‘GIMP’ Dancers with Disabilities Dare You to Stare

posted on Nov 22 by Guest Author in the Advocacy, Cerebral Palsy, Disability News, Fun category

The term “gimp” sometimes refers to someone who limps or walks with an uneven gait. A gimp can be a ribbon-like, braided fabric. It can be someone with vigor or spunk. It can mean turning, vacillating or trembling ecstatically. “GIMP,” a dance performance produced by renowned choreographer Heidi Latsky, encompasses all that the word “gimp” means. Latsky formerly worked with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company before moving on to form the New York-based Heidi Latsky Dance Company, where she found inspiration from the “fierce yet vulnerable aura” of dancers with disabilities.

“GIMP” features a talented mix of dancers with and without disabilities who move rhythmically across the stage and in the air. Latsky holds nothing back in “GIMP”. Her vision was bold, daring, and frank. The six-dancer cast (three with disabilities and three without) explore and challenge the various definitions of the word “gimp” along with the stereotypes that can accompany those connotations.

Able-bodied people often find themselves staring at a person who is missing a limp, or walks or talks “funny.” “GIMP” gives audiences permission to stare at that which separates and unites us–and to be amazed and inspired instead of uncomfortable. Don’t be surprised, however, if the performers of “GIMP” boldly stare right back at you, because the license to stare to your heart’s content doesn’t mean you may not find yourself squirming in your seat.

“‘GIMP’ is all about giving the audience permission to really look,” Latsky explained. “It’s an opportunity for them to really look so they can see what they’re afraid to look at in real life and the beauty of what’s there.” The only requirement she has for her dancers is that they don’t hold back who they are.

Latsky shatters more barriers by including a aerial duet between dancers Jennifer Strickland, who was born without legs, and able-bodied Danilo Lambo. Two long strips of bright red cloth facilitated their connection and made them equals as they rhythmically moved in the air and on the floor. Their choreography highlights sex, violence, and attraction. At the end, Strickland’s slow coiling ascent toward Lambo ends with a kiss on his lips. A perfect finish to a uniquely captivating performance.

Most recently, “GIMP” was performed at Pittsburgh’s August Wilson Center for African American Culture to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the FISA Foundation: Women Making a Difference, and was sort of a birthday gift FISA gave itself for a century of giving respect, dignity, and support to children, women, and individuals with disabilities. The production was a collaborative effort between the Center and the Pittsburgh Dance Council.

To learn more about the “GIMP” dance project, view the videos below or visit their website at www.thegimpproject.com.

Sources:
thegimpproject.com/gimp
post-gazette.com/pg/11290/1182674-325.stm
post-gazette.com/pg/11282/1180300-325.stm

Video sources:
thegimpproject.com
vimeo.com

Image sources:
thegimpproject.com
newsroom.unl.edu
7dvt.com
today.msnbc.msn.com
liverpoolmag.co.uk