RESEARCH AT THE ACADEMY
Research-Based Art Informing and Reflecting the DBWA Philosophy conducted by members of the Bitove Academic Advisory Board, including the Director of the Bitove Academy
"Cracked: New light on dementia”, Partnerships in Dementia Care, University of Waterloo. (the Bitove Academy is one of the Partners) Collaborators: J. Gray, S.L. Dupuis, G. Mitchell, P. Kontos, C. Jonas-Simpson, S. Applewhaite, L.N. Kalamanski, M.E MacLean, C.F. Muir, M. Prince, T. Machin, D. Talbot.
A research-based drama presentation featuring qualitative research with persons living with dementia, family care partners, and health care practitioners. The production challenges assumptions of loss that define current conceptions of dementia, and advocates a new ethic of care premised on the importance of bringing relationships to the forefront, supporting embodied self-expression, and ensuring the humanity of those living with dementia is fully supported.
Impact: Cracked has been publicly performed 24 times and has been seen by approximately 2,000 people. Performance highlights include: a keynote presentation for 400 delegates of a national conference on aging in March 2014; inclusion through an adjudication process in the SpringWorks Indie Theatre and Arts Festival in Stratford, Ontario for three performances in May 2014; performances at long-term care and retirement homes in Toronto, New Hamburg, and Midland, Ontario in 2014; and 2 performances featured at the Ontario Science Centre as part of Brain Fest in January 2015. Cracked has garnered media attention from television, radio, newspapers, and magazines, including interviews with the researchers on Daytime at Rogers TV and CBC Radio in May 2014.
See Promotional Video of the Play