From Struggle To Survival Through Dance

By Caroline De Tino

This month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and our friends at Gibney Dance are offering a series of events to raise awareness, support survivors and take a stand against violence.

Cracks of Light is dedicated to survivors of intimate partner and gender-based violence through a series of performances depicted from struggle to survival. This series gives voice to art and dance communities by letting out stories once silenced while also providing an opportunity for reflection, connection with advocates, and the future ahead.

This year, from October 19 to October 21, Cracks of Light presents a new work by 2016 Gibney Dance Work Up artist and choreographer, Kimberleigh Costanzo called dissecting a baby bird. Also on the list includes excerpts from an anthology of letters by Lexie Bean and other writers from trans and non-binary survivors, and a piece by Amy Miller with the help of survivors from the Sanctuary for Families Mentors program, using their stories of rebuilding as a way to raise awareness of intimate partner violence.

From November 16 to 18, join AXIS Dance Company in celebrating its 30th anniversary and first New York season with the premiere of Radical Impact, a work by newly appointed Artistic Director Marc Brew; The Reflective Surface, created by guest choreographer Amy Seiwert; and In Defense of Regret, by choreographers Maurya Kerr, Alex Ketley, and Bobbi Jene Smith. Performances feature dancers with and without physical disabilities who explore what it means to be human through music and movement as well as themes around politics and identity. Witness each dancer’s unique experience and get inspired by their stories told through dance.

Come show your support and solidarity by checking out these moving performances at Gibney Dance!