Invitation to slow dance, 2010, Katya Grokhovsky (dancing with Maya Jeffereis)photo Andrew Green
Invitation to slow dance , Katya Grokhovsky, 2010 (dancing with Crispin Rosenkranz)photo Andrew Green
How gendered is slow dance? Am I actually, forgive me, surprised? Possibly? I am. How naive. yes. It is gendered. everything IS. Absolutely is. Maybe perhaps I'm so used to being my own boss , I never re-think my gender until I am of course, rudely reminded. I don't mean on the street or anywhere really, I mean in my own art re-finement and it comes biting me, jolting me. Me. woman. re- a woman. You have ovaries and things and period and things and mood swing and things and breasts and all of it. your body is watery jelly dark unknown, your biology...My biology. Shall we? Dance with my biology? Twirl and spin slower . Slower.
..who's the man...there is no man. let me be the leader- you follow. serenade to me.Rebbecca Horn. extend my body- make it stronger....make it powerful...give me steel..afraid to crumble and die. body landscapes body choreography and gestures....eating lemons pickled juice drinking pickle heaven ...uhhuh...embracing my weakness. Low low lower...paying attention to details...extended eyes...green eyeshadow, foundation. beige softer beige . black dress. I don't wear that. well..stilettos digging into concrete floor. I have strong arms, let me lead you. do you mind? he minds.
He always minds. why do I have to fight you for leadership? I'm a natural born leader or so they say. poor pushy bossy bitch? ahhh don't women have to be be aggressive? aggressively slow dancing I am twirling and being twirled. I am rounding up my thoughts. what if I never fall in love again? what if this it. all I have. this is it. right now. who saw it? who wrote about it? who took notice? who came ? who cares? twirling being twirled. dip me. I'm dipping. dipping. him her. let me teach you, it's easy.
How easy? terribly tired feet now. Stilettos, heavily carrying the burden of my body. testing testing enduring and smiling lovingly. Would you? No. Embarrassed? No. rejected.
Getting up on a chair at 8pm , during my 16th bday party, thanking everyone for coming. I tried to pull all my hair heavy thick hair up into a do. it was falling apart all evening. the dress which never fit me well, cheap black organza, lots of skirts, wide belt and buckle, numerous straps. that doesn't suit you or fit you well. don't slouch. always curving your back. stand up straight. would you dance with him? he's always asking about you. I am always asked about. You know her. yes, I know her. Food overflowing on round tables, pickled tomatoes, my favourite. stop eating them. I can't stop eating them. I eat them. how drunk are you and why do you have two pairs of underwear on? Um, I don't know I feel more protected this way? protected from what? I don't know. I just feel like wearing two pairs when I wear a skirt. that's all. pretty easy to understand I believe. I'm not so sure about that.
Spin slower. Step softly, just shuffle. Do you mind if I lead? I lead naturally, it just happens, that's why I cant find a man, you see.. HA! Apparently. I love to lead, I lead every dance, that is why I can not dance proper couple dance steps, you know, tango, all of it, I just lead and hate being led. In Argentinian tango the woman is just gently supposed to fall into her partner, I can never release the control, the trust is never there. I resist and strongly, it is quite comical actually. maybe there is nothing funny about that, but when it happens, I find myself in hysteria over it. I smell onion breath, did you just eat onions? No well, maybe at lunch I think..well, I can still smell them....step, step, step, step again.
Steps:
1.Find and invite a partner to dance with you. Look into that person’s eyes, when you ask him or her to dance.
2. Escort your partner to the dance floor slowly. Don’t be nervous, there is nothing to worry about.
3. Assume the position, face your partner, standing so that your head is about a foot or two away from his or hers.
4. Begin to move to music together with your partner, as you desire. Traditionally, the man leads, however, there are no rules anymore. Shuffle softly, slowly and smoothly. Follow the beat of the music and the leader.
5. Interact with your partner verbally or via eye contact during the dance.
6. Thank your partner for the dance.
Odessa notes, Katya Grokhovsky, 2008
