Choreographer Rosie Kay forced to resign from her own company

[peonyred]

This is a share token so you can read the story. Another Janice Turner article. Simone suggested Crowdfunding for her new company.

Rosie Kay: I resigned from my own dance company after I was accused of transphobia

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/3935bc4a-5858-11ec-a3f7-65d2d47c7fea?shareToken=d4efe0ddb11ede84d52835a0a02d70e3

In the time of COVID, surely the entertainment industry has suffered enough?

@BreadInCaptivity

Since reading those screenshots I've got The Pretenders, Brass In My Pocket on repeat in my head....

I got brass in pocket
I got bottle, I'm gonna use it
Intention, I feel inventive
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice

Got motion, restrained emotion
Been driving, Detroit leaning
No reason, just seems so pleasing
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice

Gonna use my arms
Gonna use my legs
Gonna use my style
Gonna use my sidestep
Gonna use my fingers
Gonna use my, my, my, imagination

'Cause I going make you see
There's nobody else here, no one like me
I'm special
(Special)
So special
(Special)
I got have some of your attention, give it to me

I got rhythm, I can't miss a beat
I got a new Skank, so reet
Got something, I'm winking at you
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice

Gonna use my arms
Gonna use my legs
Gonna use my style
Gonna use my sidestep
Gonna use my fingers
Gonna use my, my, my, imagination

Oh, 'cause I gonna make you see
There's nobody else here, no one like me
I'm special
(Special)
So special
(Special)
I got to have some of your attention, give it to me

'Cause I gonna make you see
There's nobody else here, no one like me
I'm special
(Special)
So special
(Special)
I got have some of your attention, give it to me

I can't listen to that song now without thinking of Catherine Tate😂

Ah Motorina, I read the situation the opposite way, that it is a biological female dancer that identifies as a man and is either naturally flat chested or has had a mastectomy and though they can just about handle dancing female parts if that’s what they have to do to earn a living, false breasts are a step too far.
This is just supposition though!

What I'm struggling with is dance is all about physicality, I can see how it could help a dysphoric person connect with their body, and I've seem Drag Race so I've seen how men can perform wonderful illusions of femininity, but how can you perform when you are in such denial of your body?

There's also the basic reality that has meant a number of films have never been made because of a raft of dramatic problematising like this: the whole point is the end product that places bums on seats and makes sufficient money. Very hard in the performance industry in all forms, particularly as it tries to recover from Covid. It's about getting a performance finished, shown and of sufficient quality to do the job. Not about the properly therapeutic and nurturing experience of the performers.

There is balance, but it's been totally lost here. Like the humungous fuss about 'this person can't play that role' and 'cancel x if they dare go on with this role' and the whole film is quietly ditched because without a big name actor it has no hope. Reality matters. This is a job. This is an industry. This is a workplace and not a youth project with care workers.

@TheWeeDonkey

What I'm struggling with is dance is all about physicality, I can see how it could help a dysphoric person connect with their body, and I've seem Drag Race so I've seen how men can perform wonderful illusions of femininity, but how can you perform when you are in such denial of your body?

It doesn't make sense to you or me because we don't see the world the way they do. But I do believe they say what they feel they say. I'm not going to say that a trans person (or any other person)'s emotional reactions to their body can't be real because it's logically inconsistent with other ways they use their body..logically inconsistent is, after all, pretty much the definition of an emotional reaction!

I will however challenge the ideology that attempts to extrapolate that personal emotional reaction into wider assertions about the existence and validity of gender identity as an innate human characteristic, or to deny the reality of sexed bodies, or to delegitimise the needs and voices of people who suffer the consequences of being female sex in a sexist society.

Julie Bindel article in The Critic on Rosie Kay

A rallying call to feminists:

"By its very definition, feminism is a movement that takes on the bullies, in this case the violent and abusive men who put women down, silence us, control and demean us. We step in when authorities and institutions fail to protect us or condemn the men who cause us harm. Kow-towing to extreme trans activists, because you are scared to speak the truth and be condemned, is akin to being in an unwanted relationship with an abusive man. ...

...The feminist fix for bullies? Stand up to them and surround yourself with an army of women who support you. There are enough of us now. Your silence will not protect you, but your resistance will."

thecritic.co.uk/misogynists-and-their-handmaidens/

I'm confused. Where are those screenshots from? Who wrote them?

The Rosie Kay Dance Company has folded.
rosiekay.co.uk/
The web site has been replaced by the message below. The twitter account has gone private but has said nothing about it as yet.

"Rosie Kay Dance Company

On Tuesday 7 December, Rosie Kay resigned with immediate effect from her role as Artistic Director of Rosie Kay Dance Company Limited (RKDC).

In the week since Rosie resigned, the board has worked alongside the remaining employees of the charity to:

inform Arts Council England and other funders,
review the financial position of the charity, and
agree the future of the charity.
We have concluded that it is necessary to close RKDC.

It is important to the board that we manage the closure in an orderly manner, ensuring that employees are properly consulted and supported, creditors are paid, restricted funds are applied correctly, and the assets of the charity are disposed of appropriately. That process is underway.

The board would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to all those who have given the charity financial support, encouragement and appreciation.

Any enquiries should be directed to: [email protected]

Board of Trustees, 14 December 2021"

I know it's not a surprise, but it's official now.

Oh well. The trustees have kept their reputations, none of them can be accused of transphobia. They can hop along on the charity job circuit to the next trusteeship.

@TheWeeDonkey

What I'm struggling with is dance is all about physicality, I can see how it could help a dysphoric person connect with their body, and I've seem Drag Race so I've seen how men can perform wonderful illusions of femininity, but how can you perform when you are in such denial of your body?

Perhaps your assumption is incorrect and they are not doing this?

In this case both NB dancers applied for roles aligned with their sex. Interesting no?

There was clearly an understanding of the physical reality/demands of the roles they felt they would be good candidates for.

So why this disparity between actions and words?

Personally given my experience of the NB tribe it's a power trip.

A very simple way, with no sacrifice required to centre yourself and make demands of everyone around you.

Your seniority within a company doesn't matter. Your experience doesn't matter.

Nothing matters other than how people treat you and your ability to control their behaviour, with willing (and unwilling frightened) cheerleaders waving their Pom poms.

Narcissistic manipulation in plain sight.

NB aren't Trans.

They reject the very concept of gender whilst enjoying the "benefits" of gender ideology .

People who think that way aren't logical.

They are simply attempting to gaslight everyone around them into thinking they deserve "special status", much akin to heterosexuals claiming "queer" status (obvious to the slur that word used to be to the gay/lesbian community and where many still dislike its usage).

Interesting to read your take Bread as yes I've definitely noticed the trend for NB people to consider themselves trans.

The sheer amount of people, even on this board tbh, who didn't recognise JKR's tweet as text from 1984 somewhat goes to show how 'queer' may well have gained ground as an acceptable term. Guess these references and their contexts just aren't recognised these days?

Guess these references and their contexts just aren't recognised these days?

No I don't think they are and even when there's an inkling, voilà 🎉 history is re-written to fit your narrative.

Using primary sources to interpret historical context seems be be a vanishing skill.

So they are all out of a job then?

Yep.

And if anyone has any up to date Tweets from the young warriors I'd love to see how they are spinning this!

I doubt that they will see it any other way than a victory and I doubt they can spell Pyrrhic, should they have even heard of it!

@KittenKong

So they are all out of a job then?

Not just that.

Non-binary? Got Rosie Kay Company on your CV?

Good Luck.

So she can set up a new company and hire dancers who aren’t little brats who will act like this and get on with their jobs?

And potential companies will look at them and say what? ‘Oh yes, great work ethic and a fantastic team player’?

Oops, better brush up their side-hussle skills then.

Sorry - meant to add ‘haha’.

‘Non-binary? Got Rosie Kay Company on your CV?

Good Luck.‘

The great thing about being non binary is that nobody need know…

I would say the careers of those dancers are over.
The dancing world are very protective of each other - they have to be. It's a tough world for a dancer. Ms Kay will have her contacts and friends to support her, and I have no doubt she'll be back.

The dancers who caused this however - it wouldn't surprise me if they're finished.

The usual view is that scorched earth and destruction is better than permitting a witch/sinner to exist. As a very astute pp said way up thread, it's a kind of death, a social and public death.

However there are realities beneath all that political valour. And yes, you can bet that notes have been taken as to who to be very wary of employing, having seen what that performer will do if you displease them.

Oh the irony. A true case of 'go woke, go broke'

Perhaps our dancers could put on a performance at their job centre

I am so sorry to hear the Ms Kay's dance company has folded and agree that she has a future while the dancers who caused this mess won't.