A dance-theater work exploring silence, grief, ritual, memory, and embodied joy.


The Way Back

The Way Back is a new dance-theater work in development by WADE exploring silence, grief, ritual, memory, and the possibility of embodied joy. Written and choreographed by Giada Matteini, the work draws from her experience as a survivor of domestic violence, tracing a journey from trauma toward healing, resilience, and joy.

Performed by Matteini with dancers Alisha Khatwani and Chiara Pretelli or Natalia Nitikin, the work creates a dialogue between past and present. The two younger performers embody earlier versions of the choreographer's self, revealing the vulnerability, strength, and hope that emerge through rebuilding a life after violence, while reflecting the realities of pursuing an artistic career alongside single motherhood.

Developed in partnership with anti-violence organizations including Rompi il Silenzio and La Nara in Italy, and the Domestic Violence Project in New York City, The Way Back extends beyond the stage to support survivor-centered communities, fostering dialogue, reflection, and collective healing.

PROGRAM


I. Soft Flesh Armor
Text & Choreography: Giada Matteini
Performers: Alisha Khatwani and Chiara Pretelli/Natalia Nikitin
Music: Wings 3* — Michael Wall

II. Silence
Text: What Does Silence Feel Like? and Improvisation Score — Giada Matteini
Improvisation & Performers: Alisha Khatwani and Chiara Pretelli/Natalia Nikitin
Music: Birds* — faebaern; Morning Birds — Nature Sounds

III. Yearning / Grieving
Choreography: Giada Matteini
Performers: Chiara Pretelli/Natalia Nikitin with Alisha Khatwani
Music: Moving Through* — Alexa Sunshine Rose & Aimée Ringle

IV. Before 8:00am
Text: Before 8:00am and Improvisation Score — Giada Matteini
Improvisation & Performers: Alisha Khatwani and Chiara Pretelli/Natalia Nikitin

V. Mother's Love
Choreography & Performer: Giada Matteini
Music: Mother's Love — The Vernon Spring

VI. The Men I Didn't Marry
Text: The Men I Didn't Marry — Giada Matteini
Performer: Alisha Khatwani

VII. La bambola
Choreography: Giada Matteini
Performer: Alisha Khatwani
Music: La bambola — Patty Pravo

VIII. Light After the Storm
Text & Choreography: Giada Matteini
Performers: Alisha Khatwani and Chiara Pretelli/Natalia Nikitin
Music: Le temps est bon — Bon Entendeur & Isabelle Pierre

Music marked with an asterisk (*) was edited by Alisha Khatwani.

Special thanks to Kimmie Pau Boston for her support with staging and dramaturgy.


Performances & Public Presentations

The development of The Way Back is connected to WADE’s broader movement and community-based work with survivors of domestic violence. Through workshops, movement explorations, and performance, participants are invited to transform personal and collective experiences into creative expressions of resilience, agency, and survival.

Performances to Date:

  • Domestic Violence Project, NYC— July 14, 2026

  • Rompi il Silenzio, Rimini, Italy— July 25, 2026 — see full performance HERE

  • Centro Didattico Polifunzionale, Carmignano, Italy — July 29, 2026 — see full performance HERE

Upcoming Performances:

  • Fridman Gallery, NYC— October 28 and 30, 2026 @ 7:00pm

The development of The Way Back serves as the pilot for Body as Witness, a collaborative workshop created with peer leaders from the Domestic Violence Project. Through movement, dialogue, and storytelling, participants explore how trauma is carried and transformed through the body, translating experiences of domestic violence into embodied practices of reflection, resilience, and voice. The workshop will culminate in the short film See Me Whole, which will be presented as part of WADE’s October gallery exhibition on Monday, October 25th @ 6:00pm.


See Me Whole invites audiences to see survivors beyond the violence they have experienced—to encounter the people they are, the identities they hold, and the lives they are creating.