Dark Room Ballet with Krishna Washburn

THIS LABOR DAY, SUPPORT BLIND & LOW-VISION ARTISTS.
“Labor Day is my favorite holiday, because of my own experiences with employment discrimination and having my rights violated in work situations. Dark Room Ballet likes to position itself in opposition to the abusive workplace, ableism and discrimination against blind people. And we hire blind artists. So this really has to do with employment justice.”
— Krishna Washburn, Founder & Artistic Director
For Dark Room Ballet, Labor Day is about more than celebrating work. It is about fighting for the right of blind and disabled artists to have meaningful, fairly paid work.
Dark Room Ballet began with Krishna teaching ballet to blind students. Today, that vision has grown into a broader accessible arts community, offering regular classes and workshops in movement, voice & speech, improvisation, audio description, musicality, and more.
Our classes are tuition-free for disabled participants and taught by an all-blind/low-vision faculty of teaching artists.
But this work doesn’t happen without the artists and educators who make it possible.
Only 41% of working-age people with vision difficulty were in paid employment, compared with 72% of people without vision difficulty. And 22.8% of people with vision difficulty live below the federal poverty level.
This Labor Day, we’re raising funds to pay and support the blind and low-vision artists, educators, and administrators who make Dark Room Ballet possible.
✨ Support blind & low-vision teaching artists
✨ Keep classes tuition-free
✨ Support employment justice for disabled artists
✨ Make space for disabled artists to create, teach & perform
Labor Day is our day, too.
🖤 Donate today.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-change-lives-20930 Donations to Dark Room Ballet are tax-deductible.
DisabilityJustice AccessibleArts DisabledArtists

Join us for the second session of Sensory Beyond Sight, an intensive workshop series led by visually impaired dancer, choreographer, and performer Davian “DJ” Robinson.
In this workshop, participants will explore movement through breath, touch, spatial hearing, weight, and proprioception—developing tools for creating and navigating movement without relying on visual imitation.
Participants will:
• Practice building movement from physical sensations, rhythm, and awareness
• Develop deeper body awareness and spatial understanding
• Explore ways to communicate movement ideas through verbal and tactile cues
• Work with creative tools that help map choreography through touch and physical materials
• Build trust and connection through movement partnerships
📅 Friday, August 7, 2026
🕓 4:00 PM ET
⏱️ 90 minutes
💻 Online
✨ Free
Register by e-mail: [email protected]
About DJ Robinson:
Davian “DJ” Robinson is a passionate and boundary-breaking visually impaired dancer, choreographer, and performer. Drawing from his lived experience and athletic movement style, he creates choreography that is physically powerful and emotionally resonant. His work blends dynamic storytelling with raw embodiment, inviting audiences into a world where rhythm, resilience, and adaptability redefine how we move and connect. Through performance and education, DJ challenges conventions and expands possibilities for inclusive expression in the arts.

Don’t miss this one:)

This Saturday June 27 marks the final session of Audio Description for Dance, a free online workshop series with Krishna Washburn exploring the art, practice, and philosophy of audio description.

In our final session, participants will engage in critical listening and discussion, examining examples of audio description for dance and reflecting on the choices, values, and assumptions that shape accessible performance practices. Together, we’ll explore what makes audio description effective, equitable, and artistically engaging.

Whether you’ve attended previous sessions or are joining for the first time, you’re welcome to participate. Email: [email protected] to register

Join Dark Room Ballet for a tuition-free online workshop series designed for blind and visually impaired artists and audiences, audio describers, choreographers, educators, and arts administrators.

Topics include:
• Vocal Tonality in Audio Description
• Script Preparation Strategies
• Logic and Language in Audio Description
• Critically Listening to Audio Description for Dance

Workshops take place online via Zoom on Saturdays from 4–6 PM ET.

Dark Room Ballet is an independent, grant-funded, tuition-free fine arts educational program for blind and visually impaired adults taught by expert blind and visually impaired teaching artists.

This Saturday June 27 marks the final session of Audio Description for Dance, a free online workshop series with Krishna Washburn exploring the art, practice, and philosophy of audio description.

In our final session, participants will engage in critical listening and discussion, examining examples of audio description for dance and reflecting on the choices, values, and assumptions that shape accessible performance practices. Together, we’ll explore what makes audio description effective, equitable, and artistically engaging.

Whether you’ve attended previous sessions or are joining for the first time, you’re welcome to participate. Email: [email protected] to register

Join Dark Room Ballet for a tuition-free online workshop series designed for blind and visually impaired artists and audiences, audio describers, choreographers, educators, and arts administrators.

Topics include:
• Vocal Tonality in Audio Description
• Script Preparation Strategies
• Logic and Language in Audio Description
• Critically Listening to Audio Description for Dance

Workshops take place online via Zoom on Saturdays from 4–6 PM ET.

Dark Room Ballet is an independent, grant-funded, tuition-free fine arts educational program for blind and visually impaired adults taught by expert blind and visually impaired teaching artists.

This saturday, june 20th! Session 4: Logic and Language in Audio Description! You can still register for Audio Description for Dance for free!
In our fourth session, we’ll be using original artists’ language and formal logic analysis to write effective, purposeful, and equitable audio descriptions. Participants will explore how language choices shape audience experience and practice creating descriptions that center both artistic intent and accessibility. Please bring a way to record your work, whether through handwriting, typing, or audio recording.
Each week explores a different topic, and you can join any and all sessions. Email [email protected] to register!
Join Dark Room Ballet for a tuition-free online workshop series exploring the art, practice, and philosophy of audio description for dance. Designed for blind and visually impaired artists and audiences, audio describers, choreographers, educators, and arts administrators, this series offers an in-depth look into accessible performance practices and creative approaches to audio description.
Topics include:
• Vocal Tonality in Audio Description
• Script Preparation Strategies
• Logic and Language in Audio Description
• Critically Listening to Audio Description for Dance
Workshops take place online via Zoom on Saturdays from 4–6 PM ET.
Dark Room Ballet is an independent, grant-funded, tuition-free fine arts educational program for blind and visually impaired adults taught by expert blind and visually impaired teaching artists.
BlindAndLowVision LowVision InclusiveArts DanceEducation PerformingArts

Session 3: script preparation strategies!
Did you miss the first session? You can still register for Audio Description for Dance for Free! This week we are experimenting with Vocal Tonality. Each week explores a different topic and you can join any and all! Email [email protected] to register!

Join Dark Room Ballet for a tuition-free online workshop series exploring the art, practice, and philosophy of audio description for dance. Designed for blind and visually impaired artists and audiences, audio describers, choreographers, educators, and arts administrators, this series offers an in-depth look into accessible performance practices and creative approaches to audio description.

Topics include:
• Vocal Tonality in Audio Description
• Script Preparation Strategies
• Logic and Language in Audio Description
• Critically Listening to Audio Description for Dance

Workshops take place online via Zoom on Saturdays from 4–6 PM ET.

Dark Room Ballet is an independent, grant-funded, tuition-free fine arts educational program for blind and visually impaired adults taught by expert blind and visually impaired teaching artists.

Session 2: Experimenting with Vocal Tonality!

Did you miss the first session? You can still register for Audio Description for Dance for Free! This week we are experimenting with Vocal Tonality. Each week explores a different topic and you can join any and all! Email [email protected] to register!

Join Dark Room Ballet for a tuition-free online workshop series exploring the art, practice, and philosophy of audio description for dance. Designed for blind and visually impaired artists and audiences, audio describers, choreographers, educators, and arts administrators, this series offers an in-depth look into accessible performance practices and creative approaches to audio description.

Topics include:
• Vocal Tonality in Audio Description
• Script Preparation Strategies
• Logic and Language in Audio Description
• Critically Listening to Audio Description for Dance

Workshops take place online via Zoom on Saturdays from 4–6 PM ET.

Dark Room Ballet is an independent, grant-funded, tuition-free fine arts educational program for blind and visually impaired adults taught by expert blind and visually impaired teaching artists.

Starting this Saturday!

Audio Description for Dance with Krishna Washburn

Join Dark Room Ballet for a tuition-free online workshop series exploring the art, practice, and philosophy of audio description for dance. Designed for blind and visually impaired artists and audiences, audio describers, choreographers, educators, and arts administrators, this series offers an in-depth look into accessible performance practices and creative approaches to audio description.

Topics include:
• How to Hire an Audio Describer
• Vocal Tonality in Audio Description
• Script Preparation Strategies
• Logic and Language in Audio Description
• Critically Listening to Audio Description for Dance

Workshops take place online via Zoom on Saturdays from 4–6 PM ET.

Dark Room Ballet is an independent, grant-funded, tuition-free fine arts educational program for blind and visually impaired adults taught by expert blind and visually impaired teaching artists.

If you are interested in signing up, please email:
[[email protected]