Tours of Duty
In this movement/story workshop for veterans, participants are invited to share their stories of military service, including active deployment and returning home. Through group sharing and gentle movement exercises, they find new ways to communicate their life experiences so that they may be heard, honored, and celebrated.
In 2015, SPDT presented a series of movement/story workshops and performances at the VA Adult Day Health Care Program in Richfield, MN as part of a project titled Tours of Duty. This project invited veterans of all ages and abilities to share their stories which were then expressed through movement, music, and text with the assistance of the SPDT company members.
The project culminated with performances by the company presented on-site at the ADHC facility in Richfield, MN. The performances included excerpts from SPDT’s critically acclaimed work, Sentry, described by the New York Times as “a remarkable piece of work.” This work, with a stage design of 80 multicolored sandbags, takes an archetypal look at the life and loneliness of the soldier.
“Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater has offered dynamic programming for the Veterans at our facility; they are quite engaging as they provide inventive, meaningful workshops that greatly benefit the clients that participate in the program. The feedback from the participants is overwhelmingly positive in nature.” – Jed Cates, Recreation Therapist, Adult Day Health Care Program (Richfield, MN)
