Feminist fire shows

Lately, I have been challenged on how to politicize my performances. With fire dancing being such a sensual art, the most obvious route for me to take would be make my performances feminist. However, I am deeply challenged with how to do this... my fire clothes are all relatively tight so that I can do wraps.

I recently did a fire show at an all-wymyn showcase, and my theme was "from the water births the fire". It was wonder-full, and I managed to get my message across, but I don't know how to keep my feminist content when I head off to other gigs.

I've played around with wearing obviously feminist images on my clothing, but don't feel as if that would REALLY help all that much.

Does anyone have any pointers on how I can challenge the sexualization/ objectification of wymyn while I'm doing something as sensual as fire spinning?
And, PLEASE do not send me any ignorant responses (ie. asking why my fireshow has to be feminist, or telling me to get over it, or telling me to check out the sex and poi discussion below). I am looking for some serious advice from people who have successfully pulled off this type of show, or might have some ideas on how I can do it.

Thanks to y'all in advance!

You could ask volunteer men to come down and then hit them in the groin with your poi. It would put the popular feminist movement in a nice symbolic nutshell.

Hey Astar, wanna skip across a couple of provinces to take part in my next fire show?
I like your thinking.

For a serious suggestion why don't you just get some nifty music with clear and understandable lyrics with a feminist message?

i agree with astar on the music....some nice ani difranco would certainly do it. or you could always play tori amos's boys for pele.....perfect symbolism right there. you can hand out information about womyn in fire and symbolism such as pele.

How about "sisters are doing it for themselves"?

Annie Lennox is cool.

Raph

i love the idea about the lyrics. if you can get some music which has a real climax as well you could make it quite dramatic - spin with the music, match the tempo pace and feel.

maybe something like this?
special ones
its by an aussie band called george. its sung by katie noonan who has the most incredible voice ive ever seen live. ill email you the mp3 if you wish.

alteratively, get some background music, but quite soft, then have a woman reading relatevant poetry /lyrics and you spin to feel of the words [thrash you chains around with angry words, long slow graceful with soft comforting words.]

hope this help.

Nice question!! just the thing to get the creativity flowing again in the brain....

you could project images onto your body, or a background screen, this would give you the creativity to say what you want while concentrating on the fire part of the show...

you could make a story up or use images joined together in some way...

and linking it to the music like the otters suggests would work well too...

maybe donating a proportion of the money paid to see the show to a charity that supports wymmin, maybe a domestic violence support group or something... and you could print that on your flyers...

hope that helps...

And spinning is not always sexy, how you move with them does not have to be sexy. Check out more earthy african movements that are strong, condusive to both poi and female strength.
And costumes do not have to be that way either. Tight does not always mean skimpy, and wraps need something form fitting, not skin tight. You don't need something low cut, midriff baring that cups your butt to spin fire.
Have a strong image.
Utilize a multitude of arts to support your presentation, as others have suggested.
And never underestimate the value of subtlety. It is a powerful tool to provoke thought as most people don't want things thrown up in front of them.

However, what struck me most about your opening statement is that you said "someone told me...". Do it for yourself, because you have something to say, not because someone else wants to hear something.

My bellydance troupe performed at a women's weekend retreat recently. Our costumes were typical tribal and our dances were celebratory, in some ways sensual (which was celebrated) but what people normally concider a "sexy" dance was portrayed in it's true form, a joyous art. Don't change who you are, or what your art is, to fit into a movement. The truth of your expression is lost then.


P~

I have disagree with suggestions to play a certain kind of music, or project images. If you simply do that, you might as well <i>only</i> do that -- the dancing, without any meaningful content of its own, just becomes decoration.

I'd say Pele is spot on about the sensuality of spinning. Have you ever watched a man spin? That's not sensual. Your movements don't have to be graceful -- they can be violent and vigorous, and you can portray them as a struggle.

Google says to check out the following books:

Banes, Sally. Dancing Women: Female Bodies on Stage. Routledge, 1998.

Manning, Susan. Ecstacy and the Demon: Feminism and Nationalism in the Dances of Mary Wigman. Univ. of California Press, 1993.

Thomas, Helen, ed. Dance, Gender, and Culture. St. Martins Press, 1993.

If you come up with something good, let us know. I'm somewhat intrigued myself.

Revel in your own body while you spin. Feminism shouldn't be about shouting down men but a celebration of being a woman. A confident, assured woman clearly enjoying herself says way more than any number of cut and paste images ever could.

Not to start a political debate, but feminism is ambiguous enough to be whatever divi wants it to be. No one wants to open up that particular can of worms, I'm sure.

forgive my ignorance, but why the spelling 'wymyn'? ive encountered it a few times before but am still puzzled.

Some feminists don't like it being spelled woMAN or woMEN.

*sigh*

That kind of thing doesn't draw me to support their cause in the slightest. I'm all for gender equality, and most girls I know are way more intelligent, and inspiring than I am, but argh!

*goes out to *