WomanEwer- is an ongoing project working with survivors of domestic violence/abuse. All over the world, women experience violence on a daily basis, yet viewed as nurturing creatures. These gestures play an integral part of the work to contrast the repeated abuse with the daily caring roles, whilst challenging the limiting narratives of what it means to be a woman.

Led by Laura Keynon, with a group of women, who are dancers and survivors of domestic violence/abuse and a psychotherapist, have engaged in and tested a process towards recovery. This includes utilising participatory and creative methods that led to the creation of an exhibition installation including soundscape, poetry, photographs, films and lived experience narratives and a dance performance. The exhibition and performance has been shared at Canterbury Christ Church University where students from across nursing, social work, policing, and creative arts and industries engaged in a workshop to understand the process. The exhibition and performance were also open as a public event, with a psychotherapist on site with additional safeguarding measures in place. The audiences completed a questionnaire after the exhibition and performance and engaged in a Q and A opportunity with the dancers.

Professor Angela Pickard from the Sidney De Haan Research Centre for Arts and Health has been working in partnership with the group in the process. The research is mixed methods and is developing an in-depth case study, examining benefits of the process of creative engagement, particularly movement/dance, to aid wellbeing/recovery of participants, and evaluating the audience questionnaires. The audience questionnaires are focused on the relationship that is created between audience and performer to raise awareness of challenging themes and create empathy, but also whether engaging with the exhibition and watching dance with themes of domestic violence, connection and recovery may enable kinaesthetic empathy and offer some support to audiences with lived experience. Audiences are signposted to further support should they need. The next steps are to work with women with lived experience who are not dancers, using the creative process. Laura Keynon and Prof. Angela Pickard are also creating a symposium event as part of International women’s day 2025.

The work has led to education workshops and is now on a UK-tour. The project is supported by Arts Council England, RASASC (Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre).

The report and academic paper is being developed but here are some insights:

Videos:

Trailer: https://youtu.be/Sil6ieJT4HE

Post-show audience reactions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g64RuHlmUPw

Creative Process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX4deGmdTA4&t=5s