The second edition of the fully accessible opera and ballet event "Dansul pasilor de catifea" (The Dance of Velvet Footsteps), which brings inclusion and diversity to the stage of Bucharest's Comic Opera for Children, brought together 2,000 children with and without disabilities, 1,000 accompanying adults and 21 educational workshops, alongside two performances of Swan Lake adapted to meet the needs of neurodivergent children and those with mobility, hearing or visual impairments.
According to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Friday by the organisers, the KinetoBebe Association, the October 14 event, which has evolved into a festival celebrating inclusion, demonstrated that making art accessible is not simply about removing barriers, but also about creating a space where children with different needs can share the same cultural experience, enjoy the beauty of a performance together and feel part of the same community.
"We were overwhelmed by the number of children and adults who filled the courtyard and auditorium of the Comic Opera for Children over five hours. Because demand for tickets was enormous, we decided to add another performance on the same day, a bold decision that proved both inspired and welcome, as our aim is to reach as many children with disabilities as possible who want free access to performances adapted to their special needs," said actor Bogdan Acatrinei, co-founder of the KinetoBebe Association and creator of the performance's artistic concept.
In Romania, access to cultural life remains a challenge for people with disabilities. According to the National Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2022-2027, citing a 2021 World Bank assessment of the situation of people with disabilities in Romania, nearly 89% of people with severe limitations had not participated in cultural activities in the year preceding the research. By comparison, the figure stood at 63% among people without limitations. The findings highlight a substantial gap in cultural participation, although they do not relate exclusively to children.
At the same time, Romania had 88,920 registered children with disabilities as of March 31, 2026, according to data from the National Authority for the Protection of Children's Rights and Adoption.
Against this backdrop, "Dansul pasilor de catifea" offers a model for experiencing the arts in which accessibility is built into the organisation of the event from the outset, allowing families to enjoy performances without the pressure of conforming to conventions that do not accommodate their needs.
The festival edition extended the experience beyond the auditorium. Educational workshops and performances by children transformed the courtyard of the Comic Opera for Children into a space for interaction, exploration and artistic expression, where diversity was a natural part of the experience.
The two performances of Swan Lake were adapted to enable children with different sensory profiles and accessibility needs to participate in the artistic experience. The initiative is founded on the belief that every child should have the opportunity to experience music, dance and theatre, without disability becoming a reason for exclusion.
Through this second edition of the "Dansul pasilor de catifea" Festival, the KinetoBebe Association continues its efforts to make the arts more accessible and establish adapted performances as a model for inclusive cultural participation.
