I am Deaf and I love raves - I wish more people felt welcome in the dance world | Anna Seymour

Being a Deaf professional dancer can feel isolating – but my experiences in clubs made me realise I could create a dance space that would welcome everyone

I used to hate raves. As a Deaf woman, I rarely felt comfortable in clubs and parties. After too many experiences of being excluded or subjected to unwanted attention, sexual harassment and assault, I had come to view those spaces as dangerous and unsafe. Many of my Deaf and disabled friends felt the same.

But I have always loved dancing. I started when I was six years old and would skip and twirl everywhere I went, from walking down the street with my parents and waiting in the town pool queue. I obsessively watched dance videos. I even asked my school principal if I could use the school hall at lunchtimes to dance, then dragged my Deaf classmates there.