MAKING EMBODIMENT VISIBLE

A PODCAST

Making Embodiment Visible is a podcast and video series featuring different artists. The goal is to make visible the transferable life skills artists (primarily from the field of dance) might gain from their practice. Specifically, demonstrating how embodied practice can help build empathy and connection.
Episode 3:
Dance, Conflict Transformation, and the Power of Empathy
In this episode of the Making Embodiment Visible podcast, Lida brings together her dynamic group of research assistants, Elizabeth Duran, Hannah Ennis, Leigha Francis, Brys Peralta Grant, and Liefe Temple. Together they explore how dance can be a tool for conflict transformation and empathy building. This episode features their personal insights as well as project updates from five amazing students from Middlebury College.

Join Lida and her guests as they share their unique perspectives on how dance and movement can foster understanding across differences. From Leigha’s exploration of Jamaican dancehall culture to Bry’s investigation into Ballroom as a framework for climate action, each guest brings a fresh, intersectional approach to tackling complex social issues. Together, they delve into the outcomes of the Movement Matters Global Body in Conflict research grant they received, discussing the process of working with prominent artists in the field and the impact this experience has had on their own work and lives.

Whether you're an artist, an advocate, or simply curious about the power of movement, this episode offers a compelling look into how dance can help us bridge divides and envision a more empathetic world.
Episode 2:
Embodied Improvisation: From Dance to Social Justice with Susan Sgorbati
In this episode, Lida speaks with Susan Sgorbati, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College. Susan shares insights from her journey as a dance artist and educator, and how the principles of dance improvisation inform her work in conflict mediation and social justice. Together, they explore how embodied practices, active listening, and improvisational skills can foster collaboration and create transformative change in both artistic and social contexts.

Susan Sgorbati is the Director of The Center for the Advancement of Public Action at Bennington College where she has been on the faculty for the last thirty-five years. She is the former Dean of Faculty and holds the Barbara and Lewis Jones Chair for Social Activism. In 2018, Sgorbati co-founded the Transboundary Water In-Cooperation Network (TWIN) with Dr. Asim Zia.  TWIN works with communities on six continents in the major river basins of the world. She is also a partner with the African Centre for Climate Action and Rural Development in moving a new Convention forward on Saving the River Deltas for the United Nations (UNCCRD).  In collaboration and conversation with scientists, Sgorbati named a form of improvisation, 'emergent improvisation' and wrote a book called, "Emergent Improvisation: On Spontaneous Composition Where Dance Meets Science".  She also co-founded "Quantum Leap" a program that connected public school students to their education who were at risk of dropping out of school. Over 2000 students participated in this program. Sgorbati completed two projects for the US State Dept. Art in Embassies with Sarah Tanguay and Jon Isherwood, who collaborated with a student collective in creating two public art installations for the new US Embassy in Oslo, Norway and for the new US Consulate in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 
Episode 1: 
​Exploring Embodiment and Art with Heather Geoffrey
In the debut episode of Making Embodiment Visible, host Lida Winfield sits down with multidisciplinary artist Heather Geoffrey. With a background in acrylic painting, digital photography, collage, and performance, Heather shares her unique approach to art as a dialogue between the physical, emotional, and spiritual worlds. Together, they explore how Heather's artistic practices serve as portals to deeper empathy and connection. Through this conversation, they reflect on the ways embodied practices inform teaching, creative expression, and community building.
​
Join us as we delve into the intersection of art and embodiment, uncovering the magic and wonder of Heather’s work and its power to create bridges across differences.