SpeakOUT Series — Lecture 1: LGBTQ & PERFORMANCE

SPEAK OUT – Gender takes center stage

What’s different scares us, but also makes us curious. Like ignorance generates fear, so does understanding lead to acceptance. And creates the possibility for beauty.

In the SpeakOUT series, performing artists and academics from China and abroad turn the spotlight on gender. What does it mean to “perform gender” in our daily life? How does the body “talk” on stage? How are gender norms changing around the world? And what role can performing arts play in this change?

GENDER & PERFORMANCE

Like actors in a play, it is not our physical body that creates our “character” within society. Through costumes, make-up, the tone of voice and quality of the movements, each of us perform a role (man, woman) that changes in different scenes (single, married, wife, son, etc). If we follow the script we get to play the Goody (a Real Man, a Respectable Woman etc). If we don’t, we are left with the Villain or the Misfit (the Pervert, the Spinster etc).

But what if we wanted a different plot? What if we threw away stock characters and create a multifaceted role for ourselves? Like Nora says in “Doll’s House”, before all else, before all roles and labels, we are human beings. We have the power to change the script, and make our life an unforgettable show.

 

courtesy GenderBender

LECTURE 1: LGBTQ & PERFORMANCE

In recent years, contemporary dance has been flourishing through both the emergence of new talents and the success of established artists. This lecture takes us on an intriguing voyage showcasing some of the young protagonists of this new Renaissance. A generation of artists under-35 that, through their unique language and style, explores the theme of gender at large. From Alessandro Sciarroni’s finesse to Silvia Gribaudi’s irony, from Giorgia Nadin’s investigations of the feminine to Chiara Bersani’s psychological subtlety, from Francesca Foscarini’s energetic performances to Riccardo Buscarini’s masterful composition. A feast for the eyes and the soul that, through images and clips from their works, displays the secrets behind their critical and box-office success. And an overview on the springboard that launched them: GenderBender, the international Festival that for 15 editions has introduced new imagery related to gender identities, sexual orientations and bodily representations.

Curator: Fabrizio Massini
Produced by: Ibsen International
Supported by: Italian Institute of Culture – Beijing (Beijing session), iPanda (Shanghai session), Consulate General of Italy in Guangzhou, ErGao Production (Guangzhou session)

TIME & LOCATION:
Beijing Session: April 7th, 2018 a’t Italian Institute of Culture
Shanghai Session: April 10th, 2018 at NEXTMIXING
Guangzhou Session: April 12th, 2018 at Ergao Dance Production Group

 

Shanghai Session

Shanghai Session

Guangzhou Station

Guangzhou Station

 

About the Lecturer: DANIELE DEL POZZO

Graduated in letters and philosophy from the University of Bologna, Daniele is a curator, producer and event organizer. Active in the cultural scene of central Italy, in the 1980s he founded and led the Libera Universita’ Omosessuale, a free platform aimed at facilitating the dialogue on gay and lesbian culture and identity. In the following years he curated film festivals and cultural programs for the municipalities of Bologna and Ancona. Since 2005 Daniele is also curator of the summer cultural event program “bè bolognaestate” and in 2008 has curated “Body Double”, selection of documentaries for the International Photography week in Reggio Emilia.