Social Connections
“windows, black holes, helium”: Somatic Sourcing in Trauma-focused Collaborative Choreographic Practice View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Louis Laberge-Côté, Marie France Forcier
In the current North American socio-cultural climate, performers face employment scarcity, creating a culture where they tend to hang on to any employment they find. This situation often results in dancers choosing to remain silent when asked to perform in conditions with which they feel uncomfortable. Since trauma has recently become a buzzword in creative research and its notion is rapidly permeating the creative zeitgeist, how can directors gauge and sustain their performers' emotional well-being while aiming to harvest genuinely sourced material, especially when looking at trauma specifically at the core of their creative research question, going beyond trauma-informed practice, and into the trauma-focussed territory? This collaborative research-creation project, led by Principal Investigator Marie France Forcier, explored this difficult question. It aimed to discover and articulate strategies for lead creators and performers to deal with those issues. Throughout various creative, interview- and focus group-based research processes, Forcier devised "windows, black holes, helium", a new contemporary choreographic work on four professional dancers who self-identify as trauma survivors, in consultation with clinical psychiatrist and scholar Dr. Allison Crawford. Data collection — achieved through note-taking and video recording, cross-referenced to dancers' on-camera testimonials of their experience during rehearsals — continued during the entire process and post-performance. This paper, co-presented by Forcier and Louis Laberge-Côté — who acted as collaborator/performer in the project — disseminates various aspects of the research and creative process.
Reproductive Rights in Hip-Hop View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Hailey Colpitts
Reproductive healthcare has been utilized for centuries- some would argue since the beginning of time. In hip-hop specifically, reproductive justice is often treated as heavy and serious but of a necessary importance. In one analysis of hip-hop music, researchers discovered that there were not many negative attitudes towards abortion in the music, with 28 of 101 (~28%) having a negative connotation attached to the concept in a song (Premkumar et al.). This follows statistics regarding abortion across the country, with ~64% of people in the United States having a neutral or positive view of the topic (PRRI Staff). The reason that the topic has sprung up in music again in recent years is due to the fact that Roe v Wade, the landmark civil rights decision granting citizens of the United States the right to abortion and other forms of reproductive healthcare, was overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2022 (Harshaw). The right to reproductive healthcare is especially important for Black women and it was, in fact, the Black woman DJ Kool Herc, that is credited with creating hip-hop. It fits then, that Black women are growing in numbers as rappers and specifically, as outspoken rappers who support the right to have an abortion. The end of this paper includes a lyrical analysis of three songs that are written and performed by women where the songs discuss reproductive rights.
Healing Through Art: Exploring the Intersection of Trauma, Memory, and Healing in Visual Art
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Mahsa Tabatabaei Mehrizi
Art has consistently served as a powerful medium for addressing and processing trauma, offering a conduit for both individual healing and societal reflection. This research delves into the intricate relationship between trauma and visual art, examining how artists capture the psychological and cultural dimensions of trauma in their creative expressions. Through an interdisciplinary lens, this study analyzes diverse art forms, including paintings, installations, and digital media, to uncover techniques that articulate narratives of loss, resilience, and recovery. The research utilizes trauma theory, semiotics, and psychoanalytic perspectives to investigate how aesthetic elements such as color, texture, and composition evoke emotional responses and communicate complex experiences. It explores the transformation of collective traumas into symbolic imagery that fosters empathy and dialogue. Special attention is given to contemporary artists whose works navigate the delicate interplay between personal and collective memory. This includes installations by Doris Salcedo, whose use of everyday materials encapsulates mourning, and the digital collages of Alfredo Jaar, which critique societal apathy toward suffering. Emerging artists leveraging immersive technologies like augmented reality are also explored for their innovative approaches to recreating traumatic experiences and promoting empathy. This research proposes a framework for understanding how art operates as a non-verbal language of healing, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers. By bridging theoretical insights with practical applications, it underscores art's critical role in psychological recovery and social justice. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about art's transformative potential, positioning it as an essential element in fostering resilience and inspiring collective healing.
Feasts, Favors, and Fates: The Role of Hospitality in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session John Hansen
Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales offers a rich exploration of medieval society -- with themes ranging from social class and morality to love and pilgrimage. One significant yet often overlooked theme in the work is hospitality. This paper explores the role of hospitality in The Canterbury Tales: analyzing how the treatment of guests reflects broader social and ethical concerns within the text. Hospitality, in its medieval context, was more than a mere gesture of kindness; it was a social contract that shaped relationships, defined social status, and expressed Christian virtues. My analysis focuses on key tales where hospitality is a central theme, including "The Knight's Tale," "The Franklin's Tale," and "The Host's Role in the General Prologue." These stories highlight different manifestations of hospitality that include noble acts of generosity to more self-serving or morally ambiguous behaviors. In "The Franklin's Tale," for example, hospitality is intertwined with ideas of generosity, reciprocity, and duty, while in "The Knight's Tale," it is linked to chivalric values and honor. Moreover, the character of the Host in the General Prologue serves as a focal point for examining hospitality as a social practice. His role in organizing the pilgrimage, providing accommodation, and guiding the storytelling underscores the intersection of hospitality, authority, and communal bonds. By investigating these elements, this paper argues that Chaucer uses hospitality as a lens through which to critique and illuminate the complexities of medieval social norms and moral expectations.
