WUNRN
A Safe World for Women
Website Link Includes Video.
Ghosts
of Violence is a powerful new ballet on the subject of violence against women,
which had its world premiere recently in
Created
by the Atlantic Ballet Company of
This
is the largest project the Atlantic Ballet Company has produced in it’s
ten-year history. The culmination of two years of research, discussion,
inspiration and creation the ballet has received the support and endorsement of
social agencies, family violence organizations, and women’s groups throughout
The
ballet will be performed in every province in
In
The majority
are killed in their own homes – the one place where a woman should feel safe.
This kind of
violence affects girls and women everywhere in the world.
Race, religion,
social standing, age - it doesn’t matter. Domestic violence crosses every stereotype.
The
nine dancers, through movement, theatre, music and videography, tell the
stories of women who have perished at hands of violent partners in the
At
the request of Silent Witness, a
The
goal of the production was to honour these women, increase public awareness,
and use the ballet as a catalyst for new community dialogue and action.
The
ballet tells the heartrending tale of a young woman, She, moving to a
She
hopes to find true love with a new partner, only to have her new relationship
become abusive, and end with her murder.
“The
ballet melds material inspired, real, and invented. There are many themes
that recur in every case: romance, hope, love, isolation, entrapment, and
fear.” Igor
Dobrovolskiy, Artistic Director and Choreographer of the Atlantic Ballet
Company.
Accompanying
the ballet is a traveling exhibit of life-sized, wooden, female
silhouettes. Each silhouette represents a
All
of the silhouettes are painted red, and adorned with a shield, on which is
described the life and death of each victim. These are profoundly moving
pieces.
The
exhibit was created by the
The
goal of the New Brunswick Silent Witness Project is to speak out on behalf of
these silent witnesses whose own voices have been silenced forever. The
silhouettes are also intended to break the silence around the issue of domestic
violence, and promote constructive action.
Indeed,
two of the silhouettes, wear a shield that says “Remember Me”.
These
are meant to commemorate women who are currently suffering from domestic abuse,
as well as all the murdered women whose killers were not charged or convicted.
Therese
Murray, a member of the Silent Witness committee, told me how much love and
attention was given to each of the silhouettes. When the exhibit is
traveling, each silhouette has its own individual traveling case, with the
woman’s name on it.
“We
strive to give these women in death, the kind of respect and care they should
have received during their lives.”