International womens’ teams will feature in the latest version of football video game Fifa 2016.
England captain Steph Houghton and her team-mates have been included along with 11 other womens’ teams in several game modes. More
International womens’ teams will feature in the latest version of football video game Fifa 2016.
England captain Steph Houghton and her team-mates have been included along with 11 other womens’ teams in several game modes. More
A newly formed group, Proud Valiants, has been founded by a number of Charlton Athletic fans for supporters of the club who identify themselves as part of the LGBT community. More
The public response to the Toy Like Me campaign’s inspiring new dolls has been huge. But the business’s big players have yet to meet our challenge. More
Along with women, people from minorities and those with disabilities, we also need to hear from those who have suffered social deprivation. More
World Rugby, the international governing body, has vowed to take a lead on stamping out homophobia in sport in the wake of a major study that showed the extent to which gay athletes and spectators risk abuse and discrimination. More
Robbie Rogers, the first professional footballer in England to come out as gay since Justin Fashanu, has called for a zero tolerance approach to homophobia in sport in light of a major survey that reveals disturbing levels of abuse and bullying. More …
This month Deaf Awareness Week runs from 4 to 10 May and for this reason we have chosen Mark Smith as our Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month.
Mark is a freelance dancer, teacher, actor and choreographer who was born deaf and diagnosed as profoundly so when he was four. As a young child his mum took his sister to dance school and Mark would have to tag along. He watched the kids dancing and felt the vibration of the music at the same time. Mark used to copy them, dancing at the back of the class where his mother noticed and let him join properly. He was accepted into the Royal Ballet School’s Junior Associates when he was 10, and when he left school he went to London Studio Centre and trained for three years.
Mark didn’t have any deaf artists to look up to and grew up to believe that nothing could stop him. His mother encouraged him to follow his dream and never let his deafness hold him back.
As a dancer Mark was a performer with Firefly, LaRibot and the Aaron Williamson Dance Company and in 2010 Mark formed ‘Deaf Men Dancing’ an innovative and emerging all male dance company. It is a collaboration of male dancers/choreographers who, like Mark, are deaf. Together they have created a fusion of differing styles of dance with sign-language incorporated into the devising and choreography.
Mark has work on numerous productions and shows including the Opening Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics.
To find out more about Mark, Deaf Men Dancing and the rest of his work see his website at http://marksmithproduction.com/marksmith.html