Honour the part. Strengthen the whole.
The name “Not Just Any Body Part” is close to my heart for many reasons. At its core, it reflects my belief that every part has its own integrity while also belonging to something larger. I am continually struck by the idea that wholeness emerges when individual parts are free to be fully themselves, while the whole, in turn, is strengthened by the integrity, wisdom and unique gifts of each part. To me, this is the deeper meaning of the saying that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This way of understanding ourselves repeats across many levels of life. A body part belongs to a body. An inner part belongs within the Self. A person belongs to a community. Communities belong to the larger human and ecological systems that sustain us. At every level, the vitality of the whole depends upon the well-being and contribution of its parts, just as each part finds purpose and belonging through its relationship with the whole.
Long before I had the language to describe this way of seeing the world, I encountered it through dance.
I was first inspired by the name while a student at Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS). Later, I was deeply moved and inspired to deepen my path after attending the “Not Just Any Body” conference, which explored ways to advance health, well-being and excellence in dance and for dancers. The conference was a shared vision of Mavis Staines, former Artistic Director of NBS, and her Dutch partners. Together, they connected participants across two continents through site-specific workshops, joint satellite sessions in Toronto and The Hague, and additional downlink and online sites around the world.
The name of my business expands on that original inspiration and incorporates my training in Expressive Arts Therapy, as well as my ongoing studies in trauma-informed care and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Body part mythology, for example, helps develop awareness of anatomy, posture and the relationship between individual body parts and the body as a whole. In a similar way, parts work recognizes that we each contain many inner parts—each with its own story, wisdom, needs and protective role. Together, these approaches invite curiosity, compassion and a deeper understanding of ourselves as integrated, whole beings. Personal and collective themes, metaphors, feelings and imaginative associations connected to each body part are explored. At its essence, Expressive Arts Therapy invites us to listen deeply—to each part, to the whole and to the dialogue between them. “If the body could speak, what would it say?”
For me, “Not Just Any Body Part” beautifully brings together the artistic lens through which I practice and share my work with the standard of excellence instilled in me by Canada’s National Ballet School. It reflects my vision of building on a career as a performer while supporting others through the healing arts, creating opportunities for greater awareness, connection and wholeness. In doing so, I hope to honour the unique gifts of each part—of the body, the Self and the community—while nurturing the relationships that allow both parts and wholes to flourish.
Curious how this idea shapes my work? Read more about my philosophy.
Left to Right: Betty Oliphant, Maggie Forgeron & Karen Kain
Top: Artwork by Maggie Forgeron
Dancer: Maggie Forgeron, “Alpha & Omega”
Choreographer: Kevin O’Day
Photographer: Christian Kleiner
Company: Kevin O’Day Ballett Nationaltheater Mannheim