In just one week I'll be presenting my choreography for the first time in San Francisco, at the Fog Fest Summer Choreographer's Showcase at Dance Mission Theater. I'm very excited and nervous, but I am incredibly honored to be working with the talented and thoughtful dance artists Jessica De Leon and Lauren Baines, and I wanted to talk a little bit about the trio we've made together.
Through a mixture of written personal reflection, verbal storytelling, improvisation, and movement generation we have been interrogating the concept of "pretty". How has this word, and all that it represents, manifested as experience in our lives? How have we witnessed it's affects on others?
I was tickled, intrigued, and slightly horrified when this definition was the first thing to pop up in my Google search:
pret·ty/ˈpritē/
Verb: Make pretty or attractive: "she'll be all prettied up in an hour".
Adjective: Attractive in a delicate way without being beautiful.
It's obviously a highly gendered word, it implies something aesthetic but not necessarily substantive, and in my experience, it has a way of weaving itself into the fabric of our identity in subtle yet definite ways. I hadn't ever thought of it as a verb before.
I heard an exchange between two moms once that went something like this (as I'm a visual person, I've included some emoticons to describe the emotional landscape):
"Is this your daughter?"
"Yes! (:"
"Oh she's so preeeetty!"
"D=< [in hushed tones] don't say that in front of her, she'll develop a complex!"
This got me thinking...what effect does it have on a person (and let's face it, judgment based on appearances affects females more than males...any takers on that discussion?) when they are told throughout their development that their looks say something about who they are? Whether you were the pretty little girl, the tomboy, the redhead, the skinny kid/fat kid, the nerd...did you live up to what was expected from you based on your genetic luck of the draw?
In the dance world, we are especially prone to intense looking. I'm not really sure if I want my dances to be called "pretty" or if that would be insulting...? Is pretty one step up from cute and one below beautiful? Need I mention the size and provocative nature of dance costumes for 7 year-olds or "Toddlers In Tiaras"...eek that's probably enough said right there.
As adults we spend a lot of time considering how we look to others, and every other T.V. show kindly reaches out to help the desperately ugly or unfashionable improve their chances at success in their careers, social lives, and relationships with themselves via makeovers that range from a little makeup and a haircut to plastic surgery and thousands of dollars towards a new wardrobe. Is it really all about how it makes you feel on the inside, as the blue-haired host claims? Does our physical appearance reflect who we truly are, or do we strive to fulfill the potential imagery that society describes as our better selves? Aside from the all-knowing Google, who really defines pretty, or has pretty defined us?
As usual, I have many questions and few answers, but a lot of movement! Jess, Lauren, and I have been considering these concepts, sharing our experiences with each other, and collaboratively building the choreography. If you're so inclined, please share any thoughts sparked by this topic here and come out to see the show next Saturday at 8pm or Sunday at 7pm!
<3 Claire
Dance Brigade presents
Fog Fest Summer Choreographer's Showcase
July 8-10, 2011
Fri-Sat @ 8 pm; Sun @ 7 pm
Dance Mission Theater
3316 24th St, SF CA 94110
Tickets: $14
www.brownpapertickets.com
415-273-4633
For more information visit www.dancemission.com
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=158674777535374
