Baby don’t hurt me

This work originated in the honest attempts by each performer to express an intimate story. ‘Baby don’t hurt me’ explores how their personal experiences and perspectives become part of their performing roles. Themes of identity, sexuality, love and gender are truthfully delved into and given shape.

But how, when departing from an intimate question, can we express something that considers us all?  Can the personal become universal? 

Wearing your heart on your sleeve holds the risk of being painfully judged or misunderstood. This vulnerability is one of the things we all have in common. How much can we share? What is love?

‘With Imre and Marne, we have been able to weave our personal stories with our dancing bodies. The body holds a rich narrative, one which has its implications onto society. These implications come from political and societal structures, which are being questioned and deconstructed more than ever in our current world. As a dancing body twists and bends, the political body is also present, demanding that its origins and its facets are seen and heard. To be related to, to question one’s perspective of humanity. Working with both Imre and Marne, we have been gifted the opportunity to bring our whole selves to a process. To work towards befriending vulnerability in the hopes that our hearts can be limitless, that our stories are shared as much as they are reconciled with. That our questions can be asked through dance making.’ – Isla Clarke (cast member)