Postmodern CriticDancing abOUT!
May 2nd 2008 18:14
I only found out yesterday that Demi Sorono, who was the third runner up in Australia's SO You Think You Can Dance had a girlfriend called Nikki Ashby, who is also a dancer, until recently! I was heartened to hear that one of my favourite contestants was a role model for women (and men) all over Australia and the global dance industry, as a balanced, successful woman, and one that's brimming with positivity and feel-good vibes. It's also significant that Demi is an Australian of Asian (Filipino, that is) background, a continent where there are very few vocal gay activists, and homosexuality, while somewhat better tolerated than in Europe and the West (there are less violent incidents, at least), is not seen as a desirable lifestyle choice. My ex-girlfriend is a Taiwanese Australian whose parents have not quite accepted her desire to have relationships with other women, and she prefers not to mention her sexual preference on Facebook at all, although most of her friends seem to know. She also hasn't been part of the Sydney Mardi Gras yet, which I'm sure she would enjoy if she felt comfortable enough with her sexuality. But enough about my ex, lol.
Demi says: I don't want to sell myself short. Love is love. I haven't always dated women - I have been with men. Demi was my favourite girl contestant because of her free-spiritedness and creativity. She was famously the only untrained dancer in the top 4, and I think her lack of training has clearly worked in her favour - her style is quirky, unconventional and playful.
Jack Chambers, who won the contest, had the following to say: I've only been in relationships with girls but I believe you can fall in love with anyone you want. It's about the person, not the sex.
He was my favourite male dancer due to his dynamicism, degree of theatricality and flexibility. A section of his hair was dyed red, which I loved. He also annoyed me the least out of the other male contestants. Jack's open-minded attitude will no doubt work wonders for people young and old who like pondering the complexity of human love relationships and reject the ostensible comfort of identifying exclusively as straight (or gay). I think his lack of fear translates into his dancing, and I'm proud that he's representing 'the best that Australia can offer to the world'.
Then there's openly gay Rhys Bobridge, who sometimes does drag and came second in the competition. He has spoken out about being gay-bashed at a dance party in Adelaide two years ago. Rhys had a huge fan following, with some being surprised he didn't win solely on the strength of which. Rhys gave Jack a good run for his money, and watching them perform in sync twice were breath-taking moments. All three are an incredibly talented bunch whom I paid full attention to each time they performed.
It's nice to see that we have more and more glbtiq role models popping up each day...
And, on a related note, read about how same-sex partnered dancing is slowly picking up popularity in California's Bay Area (that's San Francisco-way, for those of you wondering):
Really Long Link
Nikki and Demi together
Demi says: I don't want to sell myself short. Love is love. I haven't always dated women - I have been with men. Demi was my favourite girl contestant because of her free-spiritedness and creativity. She was famously the only untrained dancer in the top 4, and I think her lack of training has clearly worked in her favour - her style is quirky, unconventional and playful.
Jack Chambers, who won the contest, had the following to say: I've only been in relationships with girls but I believe you can fall in love with anyone you want. It's about the person, not the sex.
He was my favourite male dancer due to his dynamicism, degree of theatricality and flexibility. A section of his hair was dyed red, which I loved. He also annoyed me the least out of the other male contestants. Jack's open-minded attitude will no doubt work wonders for people young and old who like pondering the complexity of human love relationships and reject the ostensible comfort of identifying exclusively as straight (or gay). I think his lack of fear translates into his dancing, and I'm proud that he's representing 'the best that Australia can offer to the world'.
Then there's openly gay Rhys Bobridge, who sometimes does drag and came second in the competition. He has spoken out about being gay-bashed at a dance party in Adelaide two years ago. Rhys had a huge fan following, with some being surprised he didn't win solely on the strength of which. Rhys gave Jack a good run for his money, and watching them perform in sync twice were breath-taking moments. All three are an incredibly talented bunch whom I paid full attention to each time they performed.
It's nice to see that we have more and more glbtiq role models popping up each day...
And, on a related note, read about how same-sex partnered dancing is slowly picking up popularity in California's Bay Area (that's San Francisco-way, for those of you wondering):
Really Long Link
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