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![]() Things I Learned from Fat People on the Plane
Sit next to the fat lady on the plane - and this time listen to what SHE has to say. This body wants to MOVE - across the country, around the world, in gyms and yoga studios. "Things I Learned from Fat People on the Plane" is about living fully in a world that hates fat. It's about movement of all kinds - travel, exercise, sex and how fat folks are often expected to stay so still they disappear. "Things I learned from Fat People on the Plane" asks, "What's a fat, sexy middle-aged babe have to do to get a ticket on the Respect Express (with a seatbelt big enough for safety)?" ![]() Complicated Courtesies
Kimberly Dark’s “Complicated Courtesies” is entertainment – and then some. The performance inspires you to laugh, think, and engage with your life and others more boldly, creatively. You can positively affect your surroundings, just by being your big, beautiful, complicated self. As a sociologist and a performance artist, Dark uses entertainment to illuminate potentially contentious cultural themes. It can be scary to talk about topics such as gender, race, parenting and the environment. What if we disagree? Come see how vibrant views and exciting experiences can be cleverly and kindly conveyed in “Complicated Courtesies.” ![]() Gender, Race and Money
One of America’s great stories is that anyone can work hard and become wealthy. We love tales of triumph over adversity. However, many people work hard to meet basic needs and feel as though they are somehow personally to blame for their lack of prosperity. The gap between rich and poor in the United has been widening and this is particularly pronounced in communities of color and for women. During this engaging and interactive lecture, Dark teaches participants about trends — both historical and current day — in the distribution of wealth in America and how those trends affect all Americans. Participants come to understand "the 1%" and how to make connections to work toward a more just economy. ![]() Is That a Dude? (Inside Lesbian Gender)
Have you ever stared, trying to figure out if someone is male or female? Have you ever wondered why we care so much? This lecture/performance explores “lesbian gender” in the context of cultural misogyny and systems of oppression and discrimination. In the process, she also explores the bigger picture of privilege and oppression (based on race, class, gender, etc.) As engaging for primarily heterosexual audiences as for queer audiences, Kimberly Dark argues against the reign of duality in American culture. Yes, the “gender freakout” can be humorous – and tragic, but above all, instructive as we work to create richer, fuller lives and more inclusive social systems. ![]() Love, Sex and Laughter
This show focuses on how male and female sexuality is different - and the same - and how body and gender diversity can teach us how to repair our culture's troubles. Human connection trumps all other tragedies and as usual, Dark's insightful interactions with the audience regarding sex and gender are interspersed with her signature poetic stories - tightly crafted, highly moving social snapshots. This show is for anyone who is intrigued by the complexities of gender and the body as a site of knowledge, pleasure, and cultural meaning-making. Read Andrew Shaw's interview with Kimberly in the Gay News network. ![]() Dykeopolis
Dyekopolis (aka The Gayness: Love and Hate in America) Gender, sex, sexuality… Are we inventing something new in North America or has it all been done before? Stow your steamer trunks, fasten your safetybelts and take your time machine tickets for Dykeopolis: Queer Tales and Travels for our Time! Kimberly Dark offers funny, scandalous, true and titillating tales. Dark’s shows have twice been on Curve magazine’s top ten lesbian theatre performances of the year – come see why. Dykeopolis is also available at colleges and universities under the title, The Gayness: Love and Hate in America. This is an entertaining and thought-provoking program that helps students sort out why things get so tense when we start discussing gender and sexuality in modern America. Using engaging stories and audience interaction, Dark models how we can have more productive dialogue on gender privilege, discrimination and sexual orientation in everyday settings. “The Gayness” is not all about just being gay or straight – it’s about how we define and love ourselves and others – and through these topics, we can reclaim a sense of power to create positive social interactions – on the small scale in our communities. “Dark is a warm-hearted, eloquent performer with a poetic speech pattern not dissimilar to one of Laurie Anderson’s avant-garde speak-songs. She’s enthralling and compassionate with a hint of cheekiness.” – Rod Lewis, Performing Arts Critic, Glam Adelaide (Adelaide, Australia) ... thought-provoking, moving, sexy and wry; her embodied performance marries great story-telling skills with wonderful, strong stage presence. – Carol Queen, PhD, Director, Center for Sex and Culture |
“Kimberly Dark is an engaging, thought provoking, inspiring speaker. After watching [Complicated Courtesies], if you have been paying attention, you cannot leave the theater the same persona as when you walked in.” Kimberly Dark is a fantastic storyteller, a skill she wields with quiet power in Dykeopolis. Part educational conversation, part compelling performance art, the show tackles issues of gender, sexuality and societal expectations, with Dark using her own experiences to guide the audience through a meditation on the invasive nature of sexism and homophobia. Pure entertainment this show is not—it’s often more an artistic education workshop than a theatrical performance. But time spent listening to Dark speak is well worth it, and her eloquent and moving delivery makes the hour of the show fly by, even while you grapple with some heavy subject matter and big ideas.” —The Vue, Edmonton, Alberta “Our students absolutely loved Kimberly’s Dark lecture on “Gender, Race and Money.” Our audience ranged from students who had studied this issue in depth to others who were hearing this information for the first time, and they all came away with a deeper understanding of the implications of race and gender on people’s income and wealth. They particularly appreciated the interactive nature of the presentation. If your university is looking for someone who will go beyond simply explaining graphs and throwing out overwhelming statistics, then consider Dark. She makes the material real and relatable to students, and she keeps them engaged with a series of interactive activities.” “One thing is for certain: her show is a must see.” – The Scribe "I thought this [Gender, Race and Money] was a fantastic event. What I most appreciated was how you made this all observable for students through activities and participation. In particular, the exercise with the couple, which demonstrated the gendered dynamics surrounding reproductive labor within a heterosexual couple, was fantastic. I also genuinely appreciated the discussion on income inequality, especially when you asked the crowd if people could name a TV show that focuses on a family from that income bracket... I saw that students were really engaged and learning a lot through your use of exercises and participation.” “Kimberly Dark is one of those women insecure men hate: educated, funny, self-assured, not afraid to peer into the status quo and ask that most dangerous of questions: ‘Why?’” |