmental awareness and generate powerful audience engagement. The Shared Environments team modelled a way of working where communication is multi‑sensory, leadership is shared, and every performer is responsible for the clarity and safety of the group.

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The collaboration strengthened our international network and laid the foundation for future co‑productions. NO EXCUSES now stands as a core methodology we continue to refine — a living practice shaped by the artists who use it, the terrains we work in, and the communities we meet. It forms a central pillar of our Perform Europe development.

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  Why NO EXCUSES Matters

NO EXCUSES is a call to action:

• No excuses for inaccessible processes.

• No excuses for excluding Disabled or Deaf artists.

• No excuses for outdated hierarchies.

• No excuses for ignoring the environment.

It is a methodology built from lived experience, artistic experimentation and international collaboration — and it represents the future direction of Shared Environments and Signdance Collective’s inclusive touring practice.