I met with Chris Bryce (they/them) and we chatted over coffee to talk about their new dance project: SLC Queer Ballet. Chris is a queer artist and “lower case d” dancer in Salt Lake City.
How did this all start? What was the point that made you think “I want to do this.”
A little over a year ago, one night at Iowa house some people were talking about how they would like to get back into dance, but they didn’t feel safe and affirmed as a queer person taking classes anywhere in Salt Lake. I remember just saying ‘Well I could do that’ and then we just brainstormed on how to make it happen right then and there.
I was super inspired by Iowa House because it’s just a queer person’s home and they open their front door to anyone who wants to come to potluck on Sundays. The person who lives at Iowa House was talking with me about how we could move furniture around and have classes there. It started out extremely small. Honestly it was uncomfortable, there was really not enough space to move. But, I saw the response was positive so that’s when I decided it’s time to actually do this. When I started looking for new spaces, SLCC expressed an enthusiasm to be our new home.SLC Queer Ballet is just this project that was birthed from this other project, that has birthed a lot of other projects. Huge shoutout to Iowa House.
How does your queerness affect your dance and vice versa?
I grew up doing ballet for a good chunk of my childhood and early teens. I very much appreciated the structure and rules and it’s like there's a textbook for this. And I grew up going to a studio run by a bunch of white mormon moms, but my specific teacher was this Argentinian man who came from a very serious dance background from where he lived in Argentina. So I had the one non-assimilatory teacher who was clear about ‘I’m not like the rest’ and he just didn’t care. Also first off, having a teacher who was not a woman was really not normal but also felt very good. He also fought the system. Like there was a whole political upheaval in the studio about him wanting to have costumes that had straps instead of sleeves. And he didn’t protect us from those conversations he would say to us like “guys this is stupid.” And he was a huge influence on my relationship with dance.
I also was raised in a very high demand religion and there was a lot of emphasis put on what we are doing with our bodies. And it feels really good to let go of that. To let go of all of the performative movement. Forget performing on stage, because I was taught that we have to also perform in society at all times. Not only am I an example and a representation of my religion, I’m also aware of who’s sexualizing me, and what parts of my body am I drawing attention to, and it feels really good to let that go. I’m moving, and I’m moving for me. It went from “I don’t care who’s watching” to like “I really care who’s watching.” And these people who are in the space with me are also queer and also need this. And that means a lot to me and my experience of liberation.”
Where do you hope this project will go?
Yeah, this is a very organic process so I’m sort of doing what I think I can do right now. But I hope everyone who comes to experience it has a good experience. It’s not about the “doing” and it’s about the existing. Like I have someone who comes down from Ogden regularly, and it’s a lot about just the experience of being with other people who are like you. Like what if this is the one night where you can be out and surrounded by queer people. That’s important to me, so I’d like to keep it going and for it to continue evolving into what both I want and what the people who are interested want.
SLC Queer Ballet was inspired by Iowa House and the community there. Iowa House is an individual’s home where people gather and have a potluck every week. It’s very organic, and there is a huge sense of community. SLC Queer Ballet is not limited to ballet, though that is how the classes started. Chris looks for people who have experience in the styles the community is interested in for guest teachers and workshops. They’ve held contemporary dance and yoga classes, and the most recent community request has been Salsa dance. You can stay connected to their class updates via their instagram: @slcqueerballet
Arin Lynn is the editor of loveDANCEmore.