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. . . moving . . . social . . . imagination . . .
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Hyper Local Super Now


 

I recently made a new piece, SideShow. It’s inspired by my memory of a photo of REM’s Michael Stipe. In my memory he has his pants down around his ankles, ass out, hitchhiking, looking back at us, the viewer. I know the implication is that his cock is also out, facing his potential rides. But that didn’t register in my mind in the 90’s. What did register is how men can do things women can’t. The idea of a woman with her pants cheekily around her ankles – ass exposed – felt…what? Dangerous, transgressive, empowering?

I decided to find out.

I performed SideShow in Finland. “An instant classic,” someone said. “It should be in galleries.”

 

Then I got to Marrakech in Morocco.

I performed SideShow for a women-only audience.

It’s hard to describe how impossible pulling down one’s pants in front of men in this country would be.

While it isn’t nothing, nudity in contemporary performance is expected and respected in a western context. Pulling one’s pants down is totally okay to do on the streets of New York City most nights, and in art contexts in most ‘western’ cities. Most of the time when I take my clothes off onstage, there is this tantalizing moment where I can feel the audience silently gasp and I feel totally exposed and hope everything is in place. Then I sink into the deliciousness of it, the freedom and power. Eventually it isn’t a big deal. In Mexico I said, “Leave the lights down long enough for me to pull my costume back on before I bow.” but in the moment, I decided to bow nude.

In Morocco, if I had performed this piece for men and women I would not have been safe afterwards. Just existing as a white woman with blonde hair wearing a hat, sunglasses and a scarf on the streets of Marrakech is an ordeal. There is a constant hassle. Some of it is just the usual invitation to look into the shops, invariably followed by “Do you need a husband?” That’s on a good day. Keep reading here
 

 

Emotional Landscapes



Safety Second I always say.  In fact I don't. I say Safety Third.
But I amended it in Marrakech.
 
Carving out and creating safe space
 


Dream Another Day
~ reaching into the future,
a retrospect of the mess we're in now

 

This is such a big field of exploration, research and expression. Everywhere I go there is more context and nuance and complexity. There is no one narrative. But there is a lot of universality within the filed. I did two very different performance experiments in Marrakech with this work. It will continue to change in different contexts. This work is fluid, it can change form and content in new situations, it can adapt and evolve and reflect the conversation and experience I am present to.

 



Upcoming and Ongoing 
 
Victoria - Vancouver Island - Gulf Islands - Vancouver - dancers, physical performers, choreographers, improvisers:

ensemble improv weekend workshop

For dancers who are interested in creating and performing spontaneous choreography.
In studio and in-situ in and around the constructed and natural environment.

SAVE THE DATE
March 1 - 3, 2019 
Victoria BC
 
Here are some of the dance like no one is watching performances we've done with this work:
Voices in the Hall / Sound Healing
Occupy Parking Lot
Shoes off in the grass
 

To Be Announced by Léxico Project  

We are opening the Sismògraf Festival
April 25, 2019 at 21.00
Teatre Principal, Olot, Catalunya




. moving . social . imagination .


Would you like to have a part in all of this exciting and important work ? This activity is only possible thanks to the generous support of believers like you.

If you'd like to contribute to Stand Up Dance or any of these projects specifically, we would love to hear from you.

You can donate at www.standupdance.com or with a monthly contribution on Patreon or by getting in touch to discuss other forms of support. 


Thanks for reading, see you on the dance floor!

Meagan 



p.s. hub 14 has found a new home. Huge congratulations and gratitude to the hub14 team who made this happen. 
 

Copyright © 2019 Stand Up Dance, All rights reserved.


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