In feminist philosopher Judith Butler’s 1990 book Gender Trouble, she states “There is no gender identity behind the expressions of gender; identity is performatively constituted by the very “expressions” of gender that are said to be its results” (p. 25). This essay will explore how Lea Anderson’s Perfect Moment (1992) (a film adaption of the stage piece Birthday (1992), directed by Margaret Williams) reveals these expressions to show the social construct of gender within our hegemonic heterosexual society.
Anderson began her studies at St Martin’s School of Art, before leaving to continue at Laban Centre for Movement and Dance (Hutera, 2011, p. 29) and her art school background is evident in her choreographic practice. Movement for her pieces …show more content…
A section where this is seen is one which consists of all the dancers, regardless of gender, performing a series of movements while wearing identical shoulder length wigs in a typically “feminine” style. The movements performed are also typically “feminine”; making reference to images from popular culture such as hair product advertisements and sixties pop video backing dancers (Briginshaw, 1996, p. 128). In using both male and female dancers in this section, Anderson illustrates how femininity and masculinity are constructed concepts within the hegemonic society. The performance of the recontextualised images also highlights the performative nature of gender. The idea that gender is not something a body has or is but something it does was first theorised by feminist philosopher Judith Butler in her book Gender Trouble (1990). Here she states (p. …show more content…
The audience’s view of the duets is disrupted due to their placement behind panes of glass which are steamed up, frosted or have water running down them. The film also includes rapid cuts between shots which further disrupts the duets. Combined with the performers’ identical costumes, initially the gender of the dancers is difficult to establish, implying gender fluidity (Briginshaw, 1996, p. 130). The staging also highlights Anderson’s use of images. The disrupted nature of the duets is paired with repetition of mundane acts (cosmetic preparation) which emphasise gender characteristics as constructed images. Butler states “gender is an identity tenuously constituted in time, instituted in an exterior space through a stylized repetition of acts” (Butler, 1990, p. 140). Anderson’s repeated flashes of images reveal the gendered acts of cosmetic preparation as constructed; a repeated performance which highlights how the “natural” is in fact a performative corporeal
Anderson began her studies at St Martin’s School of Art, before leaving to continue at Laban Centre for Movement and Dance (Hutera, 2011, p. 29) and her art school background is evident in her choreographic practice. Movement for her pieces …show more content…
A section where this is seen is one which consists of all the dancers, regardless of gender, performing a series of movements while wearing identical shoulder length wigs in a typically “feminine” style. The movements performed are also typically “feminine”; making reference to images from popular culture such as hair product advertisements and sixties pop video backing dancers (Briginshaw, 1996, p. 128). In using both male and female dancers in this section, Anderson illustrates how femininity and masculinity are constructed concepts within the hegemonic society. The performance of the recontextualised images also highlights the performative nature of gender. The idea that gender is not something a body has or is but something it does was first theorised by feminist philosopher Judith Butler in her book Gender Trouble (1990). Here she states (p. …show more content…
The audience’s view of the duets is disrupted due to their placement behind panes of glass which are steamed up, frosted or have water running down them. The film also includes rapid cuts between shots which further disrupts the duets. Combined with the performers’ identical costumes, initially the gender of the dancers is difficult to establish, implying gender fluidity (Briginshaw, 1996, p. 130). The staging also highlights Anderson’s use of images. The disrupted nature of the duets is paired with repetition of mundane acts (cosmetic preparation) which emphasise gender characteristics as constructed images. Butler states “gender is an identity tenuously constituted in time, instituted in an exterior space through a stylized repetition of acts” (Butler, 1990, p. 140). Anderson’s repeated flashes of images reveal the gendered acts of cosmetic preparation as constructed; a repeated performance which highlights how the “natural” is in fact a performative corporeal