monster

Female* anger is considered ugly, hysterical, and unacceptable. Its social reputation is negative — it is seen as a weakness that must be hidden. The contemporary dance piece 'monster' follows the impulse to explore and question the origins, forms, and manifestations of female* anger. When and why does it arise? What physical reactions can we find within ourselves when it is triggered? What does it taste like, where does it reside, and what is its texture?

Through the constant categorization of female* bodies, the sexualization of body parts and shapes, or of specific movements, we are confronted with the question of what a reclaiming of these might look like, and how internalized heteronormative patterns of behavior can be shed. We are interested in whether—and to what extent — self-empowerment is possible without reproducing sexualized behaviors, and what it means to act, think, and feel precisely within this field of tension. In order to deconstruct this power relationship and counteract it, we must first be able to visualize another reality and act from it. In 'monster', we ask: Do we need to treat reality — and act within it — as if it were already the one we dream of?