Angela Bettoni is a 20-year-old dancer, actress, writer, and activist for the inclusivity of individuals with down syndrome. As she’s currently studying for a Bachelor of Creative Arts at MCAST, she has launched her project ‘Dance with Me’ to showcase her story while shedding light on the misconceptions associated with individuals with down syndrome.

In an interview with TVAM, Bettoni has underlined that she has always been enrolled in mainstream schools to interact with TD children in a mainstream environment. She has already graduated with a diploma in creative arts and her current bachelor’s degree is aiding her advocacy to integrate herself in the classroom as a girl with a disability.

For world down syndrome day, Bettoni has collaborated with Banjo Rancho and Julienne Schembri to produce ‘Dance with Me’. She has said that she was inspired in November by another video by a girl with autism where she was performing, dancing, and singing. This propelled her to go home and write down a monologue which was then refined and implemented in the video, accompanied by Banjo Rancho on a hand drum and movement direction by Julienne Schembri. Striking excerpts from the monologue include ‘In the mirror, I see a person. Do you see a person?’, ‘Yes, I was born with it, but it is not my weakness, it is my strength’ and ‘I was not born to be categorised, boxed, misunderstood, excluded, or to have a label stamped on because I was meant to live.’

You can view her powerful video down below.