Pas de Queer

Raising the standards for inclusive dance training: A profile on Berit Godo

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on April 24, 2019

CHICAGO — This post is part of a series of conversations with other trans/genderqueer dancers to give you a broader idea of where we come from, what we’re up to, and how we navigate the dance community. That said, meet Berit Godo! Berit grew up training with Pacific Northwest Ballet and Spectrum Dance Theater in […]

Trans Dancer Profiles: Sam Virgilio

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on January 4, 2019

CHICAGO — When I started writing for Art Intercepts, I knew I wanted to expand my portion of this platform to include other trans voices. I can talk all day about my experience, but mine is such a narrow window of an already underrepresented community. This winter I’m taking some time to talk to other […]

Pas de Queer: A brief primer on talking to trans and non-binary people

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on October 10, 2018

In the spirit of full disclosure, this is not a post about dance. Recently, some of my friends, coworkers, and family members have asked me questions regarding my gender identity. With my content on Art Intercepts, I hope to spread awareness about the experiences trans dancers go through in concert dance. But to impact any […]

Pas de Queer: Am I (Midsummer Night) Dreaming?

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on June 26, 2018

CHICAGO — In April, my partner and I attended the Joffrey Ballet’s performance of Alexander Ekman’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. We loved it. Neither of us have seen Joffrey take on something so weird. Case in point: there were three larger than life fish props and a genius incorporation of dancer-like stuffed mannequins that was downright […]

Kaitlyn’s New Year’s resolution: don’t diet

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on January 9, 2018

At age thirteen, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul told me being 5’2 and 115 pounds was overweight (who let them publish this?). My diet highlight reel includes: “Rogue Weight Watchers” aka binge eating carrots, dabbling with bulimia, and calorie counting. My period stopped for a bit, I was tired all the time, I didn’t […]

Pas de Queer: Giselle, 2.0

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on November 13, 2017

Editor’s Note: The following is an adapted synopsis to Giselle, based on Kaitlyn’s first experience with the ballet when it was performed by the Joffrey Ballet last month. Their version is “lovingly ripped and heavily edited” directly from Joffrey’s program notes, and imagines what might have happened if the 1841 ballet were written today. It’s […]

Pas de Queer: A gender neutral grand allegro

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on September 22, 2017

A few months ago, something cool happened in ballet class. TEACHER: “After the pirouette, ladies: tombé, pas de bourree, glissade, jeté. Men: tombé pas de bourre, [crazy jump looks like a pas de chat caught in the spin cycle of a washing machine]. Got it?” Teacher looks around room, scrunches up face, inhales “Well…actually, if […]

Pas de Queer: So, what’s your type?

By Kaitlyn Dessoffy on August 20, 2017

Editor‘s Note: I’m so delighted to introduce Kaitlyn Dessoffy as a contributor to Art Intercepts, writing a new column called “Pas de Queer”. Kaitlyn will be sharing their personal experiences as a musical theater major turned dancer/choreographer in Chicago, in addition to delving into topics surrounding gender and sexuality in concert dance. Enjoy! The “type” question […]