Seeking Body Liberation, Not Body Positivity
KT Kusmaul, founder and director of Body Home Fat Dance in Portland, OR, shares how she built a space for fat dancers to feel safe and welcome, and why she seeks body liberation, not body positivity.
Erik Ferguson: “Dancing is How the Body Learns”
“My entire art practice now is centered on survival.” Portland based anti-virtuoso movement artist Erik Ferguson discusses how he has found more access and freedom in fringe dance spaces.
Yulia Arakelyan: “It’s Not ‘Despite,’ It’s Because Of Our Unique Bodies”
“It’s because of our unique bodies that we are the amazing dancers (and people) that we are.” Portland-based dance artist Yulia Arakelyan discusses common misconceptions and the need to include more diverse bodies in the field, as part of the Discussing Disability in Dance Project.
Promoting LGBTQ Identity and Preserving History
Choreographer/director Shaun Keylock in Portland, OR shares how his work explores facets of LGBTQ identity as well as how he is working to preserve Portland’s contemporary dance history.
Centering Afro Centric Choreography
Oluyinka Akinjiola, artistic director of Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theater in Portland, OR, discusses how she presents Afro centric dance as a core value and aesthetic.