THE BODIES VISIBLE PERFORMANCE SERIES
Donation protected
The Bodies Visible performance series started with one show in Washington DC on March 31, 2014 at The Fridge DC Art Gallery. That show featured international spokenword artist, activist and founder of the #BeBeautiful project Denise Jolly, and was hosted by poet and disability activist Natalie E. Illum (me).
The goal of that evening was to create a safe performance space for people to embrace their body as is. It featured Denise and several local performers who identified as having a disability.
By the end of the evening, one thing was clear. DC needs more spaces where people with disabilities and their allies can perform and celebrate who they are, not just talk about or share their experiences. So many venues in DC do not have wheelchair accessible performance options, or ASL-Interpretted events. I aim to change that, in time for our NEXT SHOW ON JULY 9th!!
The Fridge has agreed to be our home, and we hope to continue to produce 3 more shows (September 2014, October 2014 and March 2015) if all goes well.
In 1999, I became I founding board member of the mothertongue collective. Until about 2012, Mothertongue provided a safe space for women, girls and LGBTQ people to have their poems heard. We welcomed writers who never performed before to internationally-known poets and activists. The Bodies Visible series will follow a similar model. The featured performers will predominantly be touring artists and the open mic will be for DMV performers.
I want to be clear that you do NOT need to have or identify as a person with a dis/ability to perform, nor to you have to disclose what you "have" in order to be heard. The open mic is open. However, priority will be given to those whose bodies are often too visible or invisible and/or not part of the mainstream. Performers are also not limited to poetry! I welcome other types of writers, storytellers, academics, musicians, film-makers, comedians, dancers, and performance art that is genre-less for a reason.
We will have a website, facebook and twitter presence soon, but until then you can e-mail me with an questions at [email redacted]
Please share and participate in this campaign however you are able. Every act of community-building is an important and valuable step (or however you move through the world).
I'll be keeping you posted as to who our features will be (Mike McGee, Nomy Lamm, Nathan Say, Leslie Freeman, SaraEve Fermin, Lisa Gill, Sheila Black and Emily Rapp) are on my "short list."
Before I release this into the interwebs, I need to acknowlege Sonya Renee Taylor and her organization, The Body is Not An Apology. Please friend and follow them. Their collective work is life-changing. To find out how I know, read this.
Thank you for your time,
Natalie
The goal of that evening was to create a safe performance space for people to embrace their body as is. It featured Denise and several local performers who identified as having a disability.
By the end of the evening, one thing was clear. DC needs more spaces where people with disabilities and their allies can perform and celebrate who they are, not just talk about or share their experiences. So many venues in DC do not have wheelchair accessible performance options, or ASL-Interpretted events. I aim to change that, in time for our NEXT SHOW ON JULY 9th!!
The Fridge has agreed to be our home, and we hope to continue to produce 3 more shows (September 2014, October 2014 and March 2015) if all goes well.
In 1999, I became I founding board member of the mothertongue collective. Until about 2012, Mothertongue provided a safe space for women, girls and LGBTQ people to have their poems heard. We welcomed writers who never performed before to internationally-known poets and activists. The Bodies Visible series will follow a similar model. The featured performers will predominantly be touring artists and the open mic will be for DMV performers.
I want to be clear that you do NOT need to have or identify as a person with a dis/ability to perform, nor to you have to disclose what you "have" in order to be heard. The open mic is open. However, priority will be given to those whose bodies are often too visible or invisible and/or not part of the mainstream. Performers are also not limited to poetry! I welcome other types of writers, storytellers, academics, musicians, film-makers, comedians, dancers, and performance art that is genre-less for a reason.
We will have a website, facebook and twitter presence soon, but until then you can e-mail me with an questions at [email redacted]
Please share and participate in this campaign however you are able. Every act of community-building is an important and valuable step (or however you move through the world).
I'll be keeping you posted as to who our features will be (Mike McGee, Nomy Lamm, Nathan Say, Leslie Freeman, SaraEve Fermin, Lisa Gill, Sheila Black and Emily Rapp) are on my "short list."
Before I release this into the interwebs, I need to acknowlege Sonya Renee Taylor and her organization, The Body is Not An Apology. Please friend and follow them. Their collective work is life-changing. To find out how I know, read this.
Thank you for your time,
Natalie
Organizer
Natalie E. Illum
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
