According to a 2011 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 4.7 million women report experiencing physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner every year. Many other cases may go unreported. To help combat this human rights catastrophe, Shamira Cummings-Arita, owner of For the Love of Dance studio in Baton Rouge, has created “Broken,” a dance performance designed to uplift, educate and empower women into positive action.

The piece isn’t intended to just paint a pretty picture, though, and focuses on the natural strength of women to endure and overcome everyday setbacks of sexual, physical and mental abuse.

“Since so many people are affected by domestic violence, I really wanted to reach out to people and help raise awareness,” she says.

By re-creating the images and forms of domestic abuse through dance, viewers may be forced to see the problem in a new light, face to face with the emotional core behind the cruelty of real-life’s physical blows. Through this performance, Cummings-Arita says she hopes to inspire and empower people to extend their minds into all realms of creativity, confidence and physicality.

A portion of all ticket sales will be donated to The Red Shoes, where the performance will be held this Saturday, Jan. 30, at 6 p.m., to help support women’s well being in Baton Rouge.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance for a reduced price by visiting fortheloveofdance.org.