The dance workshop for INVITED felt particularly special today. As always, the day began with the usual warm-up exercises – walking, crossing the studio space, walking backwards, running, running backwards, walking sideways while waving the arms, hopping, and lifting the knees high – that quickly evolved from an individual exercise into a collective experience. This time, the choreographer initiated an exercise where one person takes the lead, further instructing that when that person starts walking, everybody needs to walk, and when that person stops, everybody stops. It was an exercise that we had observed and participated in multiple times, very simple but very effective in initiating and fostering attunement among participants. People quickly learn to be attentive to each other, observing each other's movements and responding almost simultaneously – as a group – to an impulse.

After several rounds, choreographer Seppe Baeyens appointed Stephan to take the lead. Stephan, who had recently joined the group and has Down syndrome, typically stood still, mostly observing the group and occasionally imitating what he saw. This time, Baeyens encouraged Stephan to initiate the walking and stopping. Stephan, though, did not respond; he continued standing silently while everyone waited. Baeyens reiterated the instructions to the group, emphasizing that when Stephan walked, they would all walk. He turned to Stephan, stating that he was in charge: ‘Stephan, when you walk, we follow’. The group waited at least two minutes – which started to feel uncomfortable – but Stephan remained motionless. Baeyens encouraged him further, approaching him, and then gently pushing to get him moving. The group then followed Stephan's lead, walking as directed.