Words by Maya Hart | Photography by Sky Sirens Creative Team
Our latest We are Sirens campaign highlights a handful of Sky Sirens’ Bodacious Babes - our Plus Size community. We sat down with each of our showcased Sirens to learn more about their journey and experiences as Plus-Size people.
Fatphobia, the unconscious bias and the act of discrimination against Plus Size people, has infiltrated our society and perspective of the world. Due to an overwhelming proportion of mainstream media parroting diet culture, we have consumed and internalised toxic ideas about health, beauty and self-worth, resulting in a socially ingrained, systemic stigma against Fat & Plus Size folk. Harmful, fatphobic perspectives limit everyday opportunities and access to healthcare.
Unlearning our unconscious biases is hard work. It is not a task that we can simply do once, and never think about again. Due to the nature of fatphobia and diet culture, we are exposed to these biases all of the time - and therefore, must continually work to counteract the stigma. This project is designed to bring a handful of our Bodacious Babes to the limelight. With a focus on telling their stories and learning ways in which we can improve, this project is a journey of representation and accountability.
Come meet a few members of our wonderful & rich community!
The world of Dance & Aerials is filled with wonder and awe. Revolutionised by the creative endeavours of performers and producers, stage shows bring the magic to you, gifting you a glimpse into their stories so far. In addition to the glitz and glamour, the industry has notoriously been entrenched with fatphobia, body shaming and weight stigma. Our perception of dancers has been skewed by the mainstream media - conjuring an image of a single body type. This simply does not reflect reality - as dancers come in all shapes & sizes. Stories of fatphobia within the industry have culminated in an overwhelming pressure to conform to a standard that is, for many people, impossible to achieve, and not always a goal of the dancer. This, paired with the attitudes of some dancers and professionals, has sadly encouraged many Fat people to steer clear of dance altogether.
Despite the widespread stigma in the dance industry, Fat Dancers have contributed greatly to the cultural development of dance. Burlesque was utilised as a way for dancers rejected from ballet companies and chorus lines to express themselves in an authentic, fluid way. Not only was Burlesque a vessel of self-expression, but it was also a means to make money in a world with few opportunities for women. In fact, Burlesque performances throughout the 20th century were often overflowing with feminist values. After a lifetime of being told how you should look, dress and act, Burlesque shifted the power back to the dancers themselves. For a brief stage show, transgressive expectations of women were momentarily suspended. Performers unapologetically took up space. They illuminated the room with their bright, bold personalities in stark contrast to the quiet, sensible woman archetype. Although Fat performers were given fewer opportunities than their slimmer counterparts, this foundation has attracted Fat Dancers since its conception, with more and more Plus-Size performers stepping onto the scene since the 90s Burlesque revival.
Burlesque itself provided freedom of expression but was ultimately limited by the society engulfing it. Burlesque was a fight; a protest; a struggle against a patriarchal society desperate to fit you into neatly-labelled boxes, shoved aside until needed. Performers faced repeated censorship and public arrest. The resilience of the performers before us, who came face to face with the “man” and said “I’m not going anywhere”, has influenced the way that we experience Burlesque today. A history of inverting expectations on its head has resulted in an art form rich with diversity in body types, backgrounds and experiences. As feminism gained traction throughout history, the dance industry developed in tandem. Burlesque has become a celebration of self. Other styles of dance have become more accepting of varying body types. We are finally starting to find beauty in our differences, and this is slowly being reflected in mainstream media. Despite this, the battle has not been won. We still need to tackle our biases and misconceptions as they come up. Representation is vital to show the world, and ourselves, that everyone can take up space and learn to dance.
Your weight doesn’t determine your rhythm or flow, and any dancer can succeed regardless of size. Musicality cannot be achieved by losing weight. Dance is an opportunity for authentic self-expression. Your stories can be told through dance and movement - stories that deserve to be told, to be heard and to be remembered.
| Click the images below to find out more about our Sirens in the spotlight! |
We use our Student Showcases as an opportunity to collect valuable feedback that helps us improve the accessibility and inclusion at Sky Sirens. My role at Sky Sirens is all about improving these aspects of the studio - but I don’t have the lived experience of every member of our community. So, these projects allow me to sit down and speak to the communities that help make Sky Sirens so great - and find out what our next steps should be. In the interest of accountability, we publish the anonymous feedback and our associated response with each of our projects.
Kneepads
We learned that the studio could benefit from some adjustable kneepads - as not everyone has the same proportions! We’ve been researching options to keep in mind when we are re-stocking The Parlour.
Modifications in Class
Throughout this experience, we’ve learned about different positions that may require modifications for people based upon their anatomy. We’re planning a Professional Development Meeting for all of our Instructors to encourage creative thinking & move modifications when necessary.
Class Progression
Some of the moves that are not anatomically possible for some plus-size people to achieve are required to move up to a more advanced class. Our prerequisites are in place to ensure the safety of our students, and so that our instructors have a class of students that are similarly matched in ability. However, we understand that these prerequisites may not be fair when it’s not about strength or technique - sometimes, the only barrier is anatomy. In response to this feedback, we have introduced a new stream of Low Hoop Lyra classes aimed at all students who are struggling to meet the prerequisites, but want to continue their learning journey.
Do you have more feedback for us?
If you would like to provide us with more feedback regarding accessibility and inclusivity at Sky Sirens, please email maya@skysirens.com.au and I will take it on board!