Sarah Brown-Fraser’s Post

#onstage: An American company crossing the pond for the first time, festivals centering Asian dancemakers, premieres responding to colonization, transgender identity, audience relationships, and more—the performance landscape over the next two months is overflowing with possibility. Here’s what’s at the top of our lists: https://lnkd.in/ewBsjWV5 #dance #danceperformance

📣 We should aim to do the right thing always, not only when it makes us look good. A number of high profile UK creatives, from Sting to Stephen Fry, wrote a letter to the men-only Garrick Club ahead of its Tuesday vote to permit women to join for the first time since 1831. As they put it, "we write as Garrick members who produce/co-produce and manage over 35 current productions in the West End and regionally. The current very public controversy over this issue has put us all in an untenable position. Our relations with female artists, co-producers, authors, cast members, members of our creative teams, backstage and front of house theatre staff have all been jeopardised by the recent publicity to the point that, without serious progress being made to finally address this anomaly, we won’t feel able to continue as Garrick members". Setting aside the question of why such exclusive bastions of elite privilege exist in the year 2024, the gentlemen's letter implies that this exclusion is somehow wrong because the world is now watching, thus making these individuals' existing association look bad, and not because the club was always problematic in the first place. One should not only care about equity when called out by others; being humans of principle means we care about it always, including most notably when it is requires standing up to friends. This is especially the case when you are already privileged AND doubly so when it pertains to something you *chose* to associate with. This is not their place of employment, which may have made them fearful about speaking up against its principles lest they compromise their livelihoods. I fully understand the difficulty of such situations and how much harder it is to do the right thing then. But these men had a choice whether or not to align themselves with the Club's values - which have been starkly obvious for centuries now - and they still made it. Writing about it now in this way is disingenuous in the extreme. Beware of 'allies' who cannot even stand with you when the choice is easy. #leadership #ethics #equity #inclusion #womeninbusiness #gender #garrickclub #exclusion #ally #allies #women #dei

Reflection Fridays_A world so hateful 🌍 It's Friday! ✨ And the rainbow month is just around the corner. 🌈  This week I was listening to one of my favourite songs (https://lnkd.in/e2_3iBss). There is this sentence that says: " A world so hateful, they rather die than be who they are" Do you know how it feels when you know a family member tried to kill themselves because of fear and self-hate of being part of the LGBTQ+ community ❓ I do 😔 If you don't, just imagine one call where they tell you that your sister, borther, cousin, aunt, uncle, you name it, is in hospital after a suicide atteemp. And know that the reason is the fear of hate and rejection for who they are. But "Love is patient, love is kind", and when people overcome these fears, there is only joy and PRIDE 💙 🌈 💙 . You don't need to understand, you just need to respect. Enjoy! #diversityandinclusion #inclusion #diversity #diversityequityinclusion #reflectionfridays

🔍As part of its new project, CS VOICES, Circostrada aims to continue and deepen the synergies established with fellow institutions and European peers during the previous project, CS BODY/IES, through the publication of an article written by artists who have received support via an ARTCENA, circusnext, IN SITU or Perform Europe scheme. ⏯️This time, discover the work of Coline Garcia, French contemporary circus artist who participated in ARTCENA 's 'Authors in pairs' (Auteurs en tandem) in 2021, where a circus artist gets paired up with an artist coming from another discipline in order to work on a common project. In this interview, Coline Garcia discusses her efforts to expand contemporary circus audiences, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and challenge gender inequality and stereotypes in contemporary circus. 🖇Read the article here https://bit.ly/4ga7RW Pictures credits: Boite Noire by SCOM cie ©Vincent Muteau ARTCENA Creative Europe Ministère de la Culture

✨ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠? ✨ After coming out of my dark and beautiful closet professionally, I received many questions, such as: "You are a woman, right? How can you do Drag if you were born an AFAB (assigned female at birth) woman?" So, I thought I would explain it a bit. Drag is a form of art with a long and deep history. It began in ancient Greece when theatre started, and women were not allowed to play theatre roles, even though there were female roles in the plays. Back then, it was, of course, not called drag yet. Fast forward to the 1930s, and it slowly began to be known as Drag. However, the exact origins vary depending on the source. One thing is quite clear: it is an old form of art and expression. In Dutch, we have just one word for cross-dressing and Drag, "Travestie," but in English, there are two. The difference is that Drag is on stage and has more of a show element, whereas cross-dressing is mainly indoors, involving wearing the other gender's daily clothes. This, of course, is a very brief summary, and there is much more to it. Drag is an art form that is about playing with gender, which is strongly related to but not exclusively part of LGBTQIA+. It's about telling stories, fighting and protesting, entertainment and performance. It's about make-up, performing, making costumes, etc. A great Drag performer requires a very broad range of skills. Drag has always been for any gender, as gender is something fluid. Wwhich makes it a beautiful and touching art form. So, Drag is for everyone, including women doing "Drag Queen". In the famous words of RuPaul, "Everybody is born naked, and the rest is Drag." Feel free to follow me on Instagram @Iamlillyakuma or Youtube: @Lillyakuma 📸 by Jasper van Staveren photography 👑 Other Queen - Marry Jane Holland 📍 Blend XL, Amsterdam #Diversity #Inclusion #Education

Throwback to 1993: A Thursday night at 'Blackmarket,' a repurposed church in uptown Sydney. The atmosphere was electric—dimmed lights, melted candle wax setting the scene. What was once a space for other 'nocturnal activities' transformed weekly into a break-dancing freestyle spectacle. The B-boys and a few fierce B-girls took the floor, showcasing their incredible feats and beats, leaving us all in awe. As the Cult of Rap secretary at my uni, I was there, and it was a moment! While breakdancing originated in the Bronx, it quickly became a global phenomenon, with ethnic diasporas embracing it as a powerful expression of collective identity. Back then, we didn’t know terms like “woke,” nor were we fully aware of our underrepresentation. We just loved to dance and we found our moves in a world still doing the sprinkler. Fast forward decades later, and we see a white woman using this art form to advance herself, with access and opportunities others never had. The narrative of a national hero is born, but it comes at the cost of erasing the deep, rich history behind the dance. If Rayburn had truly understood the roots of breakdancing, she wouldn’t have admonished the dance form for personal gain and notoriety. And to Anna Meares, who spoke of tears in a male-dominated sport. I can empathize. However, imagine the cries of intersectional women who lack her access, status, and privilege of private school education and status. Many more rooms, and a tsunami of tears. This reeks of a harmful brand of white feminism that makes me choke as a WOC DEI advocate, and I'm not laughing anymore. 😢 #Breakdancing #CulturalAppropriation #WhiteFeminism #Intersectionality #HipHopHistory #DanceCulture #Inclusion #InclusiveFeminism #Ship30for30

Diversity is the guest list, inclusion is the dance floor. 💃 Get beyond the invitations and make it a place where everyone feels welcome to join in.  Who are you inviting to dance today? Tell us in the comments. #theexecutivelearninglab #inclusionmatters #inclusion #diversityandinclusion #dei #deib #dance  #dancefloor  #quotesoftheday  #positivequotes  #motivationalquotes  #quotes

At Ground Media, we harness the power of data-driven storytelling to foster understanding and drive meaningful change. Our proprietary #StoryHeat platform combines comprehensive research with strategic narrative development, enabling us to craft campaigns that resonate deeply with diverse audiences. This approach was instrumental in the success of #HereWeAre, our national storytelling campaign in partnership with GLAAD. By amplifying the voices of transgender individuals, we addressed the significant gap in personal connections—considering that 71% of Americans report never having met a transgender person. A poignant example is Nadya's story: a young transgender woman, artist, and performer. Her journey, marked by resilience and the transformative power of love, underscores the importance of authenticity and visibility. As she eloquently states, "At the end of it all, I'm just a girl who wants to make sure everyone shines as bright as they can." Through StoryHeat, we delve into the nuances of such narratives, ensuring they inform and inspire action. Our research-centered approach allows us to identify and overcome barriers to connection, amplifying unheard voices and fostering empathy. We invite you to experience the impact of strategic storytelling firsthand. Book a demo with us to discover how StoryHeat can elevate your campaigns and drive societal change. Let's create a more connected and understanding world—one story at a time. Watch our Here We Are campaign video below to see the impact first-han. DM us to book a demo! https://lnkd.in/d_cX6dWw

Brand new article for Trill Mag is here! All about the history, future, and culture of gay pop. You can read here: https://lnkd.in/ew2dAwyJ

ARTISTS AS CHANGE-MAKERS We need artists that are involved in change-making. That's pretty clear. Our statement for residencies for the future, after more than 35 mostly successful artists staying at Hektor, couldn't be more clear: it is about making the world not just prettier, but also more livable, durable, engaged and sustainable. In 2025 we are looking for artists that make change through their creativity and or creative process. Like Salomée Souag and Zeno Aerts, who have both spent the last weeks creating and cataloguing natural pigments. Or Ruby Rare, who guides you towards healthier relationships. Or Matthew Carney, who showed the queer community the wilderness of Lanzarote. If you're up for a change, check out the call: https://lnkd.in/duhJRZsm If you know someone who might be interested: tag them.