Flying, a poem

“Latonya Wigginton, notably performed an affecting piece that was far more than tricks.”

– Tamara Searle, Dance Informa, 2017

This is a deeply personal piece in which I explore stereotypes surrounding gender
roles. Whilst the work of great feminists throughout history has broken down many
traditional gender roles, the effects of sexism are still far reaching today. It was made
in collaboration with Australian slam poet, Candy Royalle. She composed the poem I
recite, drawing from our ideas around femineity, queer identity and feminism.
To claim space as a female outside the bounds of society’s preconceived ideas of
what makes a ‘woman’ is difficult. To move past people’s words, judgments, and
questions and become comfortable with yourself takes strength. This becomes
amplified when you also sit outside perceptions of a ‘traditionally queer’ person.
I believe the physicality of movement on the trapeze adds to the power of the
message as a demonstration of what is possible when you leave expectations
behind. To show that each individual expression of self is no less important than any
other.