Ginger Pierce Davis
Dance 150 Special Topics
February 16, 1997
Teaching Dance to Special Populations

Seed Project Proposal

Group: Hollins students recovering from eating disorders and/or survivors of sexual assault

Goals:
-create a safe and comfortable environment to learn about ourselves and our bodies
-break the silence by expressing ourselves
-break the barriers between different modes of expression
-raise body awareness and appreciation
-reevaluate our bodies as works of art and as potential creators of art

Methods:
-meditation/ relaxation/ creative visualization
-focus on non-violent, non-sexual contact
-stretching/ body awareness exercises
-touching trust games
-massage

-discussion:
-how we carry our pain in our bodies
-optional personal sharing
-rediscovering our bodies and ourselves

-creative expression:
-experiment with movement, music, speech, drama, drawing, and writing
-improvisation to music
-mixing it up: drawing to music, dancing to speech, writing to dance, etc.

-presentations:
-readings (ex: Baby Suggs monolgue from Beloved)
-showings of work (art, dance, drama, etc.)

Materials/ Space:
-have the dance studio set up with props, paper, art supplies, music,costumes, writing materials and resources
-workshop, perhaps on a Saturday morning or a more convienient time for about three hours, five to fifteen people per workshop
-have the workshop by reservation, repeat if there is the demand

Miscellaneous notes:
-I would love to have three or four separate workshops, with new people and a few returns, on consecutive weeks
-I would like to videotape and photograph the sessions for evaluation and posterity