From the beginning, the artistic mission of their dance company, Exit12, has been to use choreography as a means of communicating the diverse and nuanced experiences of military veterans. Exit12 holds workshops with active duty and retired veterans, with the goal of coaxing out creative expression through movement of the body. For some, the more abstract form of dance allows them to communicate when words have failed them. “In boot camp, you’re taught how to slash people, stab people. These things are repeated over and over again. Your body reacts without thinking.”