Problem

The women of Gina Gibney Dance have dedicated their lives to rigorous training and their artistry is expressed with freedom and confidence. Survivors of domestic violence have had the opposite experience: their actions and instincts have been restricted and repressed, and they have been stripped of self-confidence. The Domestic Violence Project brings these two opposing experiences together through empowering movement workshops that encourage survivors of violence to develop self-esteem.

The Gift

This gift provides two workshop sessions at a domestic violence shelter. This enables survivors to reinforce the principles they learned in the first session and continue to explore new movement ideas.

Our workshops encourage the women to reflect upon their own personal qualities, experiences and aspirations. They are given the opportunity to examine how they are unique, and are encouraged to understand, accept and celebrate their uniqueness. The women are encouraged to begin to “make peace with their bodies.”

Dancers provide state-of-the-art tools for normative movement, stress reduction and self-care. Colorful Take Care Cards serve as a reminder to honor and “take care” of their bodies every day. As the women begin to move and develop basic skills and confidence, they begin to see that they are in charge of their bodies - bodies that are capable of movement, expression and joy.