BREATHE: a dance production on Hip Hop + Mental Health
Choreographer: Mike 'Piecez' Prosserman / Supporting choreographers / Outside eye: Kosi Eze and Caroline ‘Lady C’ Fraser / Filmmaker: Icy / Photo credit: KTCHN productions
GENRE: DANCE
TOPIC: ANXIETY, COMMUNITY, DEPRESSION, FAMILY, PSYCHIATRY, SCHIZOPHRENIA, TRAUMA
Breathe expresses a journey from spark to growth to breakdown to acceptance. The piece includes a mix of Breakin’, Popping and House dance styles with a focus on Breakin’. This piece is inspired by Breakin’ culture, the artist’s power-infused dance style and his experience battling with anxiety. Breathe is a journey into the height of success and the depth of anxiety. We live in a world filled with high expectations from self and others. Breathe lets audiences know that it’s okay not to feel okay. Breathe highlights Breakin’ as an art form with depth, character and history stemming from the roots of lived experience. Accepting who we are. One day at a time. One breath after another. BREATHE.
Michael ‘Piecez’ Prosserman has been Breakin’ since 1999. Piecez has taught, competed, judged and performed for hundreds of audiences from Asia to Europe to the Canadian Arctic. By high school, he was accepted into Cirque Du Soleil and featured in the motion picture Honey. Piecez is the founder of a grassroots movement that uses hip hop to improve youth mental health called Unity Charity. Piecez is a best-selling author of the new book Building Unity, a university instructor and a mental health advocate. In his solo Breathe, Piecez shares his experiences with mental illness in a leadership role.
CONTENT WARNINGS
Strobe Light
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Michael ‘Piecez’ Prosserman and guests will be participating in two virtual Q&A’s:
Saturday, October 17, 8 PM
“Breathe: a dance production + conversation on Mental Health + Community”
Wednesday, October 21, 6 PM
“Breathe: a dance production + conversation on Mental Health + Work”
Please note: virtual tickets are to watch the film (and other content in the Re:Building Resilience Exhibition); for virtual discussions, please register through the Zoom links below.
There is one virtual ticket available for the entire Re:Building Resilience Exhibition. Whether you’d like to see one project or all of them, you only need to book one ticket to access everything. The exhibition runs October 15-25, and all purchasers will be sent a link to view the virtual content. Any ticket bought prior to October 15 will receive a follow up email on the 15th with the link.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Virtual Discussion on ZOOM: Mental Health + Community
- Sat, Oct 17, 8 PM
An Active Listener will be available Sat, Oct 17 from 8-9pm to support this program.
Your active listener for this program is Christeen.
You can connect with Christeen by phone (talk or text) at (289) 779-4114 or by email at christeen.salik@gmail.com.
Virtual Discussion on ZOOM: Mental Health + Work
- Wed, Oct 21, 6 PM
An Active Listener will be available Wed, Oct 21 from 6-7pm to support this program.
Your active listener for this program is Jamie.
You can connect with Jamie by phone (talk or text) at (647) 365-3382 or by email at gladitudelistens@gmail.com
ACCESSIBILITY
ASL Interpreted, Open Captions, Active Listener
Self-Care Kits are available for free curbside pickup to ticket holders. Kits can be picked up from 651 Dufferin Street between the hours of 12PM-9PM, October 15-25. If pickup is not an accessible option for you, contact justina_zatzman@workmanarts.com for accommodation.