Sanctuary
Sanctuary Program
The creative process was a mix of structured improvisation and choreographic work by myself and with dancers.
***I offer text for the spoken words in Generational Trauma, Systemic Dysfunction, Bittersweet Dysfunction, and Transitional Dysfunction. Please note that some text is redacted because it contains personal memories I do not want in print.
***Generational Trauma
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Amber Hongsermeier, and Hannah Misangyi
Music: Generational Trauma by Amber Hongsermeier
Disordered Household
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Amber Hongsermeier, Aria Iuso Hannah Misangyi, and India Scott
Music: Bering by Talkdemonic
Problematic Ties
Dancers: Amber Hongsermeier and Hannah Misangyi
Music: Lessons by SOHN
***Systemic Dysfunction
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Aria Iuso, Hannah Misangyi, and India Scott
Music: Systemic Dysfunction by Amber Hongsermeier
Enmeshment
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Aria Iuso, Hannah Misangyi, and India Scott
Music: Underwater Lament by Murcof
Trauma Bond
Dancers: Shelby Bakota and Amber Hongsermeier
Music: Fire Thief by Murcof
***Bittersweet Dysfunction
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Aria Iuso, and India Scott
Music: Bittersweet Dysfunction by Amber Hongsermeier
Dissociation
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Aria Iuso, Hannah Misangyi, and India Scott
Music: Unfold by Olafur Arnalds with SOHN
Wishful Imagination
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Aria Iuso, and India Scott
Music: When Flowers Grew Wild by Matthew Mayer
Purging Catharsis
Dancers: Aria Iuso and India Scott
Music: Bad Things by Cults
***Transitional Dysfunction
Dancers: Shelby Bakota, Amber Hongsermeier, Aria Iuso, Hannah Misangyi, and India Scott
Music: Transitional Dysfunction by Amber Hongsermeier
***Generational Trauma
The systemic dysfunction found in family systems has many names, such as historical trauma, ancestral trauma, or generational trauma. However, generational trauma is more commonly used when referring to this type of cumulative psychological and emotional wounds that happen across lifespans and generations. The family system is impacted by society and culture at large. Still, social stigmas and implicit biases the family internalizes through their passing down of oral histories are highly niche to the family. Often, we can understand how families frame themselves by how they explain struggle and hardship within the oral histories they carry, which can produce positive and negative influence. For instance, it is positive when a family member uses these stories to embody resilience, while a negative is when a family member uses stories to lead them to self-destructive ways.
Those events that become the basis of generational trauma are often extreme events, abuse, or prolonged periods of difficult times. Common causes of generational trauma can include being a witness or experiencing domestic violence or physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Another is oppression in various forms, such as racial, economic, religious, gender, or class-based. Often, a more silent version of trauma is physical, emotional, educational, or medical neglect. There are also traumatic events such as genocide, war, natural disasters, community violence, life-threatening illnesses, or untreated mental health crises that provide the family with their generational trauma origin story.
From these events and culture at large, we learn to internalize systemic biases, in their many forms, that are deeply ingrained in our society. They include racism, sexism, ageism, ableism, classism, ethnocentrism, colorism, nepotism, elitism, and fundamentalism to name a few. These '-isms' are not isolated incidents but pervasive and systemic issues. They are interconnected manifestations of bias, whether conscious or unconscious, that perpetuate oppression and inequities in our culture. While not all '-isms' are inherently oppressive, they all have the potential to be used for oppression, highlighting the complex roots of systemic biases.
Just as a tree has a complex root system, so does how generational trauma plays out in families… (Personal memories redacted)
The way to understand if a family tree is healthy is how they deal with their wounds or if they even realize that parts of the tree are rotten. In dysfunctional families, generational trauma is passed down by never healing the system but instead by moving on and pretending like nothing happened. This is also done when family members stay silent when things need to be addressed or do not allow free speech due to others being unable to handle their emotions. Like the ancestral spirit of the family, the tree will continue to have festering and damaged parts until someone learns how to heal. However not many individuals want to be the transgressor or curse breaker as this will also make them the black sheep and outcast of the family.
***Systemic Dysfunction
Systemic relates to a system, especially as opposed to a particular part. The family unit is a system, and the stories each carries in their oral history will incorporate a variety of narratives… (Personal memories redacted)
Systemic disorders and diseases are health conditions affecting one or more parts of a system. For example, a human body includes but is not limited to various subsystems that make up the body, such as the nervous, endocrine, muscular, lymphatic, and respiratory systems. Diabetes, a disease that affects the body's ability to produce enough insulin, is a systemic disease that can impact multiple parts of the body. The affected body may take years to show signs of damage but will slowly show it's lack of health with eye problems, poor wound healing, kidney damage, cardiovascular disease, and potential death. These show that the body system is a sum of all parts, as each family member makes up a family tree. It shows that many systemic disorders and diseases may change over time and are primarily hidden, much like the ills of the ancestral line. It is an unknown impulse that is in human nature to gloss over the details to uphold group mentalities of goodness. Still, it is usually at the great expense of factuality. Acknowledging the negatives in our family history is crucial to understanding systemic issues and promoting open-mindedness and introspection, engaging us in the process of self-reflection and growth.
Systemic dysfunction in families profoundly impacts specific patterns of behavior and belief systems. These negative influences can shape how the family behaves and internalizes mindsets. By recognizing the impact of systemic dysfunction and developing a greater sense of empathy, we can understand and support those affected, fostering a culture of compassion and care. However, this compassionate understanding is not what happens in a family where systemic dysfunction resides.
***Bittersweet Dysfunction
Often, in families with generational trauma, a bittersweet dichotomy exists regarding the next generation. On one hand, their children are seen as a beacon of hope, a reason for persevering, and a potential redemption for personal failures. Family members may express that their children are the reason they carry on. Yet, the child becomes the scapegoat when the family member is presented with difficult situations.
For instance… (Personal memories redacted)
It is crucial to note that those with generational trauma often lack emotional intelligence and are frequently stuck in fight or flight mode. These children are indoctrinated into the family's specific brand of generational trauma, experiencing the chaotic personal landscape of their family's interpersonal relationships. The impact of these experiences leads the children to have higher rates of low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, insomnia, anger, and self-destructive behaviors. Family members may see the child needing help, but they do nothing because they don't know better. With the lack of services to correct generational trauma, it persists, and the emotional pain of everyday existence becomes home in the bodies of those who are affected. The body then becomes a scorekeeper instead of a sanctuary.
***Transitional Dysfunction
When we feel fear, it is because we need a greater sense of safety. This emotional need triggers a series of physical responses in the body, such as widened eyes, dilated pupils, a racing heart, and fidgety behaviors with hands and feet. Internally, the mind may race and be more sensitive to external stimuli such as touch, which is the body's way of preparing for a potential threat.
When anger flares, it often shows in our physical stance. Common signs include a furrowed brow, a flushed face, tense and clenched muscles, and a forward-leaning posture. These physical changes are a natural response to increased blood pressure, which boosts blood flow and the body's readiness to defend itself, leading to muscle contractions that prepare for a fight.
When sadness envelops us, it's often accompanied by a sense of hazy heaviness. This can leave us yearning for connection or suspended in a state of dissociation. Physically, it's reflected in a slower heart rate, breathing, and decreased sensation. These changes are due to a drop in happy brain chemicals, such as dopamine and oxytocin, that lead to desensitization of the body's systems.
When we are disgusted, we respond by needing to avoid consuming or metabolizing something. In the body, this can feel like a lump in the throat, nausea, an empty feeling in the stomach, or the need to look away and avoid eye contact with those who evoke this emotion. Other physical responses to disgust can include a wrinkled nose, a recoiling body posture, or even a change in breathing pattern.
These emotions and physical manifestations are all standard processes and responses of a healthy and regulated individual. However, those who are born into systemically dysfunctional family have a higher likelihood of being unable to find healthy connection to their emotional, mental, spiritual, and bodily selves. These individuals can react undersensitively or oversensitively to everyday situations that are inappropriate for an everyday type of circumstance.
Generational wealth is often associated with financial assets but also includes a regulated nervous system, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. These qualities can be passed down through generations by teaching children how to manage their emotions, understand others' perspectives, and recognize their strengths and weaknesses. This wealth is invaluable, equipping individuals with the tools to navigate life's challenges and build healthy relationships.
For people who don't have this generational wealth passed to them, it is incredibly hard to develop them on your own, especially when the family you come from chooses to remain stuck in toxic and underserving patterns of thoughts and behaviors. Every interaction with the unhealed family members becomes a battle to not fall back into learned behaviors. Such as… (Personal memories redacted)
A quote from psychologist Dr. Carlfred Broderick explains a transitional character as "a person who, in a single generation, changes the entire course of a lineage. Who somehow find a way to metabolize the poison and refuse to pass it on to their children. They break the mold. Their contribution to humanity is to filter the destructiveness out of their lineage so that the generations downstream will have a supportive foundation upon which to build productive lives." This concept of a transitional character offers hope and the potential for change and growth. A transitional character is someone who consciously works to break the negative patterns and behaviors that have been passed down through generations, thereby creating a healthier and more supportive environment for future generations.
To be a transitional character is to be an equal parts transgressor, curse breaker, and a black sheep and disrupter. It is to have many dark nights of the soul, but the family edition. Usually, you won't get any recognition, accolades, or gold stars for being the squeaky wheel, and you'll upset many people; whether you enjoy this may decide if spite strengthens your resolve. A transitional character is a hollow victory for those who take the path towards resilience, but it is one taken for survival. While your efforts for yourself are to survive the chaos, you become an example for others who wish to end the cycle of generational curses like yourself and see it can be done.
Movement Facilitator/Choreographer Biography
Originally from Central Nebraska, Amber Hongsermeier is a neurodivergent and interdisciplinary movement artist, educator, and dance filmmaker. She received her BA in Dance with a history minor from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where she was awarded the Porter Award for Creativity in Dance. In 2021, she earned her MFA in Dance from Rutgers University with her thesis focused on finding embodiment by exploring archetypes in astrology and tarot. Also, in 2021, she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training with Lila Flow Yoga.
Her varied educational and performance background consists of commercial, concert, and vernacular dance forms, which gives a nuanced understanding of aesthetics and the high-brow and low-brow narratives built around these forms. She has performed works by Kayvon Pourazar, Blanca Huertas-Agnew, Jody Sperling, Pavel Zustiak, and Jessica Bostock. Her work for stage and film has been shown in Nebraska, Iowa, Washington, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Japan. Often, her creative research uses frameworks from cultural anthropology, Jungian psychology, religious studies, and somatics to examine Western society, especially concerning the body, spirituality, and movement. She regularly attends dance conferences, giving presentations or experimental workshops on somatics and neurodiversity-affirming practices for dance education and the choreographic process.
Currently, she resides in South Jersey/Philadelphia, where she works as a full-time dance professional and part-time tarot reader. She is slowly editing her newest dance film (home) (stead), which was partially filmed in Philadelphia and at an artist residency at Homestead National Historical Park in Beatrice, NE. There, she also conducted several oral history interviews with family members based on Dr. Yael Danieli’s questionnaire, the “Danieli Inventory of Multigenerational Legacies of Trauma.”
Collaborators Biographies
Shelby Bakota (she/her) is an emerging choreographer and performer from Southern New Jersey. Shelby focused her classical studies at Ballet NJ under David Gallagher. She attended Gloucester County Institute of Technology, where she trained in modern, ballet, and contemporary forms. Shelby graduated with a BFA in Dance from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Her work as an artist also involves her Political Science minor. While at Rutgers, she trained in modern, ballet, contemporary, improvisation, and cultural dance forms. She has performed in works by Pam Tanowitz, John Evans, Niall Jones, Alfdaniels Mabingo, and multiple student choreographers. Recently, Bakota’s choreographic work has centered around human connection and experience, influenced by her yoga teaching and practice. Currently, Shelby is performing with Leigha Barkto and is a freelance artist in South Jersey and Philadelphia.
Aria Iuso is a New Orleans born and raised, now Philadelphia based dance artist. She is largely a performance artist with interests in choreography, somatic practices, and dance education. Her practice is influenced by the body’s organic response to musicality, stemming from her background of growing up in New Orleans with a musician-filled family. Additionally, her work as a dance artist is built upon her belief that dance should be valued as a career which she plans to encourage in her work as an educator. Aria attended Benjamin Franklin High School as well as New Orleans Center for Creative Arts where she received her high school dance
Hannah Misangyi's journey began in State College, PA, where she honed her skills in ballet and modern dance at The Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania. Her path led her to Haverford College, where she furthered her dance training at Bryn Mawr College and founded Shift Dance Company, a collegiate contemporary dance performance company. Today, she shares her passion as an educator at Tilden Middle School in Philadelphia, while continuing to dance and perform. She has previously performed with the mod go-go group, the Trestle Specials, and other contemporary-based dance companies in the Philadelphia area. Her unique training background includes aerial arts, focusing on pole dancing. She is thrilled to be a part of Sanctuary.
India Scott is a Philadelphia based dancer and choreographer. In her work she explores the spectrum of self, identity, and sexuality through a feminist lens while also exploring how these areas interact with the media and literature. She is interested in taking her work from the general to the personal, and working collaboratively and intimately with other dancers and artists. India received her diploma at Capital Area School for the Arts in Harrisburg PA, where she largely focused on interdisciplinary arts, as well as improvisational and choreographic techniques. She is currently completing her B.S. in Dance from Drexel University (June 2024), where she largely focused on refining her technical vocabulary and exploring research in dance and choreographic methods. India has performed for multiple years with Drexel Dance Ensemble (DDE) directed by Olive Prince and Rebecca Malcom-Naib. She has also created numerous works for DDE, as well as Drexels FreshDance ensemble, and Drexels Sites of Dance shows. Additionally, she has performed at the Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival and Puerto Rico Classical Dance Competitions annual gala. She has also performed in a self produced show alongside her graduating class at Drexel University. For six months of her collegiate career she worked as an apprentice for Andazna, based in San Juan Puerto Rico. Here she also worked as an administrative intern and assisted in the back-stage work for professional shows.
Works Cited:
Danieli, Y., and I. Maidan. “Multigenerational Legacies of Trauma”. Psychosomatic Medicine and General Practice, vol. 8, no. 1, Mar. 2023, p. e0801409, doi:10.26766/pmgp.v8i1.409.
Hernandez Kent, Ana, and Lowell R. Ricketts. “U.S. Wealth Inequality: Gaps Remain Despite Widespread Wealth Gains.” St Louis Federal Reserve Bank, Open Vault Blog, 7 Feb. 2024, https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2024/feb/us-wealth-inequality-widespread-gains-gaps-remain. Accessed 15 Aug. 2024.
Hongsermeier, Amber. Personal recollections of dancers reflections and view of their movements throughout the creative process. 2 July 2024-22 September 2024.
Isobel, Sophie & Goodyear, Melinda & Foster, Kim. (2017). Psychological Trauma in the Context of Familial Relationships: A Concept Analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. 20. 152483801772642. 10.1177/1524838017726424.
Van der Kolk, Bessel A. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York, New York, Penguin Books, 2015.