DJing and disability

Dr Maria Witek, University of Birmingham UK, Caroline Cooke, University of Birmingham, UK, Gemma Nash, University of Birmingham, UK, Lisa Heywood, University of Birmingham, UK

This talk will present a study using the social model of disability and participatory approaches to explore the experiences of disabled DJs. In collaboration with Drake Music and Native Instruments, we used media diaries, follow-up interviews and workshops to understand the experiences of both physical and mental barriers to DJing as a disabled person. In the first part of the presentation, we focus on results on working with hardware and software. We find that disabled DJs can experience barriers related to portability, mobility and information load and flow. One solution is to limit the number and customise the colours of knobs and faders on the turntables to help reduce the cognitive load and enhance reachability when DJing. We are working with Native Instruments to implement the findings into their future instrument developments. We will conclude the presentation by discussing the social and affective experiences of disabled DJs as they navigate club and nightlife spaces. We find that while the club can be both a physically and mentally overwhelming environment, the DJ booth offers a safe space for disabled DJs to actively engage with dance music culture. While the booth is a physical barrier that separates the DJ from the crowd, it allows disabled DJs to connect to the dance floor through the music and their own artistic practice.