KAT: Wow. That is real. “Embodi- ment” should be our natural state! In a capitalist system so much is taken and sold back to people. Our bodies become projects that are never com- plete, and the powerful tool that dis- empowers us from opting out of these systems is shame. It’s overwhelm- ing to fight an entire system, but we can begin with ourselves. We start by unlearning the idea that some bodies are more valuable or morally better than others. In a dance studio, owners, directors, teachers, choreographers, and staff need to be doing intentional work to challenge their own biases, includ- ing anti-fat bias, as well as offering resources and training for staff and
ALEX: This type of talk is prevalent!
dancers. In addition, a crucial safety measure for all movement spaces is to educate about eating disorders. They are more common and dangerous than folks realize, and they affect peo- ple of all sizes. I strongly suggest keeping diet-talk and negative body talk out of the dance space. Conversations about per- sonal eating choices (weight-centric or not) can be reserved for elsewhere. Any body talk that uplifts certain bodies or characteristics over others shouldn’t be allowed, including com- ments about oneself. It’s understand- able to have critical thoughts about our bodies, but these should be pro- cessed privately, with consent—let’s keep it out of dance space.
KAT: It is everywhere! I take a trau- ma-aware approach. I assume anyone entering my class may have trauma related to their body image—espe- cially fat folks. So I go out of my way to emphasize non-judgement, to cen- ter the dancers’ experience. I pro- vide options for dancers to customize movement to their body and remind them that they are the owners and executors of their own body. As we look at our dance spaces through this lens, we can ask: Who is not here, and why? Are the move- ments accessible or adaptable? Is there fat-friendly seating in the stu- dio? Is the building accessible? Are
the costumes or merchandise available in inclusive sizing? Is there body-diversity in marketing materials? Are there other types of diversity in the space (ethnicity, race, gender expression, sexuality, age, ability)? Will people of all shapes and sizes feel comfort- able and included? Our society is anti-fat, so our spaces will be, too, unless we work on it. We won’t be perfect, but we should start somewhere. ALEX: I was “raised” in modern and contemporary performance spaces, so these values hold a lot of weight to me. I was always told that because I was fat, I would never be a professional dancer or that I would make companies look “trashy.” I was encouraged to get weight loss surgery and graphically told how disordered eating would bene- fit me and make me “hireable.” Even in the Bay Area, people have told me that not all inclu- sion is good inclusion and that “fat dancers just can’t do what other dancers can do.” KAT: First of all, I am so sorry those things were said to you.
harming dancers with bigger bodies; it’s hurting everyone who participates in dance. KAT: That is the magic of this work: It helps liberate everyone. Every person with a body deserves to live fully and joyfully without shame. And I know that for both of us, a full and joyous life includes dancing. KAT KOENEMANN (she/her) is Dancers’ Groups’ General Manager, a dance instructor and consultant at Hipline, and a fat liberation activist. Kat has danced for 35+ years and performed with companies in Alabama, South Carolina, and the Bay Area. She lives in Oakland, CA. @big_thick_energy_ . ALEX TISCARENO (she/they) is a plus-sized dance artist from Fresno, CA. Since starting her dance education in 2012, Alex has made it her mission to advocate for body inclusivity in professional dance spaces. Recently she obtained her MFA and is currently setting work with her company Aleño Dance Project.
It’s unacceptable. I’m glad it didn’t stop you from dancing because we both know that fat dancers absolutely CAN dance. ALEX: Yes! That is why I’ve pulled my focus more towards the performance side of dance. You don’t often see larger dancers on stage, working with profes- sional companies, or getting recognized by notable choreographers. Someone once told me that they saw a “bigger dancer” dancing for Bill T. Jones and they felt that was enough representa- tion. One time with one dancer isn’t enough. Why is dance hesitant to be body inclusive? Why is dance adamant on continuing archaic body standards— especially when it doesn’t match the col- lective society it exists in, you know?
to the point of an audition because of negative experiences and internalized anti-fatness. I even quit dancing sev- eral times. How many amazing dancers is the world missing out on? ALEX: Absolutely. I would love to see bigger bodied dancers in a pro- fessional setting. I look back at the younger me who felt so alone. I think about what seeing people who looked like me would have done for my experience and mental health. There is an active disconnect between mis- sion statements and the representa- tion we see in these settings. Compa- nies can’t, in good faith, say they are advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion while not including differ- ent body types in that advocacy. It shows that there is a lot of work that still needs to be done. It’s not just
KAT: YES. So many dancers I work with tell me they never even made it
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In Dance | May 2014 | dancersgroup.org
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