VELINE REPERTOIRE
“Veline Repertoire” is a choreographic study of Italian TV showgirls, imagined as a lesbian romance. Veline are pairs of showgirls who perform in so-called “stacchetti”—30-second dance interludes that are energetic and cheerful, with constant smiles. Stacchetto by stacchetto, we immerse ourselves in the show dance to reclaim its sensuality, snatch it from the male gaze, and reshape it within a queer narrative. Is it possible to reject sexualization while performing sensuality? And can sexuality exist beyond being dehumanized? Spanning a journey from the TV repertoire of the 1990s to the present, the performers abandon their spectacular roles for the camera and begin to enjoy one another as lovers, entirely without spectacle. What began as imitation transforms into seduction, where frivolous gestures become erotic tension, smiles turn into campy, exaggerated spells, until the choreography weaves them into a romance. veline repertoire deconstructs the glossy surface of a constructed “femininity”—one shaped in particular by the era of media mogul and former president Berlusconi—and reveals the desire—and the defiance—beneath.
by Gaia Pellegrini in collaboration with Rebecca de Toro and Shauna Fischer, stage and light: Miranda Miras, assistant director: Luca Frati, music: Tim Pauli, styling Giulia Parentico-produced by tanzhaus NRW and ehrenfeld studios
all photos ©Kristina Wolf
