Rebirth:The Story of Women
In honor of Women’s History Month…
It was March 2020.
The month when life forever changed.
Close the door, quarantine, don your mask, wash your hands. Stay far, far away.
Faced with a choice to cry or create, we chose to create
To converse
To connect
To catalyze
As women
Every Monday. 4pm like clockwork. We meet on Zoom. Poets, painters, dancers, actors, directors, singers, photographers - varied ages, different races, assorted backgrounds.
All artists.
We came together through the ultimate bridge and liminal space. The Arts.
In sharing our stories, our history and the honest reflection of our experiences, we understand that we each have a story to share...
STORIES actually… stories that help us to know our common ground. Our humanity.
We see each other. We hear each other. We value one another.
We know that we are all one: interconnected, interdependent, and intertwined in every way.
So we keep talking, sharing, learning, growing
Now, we stand side by side during Women’s History Month to share with you.
But also to invite you
To join with us and with one another to do the same.
Make more connections. Deeper connections. Different connections.
As a way to build empathy, trust, and understanding with others.
And then pass it on.
One year ago when given the choice to cry or create, we chose to create.
In honor of Women’s History Day and Month, we’d like to share a very special piece of the heart of the arts. We thought this might be the perfect opportunity to give new life to our “Story of Women” This project features the stories of women artists who have been meeting together on zoom since the beginning of the pandemic. All month long, we’ll be introducing you to these women one day at a time, one story at a time, one video at a time.
These are our stories. The Story of Women…
This is the story of Shanna T. Melton
Artist & Poet
Open your hand and gently run a finger across the lines of your palm… I am that tingle. Love.
This is the story of Nancy A Herman
Director. Actor. Writer.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
This is the story of Ioana Escu
Artist
Do what you do with so much passion and drive people can’t help but notice.
This is the story of Elana Zabari
Singer & Songwriter
What are we here for if not for each other?
This is the Story of Tina Mollis
Dancer. Singer. Actor
Imagine
This is the Story of Meg Giannotti
Artist & Singer
Let the beauty of what you love be what you do
This is the story of Paige Miglio
Artist. Illustrator. Connector.
Be brave enough to follow your path, even if you don’t know where it is taking you.
This is the story of Lorie Lewis (Part 1: Poem)
Poet.
A happy life is just happy; a meaningful life is everlasting.
This is the story of Lorie Lewis (Part 2: Story)
Everyone’s Best Audience.
Just Love.
3/25: This is the Story of Nancy Hammett
Dancer
I’ve always identified myself as a dancer. Although I sing, act and have a keen interest in history and politics and cherish being grandmother to a very special young lady who is a sophomore at Duke, my dancing spirit resides in my heart. It infuses the marrow of my bones and bubbles up under my skin: my armor, tarnished and beaten with nicks and bruises from years of injury my passion has inflicted upon it.
I hit the ground dancing. My mother kept meticulous records in my baby book, and wrote that, unlike her other friends whose children took their first tentative steps, I rose to my feet unannounced one day, ran 26 steps in many directions, and sat down gracefully as if to take a bow. I took my first lesson in half-day kindergarten, and have never stopped.
I grew up in Chicago and danced professionally at a young age. My short career included performances in and around the city of Chicago at McCormack Place, the Eighth Street Theater, and a European tour, with a stop in Libya, North Africa. But, a serious back injury encouraged me to follow my mother's advice...”you need a day-job”
I held "day-jobs" for over 30 years, supported my now ex-husband while he attended college and made many cross-country moves with him as he embarked on his career. I then raised a daughter as a single mom after our divorce, while commuting to Wall Street and Midtown every day. Until I discovered Nia: an artful and expressive combination of dance, martial arts and healing arts. And, I married a great guy who supports me in so many ways, making it possible to continue my practice and sustain my passion for dance.
It was a magical revelation to discover that it was still possible to dance for a living! I eventually made the break from the corporate grind and established my own studio in Milford. Sound Mind & Body opened in 2001. After fifteen years, I made the decision to make the MAC our home, and changed the name to The Nia Technique, Connecticut. So, contrary to my mom’s warning that a dancer's life is short, here I am, at 73 years of age, still dancing through life! But, questioning, along with many of us these days, where my life is headed.
For now, I’m counting my blessings: my passion and energy for dance that keeps me going, and the wonderful circle of women (and men on occasion) who come to my Nia classes at the MAC on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings...soon starting up again after a year of pandemic interruption.
These thoughts by Joseph Campbell sum up my philosophy of life, and it gives me great pleasure to share them with you...
Follow Your Bliss
If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be. If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn't have opened for anyone else.
Women’s History Month is celebrated all through this month of March. It’s a time to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and to mark a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women's Day has occurred for well over a century with the first gathering held in 1911. Purple, green and white are the colors of International Women's Day. Purple signifies justice and dignity. Green symbolizes hope. White represents purity, albeit a controversial concept. The story of women belongs to the collective efforts of all who care about women and all human rights. The 2021 theme for International Women's Day is “Choose To Challenge” because a challenged world is an alert world. And from challenge comes change. We hope that our stories might inspire and challenge YOU to share your stories too. Let's all #ChooseToChallenge.
Not shown: Kate Taussig, Nija Phelps, Jennifer Paradis, Jolyn Walker, Tantra Zawadi, Shaileen Landsberg, Jacqueline Lema, and Joan Glass