TRACKING PARALLEL

2024

Heidi and her mother Sandra

"TRACKING PARALLEL" is a new, full length dance piece that aims to visually and emotionally portray the surreal and profound connection between Heidi Latsky and her mother, and as well as her daughter. Across five decades, they experienced the same health issue with benign brain tumors. The work will apply a physically dynamic approach with varying Heidi Latsky Dance cast sizes in each section, representing diverse yet interconnected themes. Central to Tracking Parallel will be the inclusion of these mostly long-time dancers/collaborators both disabled and non-disabled, adding authenticity and depth to the performance. Latsky is looking forward to exploring fresh compositions and set designs that will enhance the work. With its innovative concept and creative team, "TRACKING PARALLEL" is poised to make a significant impact in the dance community and beyond. This grant application seeks support to further develop and bring this compelling vision to fruition contributing to.

“She was 33. I was 11. She left our home-my father, my younger brothers and me. She was gone for three months and when she returned, she had seizures and cried every day. I took care of her.

Fifty years later, I unexpectedly ended up in the hospital after thinking I had long COVID for two years.

In a surreal twist of events, I discovered that it wasn’t COVID but a massive benign tumor on my frontal lobe that had blocked my olfactory nerves and disrupted my executive functioning. It had been there for close to 20 years. As I did with my mother, my daughter took care of me. At 23 and a medical student, she was with me all the way and singlehandedly got me to the ER when I had a seizure and fever from the flu two days before surgery.

While in the hospital, I realized how amazingly brave and how much faith my mother had and how much she went through. I missed her so much and spoke with her (I barely slept in the hospital).

I recognized then that my new work TRACKING PARALLEL- initially about the distance between people during and after COVID- was now about my mother and I. We had the same tumor-a benign meningioma which thankfully rests on the brain not in the brain. We had our daughters witnessing and feeling the terror of the situation from their perspectives. Thankfully, I felt no terror but went on automatic pilot.

This is a deeply complex time for me, riddled with so many opposite experiences and emotions. It is a time to heal, be physical AND creative.

I believe this work will be a balm for me and a beautiful and honest journey towards health and art.”

-Artistic Director, Heidi Latsky