Interview: Ashley Marinaccio Empowers Young Women Through Dance

GIRL BE HEARD is a diverse, girl-powered theatre company that addresses a myriad of issues affecting young women globally. To date the company has ambitiously tackled issues such as sex trafficking, child brides and sexual violence in conflict zones.

The group's latest production Embodi(ED), directed by Ashley Marinaccio and produced by Jessica Greer Morris, is what Ashley describes as a "documentary theatre and dance piece" addressing the prevalence of body dysmorphia and eating disorders in a society governed by an industry-fueled obsession with beauty ideals.

I had the opportunity to engage Ashley about the work and her process. As it turns out Embodi(ED) is more dance-based than previous productions and incorporates the choreography of Ian Stewart, which was integral to the development of the script.

"Ian would take the lead in many rehearsals, leading movement improv exercises that helped frame the discussions and topics we would approach in the writing. Generally, the GIRL BE HEARD script development process is heavily text based, but in the case of Embodi(ED) we approached much of it from a movement and dance place. Once we began to see the shape of the script, Ian and I discussed the moments that would be enhanced through music either through utilizing only dance in some moments or by fusing dance over text, recordings and multimedia."

The extensive use of dance as a primary medium in Embodi(ED) was not an accident. Ashley expressed that she had long been wanting to incorporate dance into GBH pieces. She was able to pull from past experiences as a dancer to inform the work.

"As a kid, I was a competitive dancer and got involved with musical theatre as an ensemble dancer in community theatre productions. I struggled for years because I was a dancer and I had breasts and big hips. I was pressured to lose weight and there was a stigma around my body because, you know, I just wasn't thin. I think I internalized that and started equating body and eating with worthiness.

One of the reasons we are utilizing dance and movement so much in Embodi(ED) is because we are talking about the body, its limitations and the limitations society puts on different bodies, so it's only appropriate that we explore this through movement and utilizing the body."

Considering the sensitive subject matter and the increased emphasis on dance and the body I wondered how well the girls adjusted to this new work but Ashley painted a mostly positive picture, citing strong bonds within the group as a key factor in overcoming internal battles.

"I think with ensemble devised processes, especially when you are working with personal stories and testimonies, there are always things that can be triggering that need to be dealt with. As a director, I aim to provide the cast and creative team with a safe space to engage in difficult conversations. I found that the Embodi(ED) cast became a tight knit family and were really able to support each other in difficult moments. They are a very close group.

There was also a lot of enthusiasm around bringing dance into the documentary theatre process. Our choreographer Ian Stewart was wonderful in making movement accessible and helping the company members realize that even if they don't identify as 'dancers,' they have unlimited potential in their movement ability. I am very happy about how we've incorporated dance and movement into this process and want to keep moving in that direction for future shows."

So, what's next for GIRL BE HEARD and Embodi(ED)?

"We would like to tour this piece to venues across the country and we are exploring the option of doing it in a Fringe festival this Summer. Something that is unique about GIRL BE HEARD's work is that a show is never quite 'finished'. We've found that with pieces like Trafficked and 9mm America, which we debuted years ago and still perform, the shows adjust to the time and place that we're in as a culture and society.

I look forward to seeing what happens with Embodi(ED), the impact the show has on its audiences and the audience impact on the work. I think this show will elicit important dialogue not only about food, body and eating disorders, but about capitalism, consumerism and our role in the system that perpetuates these standards."

GIRL BE HEARD's Embodi(ED) will continue its run this Thursday through Sunday, February 18, 19, 20 and 21.

All tickets can be purchased online at here.org or by phone at 212-352-3101.