PRO Talk: Breaking Barriers and Overcoming Biases: Unveiling Challenges in Casting
PRO Talks are CircusTalk’s live virtual events led by industry influencers and experts focused on career-building topics. Our virtual conversations feature talent seekers from different sectors within circus and the performing arts. PRO members will gain new insights, meet fellow professionals, and strengthen their career connections. In our November session, Stacy Clark’s guest was Veronica Blair, Aerial Performer, Independent Director/ Choreographer & Creative Consultant.
In this Pro Talk we opened a conversation about equitable casting, also known as inclusive casting or diversity casting. This practice in casting ensures that a broader range of performers, including those from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups, have opportunities to portray a variety of roles on stage.
While equity and inclusion have gained momentum in recent years, there is still an ongoing discussion within the industry about how best to achieve equitable casting while respecting artistic freedom and storytelling integrity.
We are delighted to share the recording of this honest and vulnerable conversation to promote diversity, representation, and fairness in the entertainment industry.
Our Guest
Veronica Blair is an accomplished aerialist, award-winning choreographer, and circus researcher. She is the recipient of the 2021 Gerbode Foundation’s Choreographers Award, the 2020 American Circus Educators Award for Innovation, and the Community Impact at the inaugural International Circus Awards for her work on the Uncle Junior Project, a multimedia archive spotlighting people of African descent in American circus. Under the same project, Veronica curated a live exhibition titled “Entrapment to Entertainment: A Celebration of Black People in American Circus” in 2013. Her impactful work has earned her invitations to speak at the Smithsonian, San Francisco International Arts Festival, and facilitate panel discussions engaging conversations about institutional barriers, individual biases, and abuse prevention in the circus industry as part of the Circus and Changing Realities series in partnership with CircusTalk.
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