The Whole Bloomin’ Thing

A Screening of a Work in Progress

For this International Women’s Day (IWD) 2021, the Margie Gillis Dance Foundation presents a screening of a work in creation, by Margie Gillis. A show for women, by women: The Whole Bloomin’ Thing.

Every year, IWD is celebrated on March 8 to honour strong, passionate, inspirational women, and aims to combat gender bias and discrimination to accelerate gender parity. Feminism and empowerment have always been at the heart of Margie Gillis’ dance and philosophy.

“One cannot be a Humanist without being a Feminist. The world is shifting: an increasing number of people now understand the importance of Feminine Consciousness, the need to reincorporate connectivity and community, and to honour our intrinsic relationship with the environment, and the cyclical nature of life and events. To bring these elements fully into what we value and the choices we make will, I believe, be decisive in our longevity on this planet.

So, on this day, here is our offering: a man writing about and observing the female soul, an exploration of the notions of gender, and feminine wisdom”.

– Margie Gillis

#ChooseToChallenge

The Whole Bloomin’ Thing is a group adaptation initiated in 2019 with 9 dancers, based on the solo Molly Bloom first performed by Margie in 1989. At a time in her life when all she encountered was the word “No,” she became aware of her craving to hear the word “Yes.” The dance is entirely in nuance, a manifestation of the hyperactivity and changeability within this iconic monologue of James Joyce’s Ulysses.

The Whole Bloomin’ Thing begins with traditional male female roles. As the dance progresses, these roles become increasingly blurred, blended, and intermingled. How do we understand and respect both sides of our essential nature and each other? Questions like these are played out with finesse and humour, delving further into the depths of the human psyche.

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