I have been super busy, blessed with the opportunity to be a Media Relations apprentice for the 2010 Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC. I worked in the Press Room and was able to see over 20 shows!?!
Unfortunately: work + festival going = no time to blog :(
Fortunately: festival going + a feminist audience member (ahem...me) = the following interesting observations on gender :)
1) Flora, an Opera .... Southern Belle Feminist impression: Flora, a Feminist
- This opera was the first-ever performed in American - 275 years ago in 1735!?! But it is surprisingly modern with its female lead :)
- She is damsel-in-distress-y stuck in a castle by her evil uncle (Sir Testy... funny, right?) BUT she plans to escape with her lover (Mr. Friendly... another clever name).
- However, once she is outside the castle walls, Flora doesn't just run off to la-la land but questions Mr. Friendly with "what ifs" for their future. I say good for her, using her heart AND her head.
- Visually and vocally beautiful! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=fnbPhLHBFxc&feature=related
2) This is What Happens Next.... SBF impression: Gender Identity Crisis
- This one man show still managed to have multiple characters.Phenomenal lighting and sound made a clear distinction as Daniel MacIvor morphed into the role of each new character complete with different names, voices and mannerisms.
- From a gender perspective, the most interesting "character" was his aunt/uncle Aaron/Erin. He literally talked about the name change and referenced physical changes as well. Furthermore, he briefly touched on the mental aspects of the gender identity crisis with what to wear, who to date, etc.
- Definitely thought provoking! Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FzXiidFBP8
3) Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo... SBF impression: Ballet in Drag
- If you saw the photo on that link, all those ballerinas are men. Despite the fantastic make-up (that they apply themselves) and convincing wigs, look for the hairy chests ;)
- These men play the male and female roles in point ballet shoes (one guy was almost 7 feet tall with them on) as well as wearing tights, and of course tutus.
- Because they truly dance the parts, precise in all the techniques and moves, this is quite amazing that they are able to move their much larger bodies in the same way that dainty, thin prima (aka female) ballerinas do.
- And it was soooo funny; almost like the Monty Python of ballet.
- Wonderful, original show! Check them out: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=IYLpzXO40Zk&feature=related AND http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=gyqQ-VNnEIQ&feature=related
4) I Can See Myself in Your Pupil... SBF impression: Gender Bending
- This dance group was amazing and soooo strong in their moves but also in their lifts; men did the traditional lifting of women but men also lifted men and women lifted women. Even more impressive though, women lifted men!
- These pairs were also repeated for dancing and dragging portions of the show where couples definitely paired off: man + woman, man + man, and woman + woman
- A final thing that I quite possibly just read into too much was a dance where one woman seemed to be fighting off one of the male dancer's sexual advances. He would grab her and she would pull away or push him off, etc. In general, the show displayed defiant and strong women.
- Plus, the whole show was just really cool with fun music, colorful costumes, and creative dancing (e.g. at one point, they danced with their shadows!?!) Check them out: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=ewKtJOMGqGg&feature=related AND look for their shadows on the back wall in this one, especially around the 2-3 minute mark: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01i1ix310Ko&NR=1
5) Lucinda Childs' Dance....SBF impression: Androgynous
- This show was revived from 1979 when Lucinda Childs was the female lead and other than new, younger dancers, the music, moves, costumes, shoes, etc. were recreated as closely to the originals as possible.
- The really captivating part was the current show is performed in front of video of the original 1979 performance and the two intertwine seamlessly.
- What was strange though was you couldn't really tell the men from the women. All were dressed in white pants and shirts and were so thin that breasts or biceps were hardly large enough to clearly designate one dancer male or one dancer female.
- Overall though, the effect was mesmerizing. Check them out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8Z3yRkvzyM
These shows and all the others made for a fantastic festival. I hope you were able to see some of the shows or at least enjoyed a taste of them here :)
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