we use “lesbian”, meaning that women are also part of the project
:0)
The concept of a self-organized, political women and lesbians circus was first discussed between few lesbians in 2003. The idea was to bring lesbians from different countries to exchange skills and to create performances with a strong political content. Accessibility was a primary issue, with the project to be opened to all lesbians, regardless of age, income, language, skill level, ...
Because of frustration and sadness resulting from the disappearance of political feminist projects and groups, we want to find “lighter” ways to go on in using our various abilities. In wishing to break taboos, to live our identities and to analyze our own discrimination’s structures, we create other possibilities to act.
We had already two meetings (south-France, summer 2004, Munich, spring 2005) and want to keep meeting twice a year. The summer events would be open, while the spring’s ones would occur in smaller closed group to be able to create a performance in a short time.
Summer: this meeting offers to connect lesbians from different countries, exchanging skills and knowledge (ex. Clown, juggling, acro-balance, music, etc...) and increasing our network. A place in the countryside that is big enough to give to 40 lesbians the possibilities to organize their days in giving and participating at workshops and discussions. We chose an open structure that each lesbian could decide how long and in which ways her participation would be of those ten days.
Spring: in opposite to the summer meeting, the lesbians have to commit for the ten days, the group is closed and limited to 20 participants. We are working on a performance for March 8th. Each lesbian would be asked to choose a main skill to work on intensively on developing a performance and a secondary skill where she would slot in. A direction group is helping to articulate the scenes created in small groups into a whole show. This structure permitted in the last meeting to create a 53 minutes performance in 7 days of effective rehearsal. All this while some have no or a really small experience on stage.
In this project, we build spaces to practice and live our political ideas and identities. In performing shows, we touch spectators, projecting themes on the stage, experimenting feminist scenarios out of the mainstream spectacle society.
The lesbians and women circus give a place for our voices and wishes to exist.
Some Tent’a Bulles ...
Contact: tentabulles@yahoo.com.au
