My remix project aims to display the silly and non-sexual side of aerial acrobatics. Aerial acrobatics is a variety of dance utilizing a range of hanging apparatuses (silks, sling, straps, rope, lyra, cube, etc) which dancers perform on. These performances typically include displays of flexibility, tight costumes, and have roots in sexual liberation as well as circus which leads many to believe that aerial dance is synonymous with sexuality and exotic dance. The vast majority of high quality aerial acrobatics videos aid this assumption as the dancers in them wear revealing clothes, use seductive gestures to entertain their audiences, and set the videos in night clubs or cinematic spaces. Professional aerial acrobatics groups such as Versatile Assassins and Cirque Asylum, as well as many independent aerialists, lean into and have gained popularity from these techniques. As an aerialist myself, I enjoy watching these videos for their impressive show of skill and choreography, but they all employ a sexual nature I don’t relate to when I dance. I identify myself as a “sex repulsed” asexual, someone who has no interest in sex or being sexualized, and am made deeply uncomfortable by the thought. When I first tell others about my interest in aerial acrobatics, I feel the need to emphasize that I’m not interested in exotic dance or stripping, afraid that people will view me as sexual because of the variety of dance I partake in. Being able to choose how you are perceived is extremely important to bodily autonomy and self empowerment. This needs to be addressed by a change in the way others perceive dancers because sexual expression should not feel compulsory in aerial acrobatics or any other form of dance.
I employed critique by selecting clips from popular aerial acrobatics performances online and mimicking their tricks in a ridiculous dinosaur costume. Juxtaposing the professional pieces with my clips draws attention to the dramatic and sexual nature of the originals. The professional pieces all have attractive dancers in revealing costumes moving to intense music and some form of sexual expression. For example, the piece by Lindsey Parker shows the performer dressed up as Hareley Quinn, a highly sexualized DC Comics villain. Parker wears only underwear and a cropped shirt, and she sticks her tongue out at the mostly male audience throughout her performance. In her “Rain Room” performance, Selkie Hom of Versatile Assassins wears similarly revealing clothing soaked by water, and ends the performance with her shirt falling off. My clips, on the other hand, were filmed in a basement and with a completely covering dinosaur onesie. I hoped to show a different perspective on aerial acrobatics, one that is humorous instead of sensual. Furthermore, upon the suggestion of a classmate, I also included a voice over expressing my disinterest in being seen as sexual so that the intention of my remix is more explicitly stated. The combination of the professional aerial acrobatics videos, my aerial acrobatics clips, and my voice over work together to create a remix that critiques how this kind of dance is typically thought of and performed.
Remixing is the process through which an existing work is modified to give it new meaning. Works can be remixed by adding, subtracting, or rearranging their original parts to align with a new creator’s identity and personal experiences. Although at a first glance they might seem similar, remixing and stealing are very different in several notable ways. First, remixes give credit to the original piece(s) they take from while plagiarized works do not. Second, remixes are formed by the identity of their creator which embed a unique meaning into the new work. Finally, all remixes begin with critique: finding a flaw or area for improvement in the source material, allowing us to transform the original work into something which we feel is a more accurate representation of our personal experiences or is more inclusive than it was before. Contrary to popular belief, critique isn’t confined to only ruthlessly judging the failing of other works, but rather a method of pointing out new and different perspectives to think about. When these three components are met, remixes become a new and original piece of work.
The remixing and critique of existing works is so widespread because everyone has a unique identity and outlook on the world around them. The creators of remixes frequently apply a critical lens, a broader way of thinking, to the piece they are altering. Critical lenses include feminist theory, queer theory, critical race theory, and many more. The critical lens one uses typically corresponds to the personal viewpoints and experiences one has, adding another layer of originality to a remix. These lenses work as magnifying glasses for understanding where original works fall short, and are a vital resource when figuring out how to alter a piece for the better.
When looking at popular aerial acrobatics videos at the beginning of my project, I decided on using two critical lenses: a lens of sexual liberation and and a lens of asexuality. Sexual liberation is the belief that everyone should be able to express their sexuality through clothing and actions without shame or guilt. This has led to the empowerment of feminist and LGBTQIA+ communities which have historically been prevented from expressing themselves as they choose. Because sexual liberation frequently leads to an increased expression of sexuality, it is easy to forget that sexual liberation can also be the choice to not express sexuality. I wanted to demonstrate that aerial acrobatics can be a form of sexual liberation for those who want to sexually express themselves as well as those who do not. Asexuality is a relatively loose term, stretching to encompass all people that do experience less sexual attraction to others than “normal.” It is usually described as a spectrum running from disinterest to repulsion of sex and sexual material. I personally neither want to be seen in nor act in a sexual manner, something that often feels contradictory to the nature of aerial acrobatics. Using my asexuality as a catalyst, I wanted to dispel the notion that aerial acrobatics must be a display of sexuality, and that it can instead be an expression of humor and joy.
Being able to dance free from sexual connotations is extremely important. Through this remix, I tried to create a space for aerial dancers that would rather use the dance to express their joy rather than their sexuality. With the pre-existing aerial acrobatics videos I used, I called out the lack of aerial performances that are done simply for fun. My remix is original because I acknowledge the source materials I take from, include work that I have created, and have added an important facet of my identity to critique the original works. I added myself to these videos by mimicking the moves within them in my own style – imperfect, joyful, and full of humor.
Sources Cited
“Feeling Good – Aerial Silks Solo.” Performance by Meredith Combs, YouTube, 22 Sept. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJkF-rNFR-8. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
“Harley Quinn – Aerial Silks Performance.” Performance by Lindsey Parker, YouTube, 7 July 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sffdNkGTRM0. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
“Krisztina Vellai Aerial Silk Act 2018.” Performance by Krisztina Vellai, YouTube, 26 Jan. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tdX0DYK2Jk. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
“Once Upon a Dream – Aerial Silks Performance.” Performance by Kayli O’Donnal, YouTube, 13 Apr. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HceskFG5Qhk. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
“VERSATILE ASSASSINS | Adore | Selkie Hom Alone with the Hammock.” Performance by Selkie Hom, YouTube, 1 Oct. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1lVJWZ3ajA. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
“VERSATILE ASSASSINS | Adore | Selkie Hom Alone with the Hammock.” Performance by Selkie Hom, YouTube, 1 Oct. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1lVJWZ3ajA. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024. “VERSATILE ASSASSINS | Young & Beautiful | Blindfolded Aerial Performance in Rain Room – Selkie Hom.” Performance by Selkie Hom, YouTube, 10 Sept. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_X09NCfyrc. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.