Dance 37

Lately, it seems like all corners of my life have been tying into one another, all leading to this blog. I won't explain each in detail but just vaguely. 

I presented a project in my Communications class in which I interviewed a friend of mine who is homosexual. It was called Perspective Taking Project. I talked to my friend about how he feels he is silenced based on his sexual orientation. The project gave me a chance to bring up the subject in my class and people seemed to respond well. 

Also in my Comm. class, we watched a video on a study of the psyche of little boys and the pressures society puts on them in comparison to genetics. 

It's amazing how much society influences young boys. They must be strong, emotionless, physical, and insensitive. It seems to me if they're otherwise, they'll be labeled as "gay" even from a young age. 

It blows my mind that children are taught at a young age that, even if a boy is to act more feminine or be gay, he should be looked down upon. It's like teaching impressionable young kids to be judgmental before they even know what the word means. 

This brings me to my last point. Tonight, I had the pleasure of watching Dance 37, a dance production put on by faculty and students here at Hope. The performance was moving and filled with talent. However, one particular dance piece stood out immensely. 

This piece dealt with the hate crime that took place on campus last year. The dance started out with one word spray painted across a building. 

GAY. 

I'm sure several members of the audience were stunned. I won't drone on about each detail of the dance and I won't put words in the choreographer's mouth but I will give you my take on it. 

At first, I didn't like it. I didn't understand the movement. Then there was this overwhelming portrayal of unacceptance. People walking by, not acknowledging the one girl staring at the word, in clear anguish. Suddenly, the dismissal was replaced by an array of confusion and dishevelment. Paralleling the feelings, I imagine of a homosexual person finding their way in a society sprinkled with judgement. The music got angrier and louder as the girls ran around in chaos with angry faces, pointing, accusing. The end was taken over by a feeling of vulnerability. I was hit with the feelings of a person struggling between coming out and the judgment of others. 

I can only assume this dance could equate to those emotions.