Dance Curriculum Toolkit

Title of Resource: The GIMP Project By Heidi Latsky

 

Target Audience: Educators, Students, Parents

 

Description of Resource: After much consideration of this resource, I decided that the benefits of this resource outweighed any potential concerns I could foresee being an issue.  Heidi Latsky's, "The GIMP Project", might appear to be a horrifying resource at first sight, however, the overarching theme of this project is to embrace the word GIMP for all of the positives it's definition possesses.  I found this resource on Heidi Latsky Dance Website however it can be accessed on other websites as well (youtube.com, vimeo.com etc.).  According to the Heidi Latsky Dance Website, the Heidi Latsky Dance mission is, "Can a dance featuring performers with unexpected bodies be perceived as a viable work of art that transcends the striking physical differences seen onstage? Can it create new frames of reference and opportunities? Can audiences reflect on their own bodies and prejudices by confronting their individual responses to bodies different from theirs?  How can the aesthetic anxiety produced by the stare morph into a gaze, where beauty is beheld? Since 2006, these questions have been driving the Heidi Latsky Dance (HLD) creative process and its mission to make passionate dances that redefine beauty and virtuosity." (HeidiLatskyDance.com/gimp-project, About)

 

Appropriateness for High School Students: This video has content that I would hesitate to show to students under the age of 14 (Freshman in high school).  I would not hesitant to show them the choreography because of the different body shapes in Heidi Latsky's company but rather the term "Gimp" is considered to be a degrading word that younger students may not be ready or able to understand yet.  In theory, high school students have the capacity and maturity to handle such "heavy" material such as this.  The exposure and appreciation that I believe high school students will be able to gain from watching this video, outweighs any potential issues that may arise.

 

Use of Resource in Classroom/Ways to Implement this Resource in my Classroom: I think that it is important for students to be exposed to Heidi Latsky's choreography as a way to open their eyes to the endless possibilities out in our world.  Heidi Latsky's company is unique in terms of the physical body of the dancers but also the internal passion and connection that her dancers are able to make with the audience.  I would utilize this video as a teaching aid for showing students that they have the power to do anything they want if they put their mind to it.  Reaching students through an emotional connection they make with the performers as a means for teaching students about expressing an idea/emotion/story etc. through movement, as well as exposing students to this company as it is so different from the a-typical dance company most stereotypically think of.

 

Strengths of Resource as a Teaching Tool (Purpose, Value, Uniqueness, Positive Aspects:  In my opinion, the focus and mission of Heidi Latsky Dance, is one that I feel students would benefit from.  Disabilities are not always physically seen on the outside, some are internal, some we are born with, and some develop over time.  This video is one example of Heidi Latsky's incredible company and choreography working with dancers with various disabilities.  By exposing students to this, I believe that they will be surprisingly inspired and motivated internally and potentially externally to make something of themselves beyond high school graduation.  This benefits ALL students by demonstrating that "the impossible" can "be possible" regardless of what people say.  If students are able to find their inner strength while they are in high school, they will soar in the world as adults!  I think that this video is absolutely necessary for my students to watch as it is truly an inspiring excerpt of the documentary about people who have defied all odds and become professional dancers despite their disabilities. 

 

Possible Modifications to Resource (Weaknesses, Limitations, Supplemental Resources):

Some modifications that I would ideally like to make would be to ideally, I would love to be able to show my students the complete documentary, however, the complete documentary has not been released to the public.  There are other videos from Heidi Latsky Dance that I would also like to include along with "The GIMP Project" video above.  I think that exposing students to this company, enhances their dance experience, but also develops an appreciation of ability amongst students and eliminates the potential hazardous idea of "You can't do it because you have _________ disability".

 

Resource Citation:

Latsky, H. (2009). The GIMP Project. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/y_Gs1nwU0gc

Latsky, H. (2015). The Gimp Project. Retrieved from http://heidilatskydance.com/gimp-project/

 

Additional Information:

Below are additional videos from the Heidi Latsky Company: