Listen Project

The LISTEN Project

People who have been impacted by cancer seek emotional healing in myriad ways. Firefly Sisterhood recently had the honor of engaging in a unique and meaningful avenue for reflection. One of our local partner organizations, Gilda’s Club Twin Cities, invited us to participate in their recent project: LISTEN/Stories of Cancer told through Movement, Music, and Voice. Through collaboration with local performance company, Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater, participants explored cancer’s impact on their lives. These perspectives came from those currently living with cancer, survivors, those who have experienced the death of someone from cancer, caregivers and family members, and health care professionals, among others.

During weekly sessions this past summer and fall, participants shared their stories and transformed them into movement, music, and vocal art. The process culminated in an hour-long performance at Minneapolis’ Lab Theater in October. Ali DeCamillis, Program Director at Gilda’s Club, was the catalyst behind the LISTEN project. Sharing feedback from the performers, she states, “…this project took them out of their comfort zone, challenged their sense of identity, engaged them in a meaningful and creative process, and transformed their stories.”

The performance was powerful and paralleled the emotional roller coaster of dealing with cancer: sometimes haunting, sometimes hopeful; fear and frankness intertwined with moments of levity and gratitude. Participants performed alongside the professional theater company using a mix of personal narratives, contemporary dance and movement, vocals, film, and music. Sharing one’s story verbally isn’t always effective; the words simply cannot tell the whole story. This project allowed participants another way to share their lived experiences with cancer. Thank you to Ali and Gilda’s Club Twin Cities for welcoming Firefly Sisterhood’s involvement! In an upcoming blog, we’ll hear from two women who were directly involved in LISTEN.

Watch the performances via YouTube by clicking HERE.