“[A] powerful tapestry of memory and women’s stories from seven female Barefoot dancers. On the Backs of Our Mothers links each dancer’s train-related memory or emotion in a series of solos backed by ensemble choreography. Each story includes verbal poetry or narrative, journalled and choreographed by the dancer herself. Josephine [Garibaldi], the overall director, was a joy to watch as she told her central story (her grandfather, killed by a train while her grandmother was pregnant with her mother) passionately and directly, her gestures a mixture of sensuous and curt, detailing everything from a feisty grandmother to a wild three-year-old.”                                                                                         
                                                - Rosemary Ponnekanti, Tacoma News Tribune

May 2-10, 2008 at Barefoot Studios, Tacoma, WA

On the Backs of Our Mothers was cast from a group of women from the local arts community. Aged 25 years to 65 years, cast members include choreographers/dancers Katharine M. Stricker and Stephanie Kriege, film-maker/performance artist Meg McHutchison, massage therapist Marla Simms, glass artist/landscaper/performance artist Jeanne Douville, and visual artist Blue Hesikx. The text originated from the performers; I structured their writings to frame the work into a cohesive whole. On the Backs of Our Mothers begins with my story of my grandfather who was killed by a train when my grandmother was four months pregnant with my mother. My grandmother never spoke of my grandfather and there were so few pictures of him that I could find. My grandmother, a remarkable woman, bore her grief in private.