The centerpiece of Community Action is a robust program of movement workshops, launched in 2000 in partnership with Sanctuary for Families. The program has since expanded to Safe Horizon and many other New York City organizations. Currently, Community Action offers 365 free workshops annually to individuals and families who are on journeys to healthier futures.
Photo by Anja Hitzenberger © Gina Gibney Dance, Inc.
Domestic violence survivors often have lacked the power to make choices in their own lives because their impulses have been controlled by another person. A collaborative workshop environment, paired with our four-part program model, helps these survivors with issues of choice, self-expression, trust, and sharing.
Dancers participating in Community Action workshops receive specialized training in order to design and facilitate workshops that draw from their artistic practices and address the needs of survivors. Workshop format is consistent but content is flexible enough for the dancers to bring their own personalities, areas of expertise, and creativity to the work. Workshops are tailored to the unique needs of each shelter.
Offered during support groups under the supervision of a social worker, workshops underscore clinical themes, address group dynamics, and explore common issues. Ultimately, Community Action workshops give survivors the emotional tools to take back control of their own futures.
