The Cattleya Project promotes the artistic, social and cultural development of women that have been subject to domestic and/or sexual abuse regardless of skin color, creed, gender, income level, race, ethnicity or language. We work in partnership with local service-based organizations and support the services that survivors already receive by providing workshops where movement plays a key role in the healing of trauma.
Our workshop model has been developed with the support of our social justice partner Gibney (a NYC-based dance organization) and their Community Action program which has over 20 years of experience working with survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. The five-part progression model reflects ImprovISA’s broader organizational commitment:
1. NOTICE: Developing Awareness
We begin by noticing the body. Where it is in space, how it may feel to sit in a chair, to stand on our feet, to walk in the space. We create and nurture moments of stillness where we can hone our attention on the subtleties of our amazing instrument— our body. This body awareness is then extended to noticing emotions, feelings, recognizing where they are coming from, where they might be felt physically, and how our conditioning has labeled these as “good” or “bad.” We practice honoring where we are at every moment by learning and practicing CHOICE.
2. CREATE: Responding Differently Each Time
This component debunks the myth that creativity is somehow a blessing that is bestowed upon a handful on individuals at birth. Creativity, like any other skill, needs practice. Rehearsing and mining creativity is paramount to becoming more creative
3. COLLABORATE: Creating Something New Together
Because human beings are, by their very nature, social creatures, we believe our healing and development needs to happen in groups. Moving and making dances together reinforces the importance of continuously creating new ways of relating to each other.
4. EXPAND: How My Choices Impact the World
As we begin to see through collaborating with others, our choices have a broader impact beyond our own life. Expanding our awareness helps us begin to understand how we are interconnected with the world around us. This taps into the responsibility of choice, so that as we celebrate every single choice we make, we also acknowledge how it creates and impacts the environments we are part of.
5. SELF-CARE
Creating a sustaining practice that survivors can draw upon when we are not present is key to address the long-term impact of our program. By using the Take Care Cards™ developed by Gibney, we share simple techniques and exercises for stress reduction and self-care drawn from dance, somatic practices and bodywork.
Our workshop model has been developed with the support of our social justice partner Gibney (a NYC-based dance organization) and their Community Action program which has over 20 years of experience working with survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. The five-part progression model reflects ImprovISA’s broader organizational commitment:
1. NOTICE: Developing Awareness
We begin by noticing the body. Where it is in space, how it may feel to sit in a chair, to stand on our feet, to walk in the space. We create and nurture moments of stillness where we can hone our attention on the subtleties of our amazing instrument— our body. This body awareness is then extended to noticing emotions, feelings, recognizing where they are coming from, where they might be felt physically, and how our conditioning has labeled these as “good” or “bad.” We practice honoring where we are at every moment by learning and practicing CHOICE.
2. CREATE: Responding Differently Each Time
This component debunks the myth that creativity is somehow a blessing that is bestowed upon a handful on individuals at birth. Creativity, like any other skill, needs practice. Rehearsing and mining creativity is paramount to becoming more creative
3. COLLABORATE: Creating Something New Together
Because human beings are, by their very nature, social creatures, we believe our healing and development needs to happen in groups. Moving and making dances together reinforces the importance of continuously creating new ways of relating to each other.
4. EXPAND: How My Choices Impact the World
As we begin to see through collaborating with others, our choices have a broader impact beyond our own life. Expanding our awareness helps us begin to understand how we are interconnected with the world around us. This taps into the responsibility of choice, so that as we celebrate every single choice we make, we also acknowledge how it creates and impacts the environments we are part of.
5. SELF-CARE
Creating a sustaining practice that survivors can draw upon when we are not present is key to address the long-term impact of our program. By using the Take Care Cards™ developed by Gibney, we share simple techniques and exercises for stress reduction and self-care drawn from dance, somatic practices and bodywork.