Confirmed Presentations
2012 Special Topics Conference
Meanings and Makings of Queer Dance
February 16 - 18, 2012
In addition to the performances, paper panels, screendance showings, and movement workshops generated from the abstracts received by September 15, several performances and workshops are already confirmed, including work by Jennifer Monson (iLAND, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign), DD Dorvillier (future human dance corps), Thomas DeFrantz (Duke University), and Andee Scott (University of South Florida).
Performance and Workshops Overview
RMW (a) & RMW
Created and performed by DD Dorvillier/Jennifer Monson
Saturday, February 18
New York in the 1990s. A city full of dynamic queer movements like Act Up, Lesbian Avengers and Queer Nation. George Bush, sr. was in office as president of the United States. Demonstrations were moving through the streets of the Big Apple. Inspired by this lively atmosphere, the two choreographers DD Dorvillier and Jennifer Monson showed their duet “RMW” in a series of performances called “Sexual I.D.”. Ten years later, the two artists adapted the wild piece full of glam and toughness, presenting it together with the original as “RMW(a) & RMW” in 2004. Now, under the Obama administration, in times of digital communication and the omnipresence of the Internet, Dorvillier and Monson get new, exciting aspects out of this political work.
theory-ography 4: we queer here
Directed by Thomas DeFrantz
Saturday, February 18
theory-ography is an open-structure improvisation with a cast of six performers that territorializes a performance space and responds to theoretical concepts in movement. This structure has been presented at DanceSpace NYC (theory-ography 1: the end of the tale, 2009), PSI Utrecht (theory-ography 2: we dance theory, 2011), and at the American Dance Festival (theory-ography 3: Heidegger’s Hammer, 2011).
Gay Ballet: A Movement Practice
Led by Andee Scott
Thursday, February 16
In July 2008, Andee Scott began “Gay Ballet” in Austin, Texas, in response to a need for an alternative to traditional adult ballet classes. The class is open to all, but Scott especially invites queers into the beginning-level class. At the heart of this inclusive practice is accessibility: it is designed for those new to ballet, class cost is always minimal (and will be free at the conference), and there is no dress code. Bring your camouflage cargo pants. Or your tutu.
