A Bending Of Its Own Kind
USING ART TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCES OF THOSE LIVING WITH CHRONIC PAINStarted in 2017 by choreographer Rebekah Hampton Barger as a way to explore her experience with severe scoliosis and to reconcile her relationship with her body, Bending has evolved into a multidisciplinary platform that combines various art forms to challenge ableist norms, foster empathy, and celebrate resilience.
Our creative process is co-designed with individuals from the chronic pain community using interviews, roundtable discussions, and workshops to inform choreography and storytelling.
Many company dancers live with chronic pain themselves, and adaptive choreographic methods that honor each artist’s unique anatomy and lived experience are central to our rehearsal process.
Project History
Originally commissioned by OZ Arts Nashville in 2017, the full-length production of “A Bending Of Its Own Kind” premiered to a sold-out audience. In addition to collaborations with fashion designer Caitlin Stolley of Lily Guilder Design, musicians Derek Pearson & Ryan LaFave, & live painting by visual artist Mary Mooney, this performance featured the debut of our invented aerial apparatus, the SpineVine - designed by metal artist Robert Cortner to mirror Rebekah’s spinal x-rays.
5 years from the original production that focused primarily on Rebekah’s personal journey, this new iteration expanded the framework to look at the experience of the broader chronic pain community.
We partnered with the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and presented a medical-professional-only performance that focused on the complicated relationship those with chronic conditions have with the medical community. Dance and performance were used to communicate aspects of living with chronic pain that are difficult to express in a clinical setting.
Adding a layer of irony to the project, an intense flare related to Rebekah’s chronic health issues kept her from performing. But in a testament to the power of community, the rest of the cast rallied to build an alternate version & the show went on.
This third iteration of the full-length work was hosted in the summer of 2024 by Dragonfly Aerial & Circus Arts in Knoxville, TN, and was the first time it was performed outside of Nashville. RHB and other Company Artists also led masterclasses in both contemporary and aerial dance, which allowed us to further connect with the Knoxville arts community.
MORE BENDING
"MY BODY, MY FRENEMY"
This educational lecture-demonstration, which includes a talk by choreographer Rebekah Hampton Barger, a creative/reflection prompt, a company performance, and a Q&A with the performers, gives young dancers tools to navigate the complex relationships they have with their bodies—an especially vital conversation in the dance world, where injury and perfectionism are common. These opportunities allow us to embed our values—care-centered creation, inclusion, and representation—into arts education and help shape the next generation of dancers.
"Who's to say this will make more sense the next time through"
This dance film examines life with chronic illness & seeks to communicate the experience of those in the chronic pain community. Development of this work began by gathering stories from 20 individuals who live with a variety of chronic conditions. Audra Almond-Harvey, a writer & performance artist who lives with several chronic illnesses, meditated on the responses we received & wrote what she describes as a “love letter to patients & healers”. Then composer Dan Wright, another artist with a chronic condition, created an underscore that beautifully supports Audra’s words.
During the live premiere of the piece in June 2022, an intense flare related to choreographer Rebekah Barger’s chronic health issues kept her from performing. But in a testament to the power of community, the rest of the cast rallied to build an alternate version & the show went on. We created this film, in collaboration with filmmaker Michael Mallicote, as a composite that reflects both the original choreography, as well as the beautiful ways that the rest of the dancers stepped in to hold space in Rebekah’s absence.
"In The Shadow of The Curve"
In collaboration with Martin O’Conner Dance and Fine Art Photography, we created a series of photos that highlight the strength & resiliency of these bodies that we inhabit.
The photographs feature three individuals living with varying levels of scoliosis: Abby Welch (Assistant Producer; mild scoliosis), Rebekah Barger (Artistic Director/Choreographer; severe, non-surgical scoliosis), and Becky Welch (Abby’s mother; severe, post-surgical scoliosis).
This collaboration allowed the artists to look at the generational aspects of living with a chronic condition and how it impacts those closest to them. The ultimate goal of this project is to build empathy with the hope of facilitating a richer understanding of each other’s experiences, and for those with chronic illness or physical challenges to not be seen as "other."
A collection from the series was exhibited at the Nashville Parthenon Gallery from October 2022 through January 2023
"ASPIRATION"
This expansion of "Bending" was an ambitious collaboration with experimental chamber music ensemble, chatterbird, that explored the connections between hope and breath, and what each of those means in the face of living with a chronic condition.
Inspired by a conversation between five individuals living with connective tissue disorders, the dancers and musicians developed an hour-long, structured improvisation. FALL Artists we joined live on stage in 2024 by Wu Fei on guzheng, Timbre on harp, Annaliese Kowert on violin, Paul Kowert on bass, and led by R. Aaron Walters on percussion.
