Initial Idea and Stimulus

 

HOW I CHOSE MY IDEA

As this piece of choreography must accumulate to ten minutes, I felt I must be passionate about my subject so that what I created was both meaningful and engaging to watch. As a feminist myself, I decided that female empowerment was a topic I am familiar with and am intrigued to explore further. Currently in the UK we are seeing peaks in crime against women, especially in spiking (using drugs on someone without their consent or knowledge) and sexual assault.

Overwhelmed with ideas of perhaps following a timeline of the four waves of feminism, I decided to narrow down my idea to something relatable to many people whether they have these experiences in real life or know someone who does. Therefore, my chosen stimulus is ‘the fear women feel’ and I wish to explain through dance why the fear exists and how women react to it.

WHY I AM DEVELOPING THIS STIMULUS

 Pat Maginnis – Abortion rights activist

From a young age, girls are told that with the freedom of experiencing the world comes many dangers which we must protect ourselves from. Covering up our bodies and carrying protection or using location apps linked to friends or family we have developed several methods to ensure our safety.

However, women are still vulnerable to attacks certain men. From cat calling to murder, crimes against women based on misogyny (prejudice against women) are happening all too often.

Along with this, women are losing rights in the western world over their bodies and reproduction. For example, Abortion is once again illegal in Texas from September 2021. Taking away women’s rights only perpetuates the narrative that we are a lesser being and that we will always be vulnerable to crime and brutality, which brings me back to the word fear. This is where the fear is created, and it is only evolving with each new wave of misogyny.

  

HOW I WILL CREATE MY CHOREOGRAPHY

I will be researching modern events that strike fear and base my movement from these real-life scenarios. Whilst creating a recognisable situation I can then express emotions that will be understood by the viewer. I will use music as an aid for story telling and am keen to find music from a feminist artist. I will continue to keep an open conversation with friends and family about their opinions and experiences so that I can create an authentic narrative. I aim to make a statement with my choreography that expresses by stimulus ‘the fear women feel’.