Skinned – emilyn claid & Heidi Rustgaard (UK/NO)

Recommended for ages from 16 years and up

Skinned is a critically acclaimed choreographic score co-created by Heidi Rustgaard (H2DANCE) and emilyn claid. The work is performed by emilyn. In the performance emilyn relates intensely to an immense piece of fur and latex skin, which acts as camouflage, a cloak, an animal hide.

Queering is core to Heidi and emilyn’s collaboration, understanding Queering as a movement of transformation, unfixing identity, a fluid process of destabilizing normativity. They embody notions of hunting and being hunted, cruising and crumbling. emilyn moves close to spectators who watch from within the space, interacting with them, while maintaining a performing presence. The piece has a commissioned score by queer electro-pop composer Planningtorock.

The piece has received praise and great reviews internationally, highlighting Claid’s magnetic presence and her play with various identities;

Emilyn Claid’s SKINNED was anything but sweet. In fact, it was unnerving. Created in collaboration with Rustgaard, it was a fearless, often ferocious solo piece danced in a sort of wolfskin among the audience, at one moment confronting us nose-to-nose, eyes staring into ours with a predatory glint, the next breaking into an embracing smile of amiability and even complaisance. It was an amazing performance by a veteran dance practitioner who, I wasn’t surprised to learn later, is also a psychotherapist. It was definitely not for the faint-hearted.

– Miles Hedley

Credits