Defenders of Dance
If you have been keeping up with some of the earlier posts on our blog, you might have noticed that we have dived into many sources of media where LGBTQ+ representation is happening. If it is one media source that we have yet to discuss here on the LGBTQ Media Lens, let us move you toward the direction of where the representation is happening - centerstage! We are devoting today's blogpost to some of the LGBTQ+ artists who are paving the way for representation in the media, one swift movement at a time, and they just so happen to be professional dancers. When one hears the word "dancer" many things might come flashing through their mind. As an art, the world of dance has long served as a creative channel for professionals to express themselves through various forms of movement. In the entertainment business, dancing is not only respected for its disciplined, demanding and sometimes, delicate arrangements, but had also widely been known as a passion, that for the most part, mainly consisted of heterosexual performers. Yet, it definitely does not seem to be a secret that over the last decade, more and more male dancers were shattering the stigma surrounding the dance performance world. And just as significantly, more and more LGBTQ+ dancers were coming forward to pave a way for the lack of representation in the community. It seems like it was only a matter of time before these performers would not allow their identity to be upstaged without a fight.
Because there have been a number of LGBTQ+ performers to arise from the stage over the years, we wanted to mention a couple of dancers who have recently been using their platform to raise up the community. Dancers like Nicolas Huchard have been moving up the ranks their whole entire life. Since the age of six, Huchard has earned the spotlight career that he currently shines in, yet, it seems that not too many people are aware of his sensational talents. Because professional dancers do not get the same praise that most popular athletes do, it can be easy for stars like Huchard to slip under the radar of recognition. But like many of the LGBTQ+ artists that we have previously featured on this blog, there definitely seems to be a flame-lit passion that just can not seem to stop burning, and it causes quite the trail blaze as other artists soon follow in these footsteps (and footwork) to pursue their aspirations from all across the stage. Huchard is not only a professional performer, but is also a choreographer, having worked with celebrities such as Madonna and Jessie Ware. It is also artists like Marco Bozzato and Rhys Kosakowski who, over the last couple of years, have been expanding the road to representation and are promoting LGBTQ+ awareness through their art form, quickly rising to high levels of fame. It is significant for audiences to bear witness to these extraordinary talents and their contributions, because while it most certainly is not happening behind the scenes, it seldom gets to be celebrated on the stage. And as mentioned earlier, those who do get to shine under the spotlight do not shine from a stage that is universally highlighted for the LGBTQ+ community. Something worth asking ourselves, is why exactly this is?
Footwork in the Future
Perhaps the answer is a work in progress and for good reason. While it certainly seems that LGBTQ+ artists in the dancing realm have long been associated with the profession, their efforts are not always held to the same degree as their jeté (jump). However, I would argue that due to many years of stigmatization surrounding LGBTQ+ dancers, there has been somewhat of a hinderance on the potential for professional performances to be progressive. For example, when a performer stands out, the focus almost always goes to the fact that people still think of dances such as ballet as a feminine or female-only art, which could not be further from the truth. Or when a female ballerina happens to be a prima (a chief female dancer) she most likely will hardly be associated with masculine elements of the dance. And when men and women dance together, our society rarely allows the girls to lift the boys into the air, boys are never seen in tutus and pink slippers are most definitely not worn on every dancers foot. It is not often that we get to see nor appreciate dancers like Rhys Kosakowski who take on more unconventional roles or who can confidently move with femininity in their routines. This raises the issue of heteronormative standards that still seem to thrive in the world of dance - a world that is elevated and crafted largely by the LGBTQ+ community. Yet, even past all of the glitz and glam that come with the spotlight, LGBTQ+ artists never seem to crack under the pressure, especially when it comes to pushing through all of the societal issues that may cross their path. It is apparent that as we continue to move forward, dancers are working twice as hard to keep LGBTQ+ representation from disappearing from behind the curtain and societal standards are most definitely not being tolerated under the spotlight as they once were. Instead, artists from the LGBTQ+ community are using their platform to show us that dance is not what society tells us it is, it is whatever we choose to make of it.
And while we are getting to choose, other sources of media seem to be catching on quick and making conscience choices of their own platforms as the world of dance shifts to make more room for representation. Despite the past and all of the darkness that seems to have undermined too many talents to count, our future does, in fact, look promising and it is full of an amazing light that allows multiple stars to shine. I think of all of the LGBTQ+ artists who paved the way for younger performers and how they might have never got to take their bows alongside their other respected dancers. And while this is not something that can ever be overlooked, it does provide us all with a ray of hope and especially for prospective dancers who yearn to one day take to the stage and pursue their passions. As dancing is a visual art, when people see performers like Huchard and Kosakowski, there is no doubt that they will be inspired to be just as ambitious and just as eager to go after their goals and do it all with a brave face and a confidence to not conform to the societal standards that have long tried to shape and constrain our self-expression. It is posts like these that I hope will scratch the surface to a situation that may seem glorious from the cheap seats, but behind the scenes, the curtain is drawing on something worth grabbing our attention. So, I encourage anyone and everyone reading this to find your own spotlight. If you have ever felt yourself as an artist struggling to find a proper platform to stand on, then build your own stage. Whether you have been dancing your whole entire life or just learning how to leap for the first time, just remember that with any art form and like what many of the LGBTQ+ artists are continuing to show us, it is never too late to make it happen - all you have to do it try. And of course, take that leap of faith.
Thank you for your time. See you in the next post!
*None of these images or videos belong to me and were found on Google.
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