Blacksburg Performance on Interpersonal Violence
BLACKSBURG, VA — “A Black Love Conversation: Being B.A.D. Embodying Redemption Through Theatre” performance and talk is part of the Women’s Center’s 25th anniversary celebration.
“My piece is about the exploration of freedom through the body and the redemption of breaking the cycle of violence in families,” Brittney S. Harris, Virginia Tech Theatre department and performer, said. “It’s looking at the systemic foundation of women thinking that it’s okay to be treated a certain way from birth because that’s all they saw growing up, so it’s ingrained in them; how to break that cycle and then cleanse yourself to move forward.”
On Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 4 p.m., Harris gave a performance of her show, “Being B.A.D. Embodying Redemption Through Theatre”, at the Perspective Gallery in Squires Student Center on Virginia Tech’s campus. After the performance, Harris and Yolanda L. Avent, Senior Director of Cultural and Community Centers at Virginia Tech, held a talkback about the performance.
The performance told the story of a woman’s abusive relationship with her romantic partner and of how she witnessed a similar relationship between her mother and father. After attending a program for abuse survivors, she learns to reclaim her power through self-love — dance, specifically. During the show, the main character relives her experiences and then cleanses herself of them.
“There are other ways to explore anger and rage and redemption, not just through words but sometimes through performance,” Harris stated. “Sometimes that visual image of seeing the redemption of standing up — the redemption of cleansing yourself can be visually stimulating to some people that may not see beyond their own veil.”
Harris first performed this piece in January as part of the 60 minute production, “Three Hysterical Women: Explorations of ‘Feminine’ Rage”. The production included Harris’s “Being B.A.D.” and two other solo pieces performed by theatre faculty members.
“I believe this type of work helps people process,” Harris remarked. “This is a formative platform that not only shows you the possible negative but the possible strength.”
After the performance, Avent, Harris and audience members were engaged in a discussion on relationship abuse and social media’s normalization and perpetuation of abuse. During the conversation, current movements such as #MeToo and Times Up were discussed. Individuals in the audience could ask questions alongside Avent’s prepared questions.
“It’s very much about empowering and amplifying women and women’s voices. My main goal was just to give a platform to a woman in the arts at Virginia Tech,” Alicia Swiz, Program Coordinator at Virginia Tech Women’s Center said. “What I want the audience to take away is that you can get art here, you can get culture here, you can get dialogues beyond the norm at Tech.”
Another purpose of this event was to bring more awareness to the resources available on campus for those suffering abuse or in need of counseling. On campus resources for survivors of relationship abuse include the Virginia Tech Women’s Center and Cook Counseling Services.
“I hope audience members learn more about being an advocate for people of interpersonal violence or intimate partner violence,” Harris stated. “Their narratives don’t just stop with the headlines.”
Harris herself is a survivor of relationship abuse. Her piece was also heavily influenced by the 2016 killing of a kindergarten teacher, Karen Smith. Harris specializes in Activist Theatre, which is research-based and uses the stage as a political platform.
“The performance left me feeling very reflective about the experience of trauma, the way abuse looks, the way love looks,” Justin Grimes, an audience member shared. “It was so powerful and moving; how you cleanse yourself, work through the trauma and emotions and come out of the other side more self-fulfilled — a whole person.”
Performed in the Perspective Gallery, audience members were surrounded by student artwork celebrating black love.
A counselor from the Women’s Center was also present because sensitive content and topics were being discussed and performed.
A second performance took place on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 4 p.m. with Andrea N. Baldwin, Assistant Professor in Women’s & Gender Studies and Africana Studies, as moderator.
This performance was part of the numerous events in celebration of the Women’s Center’s 25th anniversary happening throughout the spring semester. The Women’s Center partnered with the Perspective Gallery, School of Performing Arts, Virginia Tech Cultural and Community Centers, Sociology Department, Women’s & Gender Studies, and Africana Studies to organize this event.