Layers Residency @ York 2008

Wow! We just got home from our SEVENTH week long residency at York Correctional Institution for Women. Our theme this year was LAYERS, and the women were willing and able to sink their teeth into the theme to create a beautiful, moving performance.

We journeyed through dance, yoga, music, writing, and a visualization/reflection on the theme. Then the women created solos, duets, trios, and group pieces based on their personal reflections: First the idea of creating safe space in which to look at these questions...Did they feel they had layers they needed to remove, peel, clear or shed? Or did they feel they needed to wrap themselves up or add a layer? They all had an individual way of answering the question through movement.

We also created movement as a group that reflected what we do to create some space from the layers in our head, the static in our minds. And a finale piece, or epilogue, that showed our journey--from layered with thickness and heaviness, to sometimes becoming stuck, to realizing the beauty, life and warmth within, to melting, shedding and blasting through the layers, to shaking the residue off, to dancing our fullness and joy, to moving as ourselves and showing our true essence (in their words: CONFIDENT, QUEEN, WARRIOR, FLOWER ON THE RISE, FLOWING, FREE, FALLING, FLYING, SAFE...).

The women performed their entire piece including a Hip Hop number along with the Avodah Dance Ensemble and accompanied by Newman Taylor Baker's inspiring and sensitive percussion. One woman from York also accompanied through percussion with Newman-she is a natural. We performed twice: once for the school and once for the women's families and friends in the visiting room. Both performances were received well with lots of positive energy. At the end of the performance in the school at York C.I., women in the audience spontaneously arose from their chairs and started dancing!!

The women are magnificent to work with. Natural creators, artists, performers. Willing to dive deep within themselves. Become vulnerable to the process and share who they really are. As artists, the members of Avodah all agreed that working with the women is a true exchange; we are all humbled by the process and feel so much gratitude to share and learn so intensively with them.

We will be heading to Baylor Women's Correctional Institution on April 13th for our next week long residency! We'll keep you posted!