Inspired by Judith Butler’s notion of gender as a performative act, this piece interrogates the ways in which societal roles of "man" and "woman" are constructed and reinforced through daily interactions. Drawing from Butler’s idea that gender is something performed, rather than an inherent identity, the choreography seeks to blur these traditional boundaries, presenting the man and woman as equals.

In key moments of the piece, the woman cries and the characters argue, reflecting the emotional and psychological tensions that arise from the pressures to conform to gender expectations. These moments of conflict and vulnerability are integral to exposing how gender roles are often sites of resistance, negotiation, and contradiction. Through these performative acts, the piece questions not only the rigidity of gender binaries but also the emotional labor tied to performing femininity and masculinity.

By challenging these performances, the work invites the audience to imagine a world where gender is not fixed but fluid—an ongoing dialogue that can be constantly undone and rewritten.

“That our bodies, affects and sensations are permanently subject to external stimulation, manipulation and therefore to control. The power to control bodies is, to me, a political question. As is the question of how bodies are treated in general. For instance, when parents are confronted with having to decide if their androgynous baby is going to become a boy or a girl through hormonal treatment, they are in fact confronted with a much larger societal question, of society not being able to handle bodies that are non-gendered. Which is a question of controlling the desire of bodies according to certain societal codes of expression and behavior.” (Ingvarsten, 2014).

Work in progress collaboration between Aaron Alonso and Eduardo Alvarez.

JUNE 2020