In 2019, Good Morning America found itself embroiled in a scandal after co-host Laura Spencer appeared to mock the United Kingdom’s Prince George for taking ballet classes. That stigma—the notion of what boys should or shouldn’t do—is all too familiar to Houston-based dancer Otis Berry, who works to extinguish it with every kick.…
dance
Liberation for All of Us: ‘Up Rising: A Night of Dance Commemorating Stonewall’s 50th Anniversary’
Posted on June 11, 2019On May 30, 2019, a small group of performers and a few members of the Houston community who identify under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella took the stage at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising to a packed audience. Queer dancer and choreographer Rebecca French curated the performance, which was co-sponsored by CAMH and presented in conjunction with Stonewall 50, CAMH’s current exhibition featuring local, national, international, and multi-generational visual and mixed media…
Queer Dance Theory: On Smashing the Heteropatriarchy, Creating Body- and Sex-Positive Dances, and What it Means to be a Queer Artist
Posted on November 30, 2018I recently attended a Choreographers' Forum at Houston's 2018 Dance Salad Festival. The panel consisted of two gay male choreographers and one straight female choreographer. During the question and answer portion of the evening, I stood up and asked the artists if they had choreographed any work that explored queer experience and romantic relationships. Given how common love duets are in dance, I expected at least one or both of the gay choreographers to name queer-themed works they had created.…
Daring Dreams: Dark Circles Contemporary Dance Explores Gay Identity in 2018-19 Season
Posted on June 25, 2018Joshua Peugh, the artistic director and co-founder of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, is quickly transforming Texas into a site of experimentation with bold pieces that explore gay identity, among other relevant themes.…
Evolution of An Artist: How I Found My Truth As A Dancer and Queer Woman
Posted on May 17, 2018During my sophomore year at the University of Houston, I discovered two life-changing things about myself: my love for dance and my love for women. I was an English major at the time, and dating a guy who was majoring in music. He awakened an appreciation of the arts in me that I had never known was there, and I decided I wanted to become an artist of some kind as well. So, I took a semester off to take…
Hear Me: The T.R.U.T.H. Project Puts LGBTQ Youth of Color and Ally Voices Center Stage
Posted on March 13, 2018On February 24, LGBTQ and allied youth artists stood side-by-side, center stage at Houston’s MATCH with one declaration: “HEAR ME.” Their voices were shared as part of The T.R.U.T.H. Project’s first-ever installment that incorporated storytelling by LGBTQ youth and allies. Through intimate spoken word, movement, song, and visual art, this next generation of voices addressed and challenged stigma, rose above adversity, and united themselves with the audience for an incredible journey.…