These Performers Are Helping Survivors Reclaim Their Bodies Through Art

A multidisciplinary project, J’ai Un Bleu – I Have a Bruise, brought together dance, dialogue, and creative exploration to highlight the intersection of eco-feminism and the struggles women face. The performance aimed to shed light on the unspoken burdens women carry, drawing parallels between the exploitation of women’s bodies and that of nature.

In a conversation with SheThePeople, Laura Kenyon, Artistic Director, and Sara Maurizi, Rehearsal Director, shared how the project was born out of a need to challenge societal norms, create dialogue, and reclaim silenced narratives, as well as their experience as performers.

I Have a Bruise: A Performance Born from Personal and Collective Stories

Kenyon shared the deeply personal motivation behind the project, stating, “As a survivor of sexual assault, themes surrounding womanhood and gender inequalities became the main focus of my work for the past four years, with a focus on celebrating women’s beauty and strength and advocating for women to have their own voice in society.”

She further reflected on how the COVID-19 pandemic played a pivotal role in shaping the project. “The pandemic was a real eye-opener for me and a period for deep reflection. I started the project in 2020 to support other survivors of sexual abuse. The lockdown caused domestic abuse-related arrests to rise by 24% and placed thousands of women in unsafe living situations in complete isolation.”

The staggering statistics reveal the magnitude of the crisis. "Almost one-third (30%) of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence, with the highest recorded percentage of 37.7 in the South-East Asia region.”

At its core, J’ai Un Bleu is built on real experiences.

Kenyon explained, “The performance is based on a collection of testimonials from different women interviewed during the lockdown in London, Vietnam, India, France, Hong Kong, and Italy. These stories leave traces, bruises, which can be hidden and covered out of guilt, shame, and insecurity that society puts on the bodies carrying them. Hence, “I Have a Bruise’ can also be seen as a metaphor to represent environmental and gender justice as indivisible parts of a global struggle.”

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Art As a Catalyst for Eco-Feminist Conversations

The theme also brings together themes of gender oppression and environmental destruction, highlighting how the two are deeply connected. Kenyon explains why the discussion on eco-feminism is urgent. "This topic is extremely current & important to raise, especially from a female lens. It has been proved that women are more vulnerable to climate change. The degradation of the planet and the oppression of women are intertwined, which are represented in the costumes."

The performance uses striking visual symbolism to reflect these issues. Scraps of fabric, plastic bags, and discarded materials, things that are often ignored, are woven into the dancers’ costumes. These materials are suspended from their bodies, moving with them as extensions of their limbs. "These elements are put together, weaved, and knotted into one big piece of rags, suspended from the dancers’ bodies as an extension of their limbs, such as a giant mobile or washing line, symbolising the way in which colourful plastic bags, fabric remnants, and other everyday detritus wash up on the shores, entangle in roots and branches."

The imagery of clothes hanging on a line serves a dual purpose, it evokes both domestic labour, which disproportionately falls on women, and environmental neglect, which disproportionately affects them. 

Moreover, the act of sewing together leftover scraps into garments mirrors the historical resilience of women, their ability to transform what little they have into survival. 

"The sewing of leftover scraps into garments and coverlets also tests women’s resourcefulness to use what comes to hand to provide for themselves and their families, even to the using of rags to clean and absorb menstrual blood."

By drawing attention to both ecological and gender justice, Kenyon hopes it will spark critical conversations about consent, empowerment, and the collective strength of women. "We hope to spark conversations between women and survivors of any gender around consent, female empowerment, survival, and sisterhood."

To get a better understanding, please see the pictures.

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The Most Powerful Moment on Stage

The performers also spoke about moments on stage that go beyond choreography, turning into lived experiences that evolve with each performance. For Sara Maurizi, I Have a Bruise is not just a dance piece but a journey that unfolds in unexpected ways each time. "Performing this work is a journey, and each time it is a unique and powerful experience. There are many moments in the performance that still catch me by surprise and are real and true, like the very first time."

One such moment that stays with her is the striking three-minute sequence where performers lock eyes with the audience. It’s an unspoken connection that carries an emotional weight beyond words.

"Sometimes I find someone's eyes, and I stay with them for the whole duration. We don't know each other, but we don't need to speak to be able to say everything, see each other, and share love, strength, and compassion. Other times, the audience members find it very hard to keep eye contact, and I spend three minutes looking for someone who will keep their gaze with me. This is also very powerful in its vulnerability and nakedness."

Kenyon also reflects on the significance of stillness in the performance, highlighting how moments of silence often hold the deepest emotions. "I also love the line in silence and stillness. This moment of calm and connecting with the audience is very powerful and often generates a lot of emotions from both the performers and the audience."

Beyond the gaze and silence, the act of embracing each other on stage remains one of the most profound and deeply moving aspects of the piece. "I also have chills every time we embrace in the piece. Those moments are always authentic, genuine, and done with love and care for one another."

Take a look at the powerful performance here.

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SheThePeople also asked Laura Kenyon and Sara Maurizi about the role of physical expression in helping survivors reconnect with their bodies. They shared insights on how practices like yoga, exercise, dance, and theatre have played a transformative role in this healing process.

Additionally, they reflected on how they would guide survivors who may feel disconnected from their bodies due to societal conditioning or past experiences. The conversation also touched on the impact of their performance, as they recounted moments when audience members, many of them survivors, opened up and shared personal stories after watching the piece.

How have movement practices like yoga, dance, or theatre helped women reclaim their connection with their bodies?

Sara Maurizi: Something that we discuss often in our work is how trauma is ''stored'' in the body, which keeps memories, pain, and reenacts the fight or flight response.

Sometimes the survivors are not ready to share or process traumatic memories with words, and movement can be a very helpful tool to access them and find a new path for healing. Dance, breathwork, and movement are extremely beneficial tools for regulating the nervous system and getting in touch with ourselves. 

Both through our own personal journeys and through what participants have shared with us throughout the project, we can say that dance and movement are extremely beneficial tools to regain confidence, empowerment, and trust within our bodies. 

How would you guide women who may feel disconnected from their bodies due to societal conditioning or past experiences?

Sara Maurizi: As women, often our bodies carry many narratives, which are attached to us by society and our life experiences. Through dance and movement, we can allow ourselves to gain back the power over our bodies and get back in ownership of their narratives. 

Our toolbox offers many ways in which women, connecting with their own creativity and inner world, can access their own needs and give new words to their stories. Creative writing, improvisation, movement-based tasks in response to artworks, and group conversations are some of the ways in which we encourage our participants to get in touch with themselves in a more instinctive and direct way. Sometimes physical expression can be a much more powerful tool than words to undo the structures attached to us and find empowerment in our own skin.

Can you share a powerful audience response that stayed with you after the performance?

Laura Kenyon: Women often share personal stories during and after the workshop. We store a lot of emotions in certain parts of the body, which means that naturally, when moving and improvising physically, this releases tensions that can trigger memories and emotions linked to certain experiences and episodes. Usually they are linked to past trauma, which can be evoked during the workshops.

Sara Maurizira: It has happened several times that audience members and workshop participants have disclosed personal stories to us.  Something that is often emerging is how there is a lack of safe spaces to talk openly about sexual assault and violence against women. Many people, including ourselves, have found WomanEwer as a safe space where women can feel supported and seen. 

Learn more about the performers who curated J’ai Un Bleu in collaboration with W.I.P Labs here.