dance by gender fucked productions
Mulberry Literary Fresh Voices Award First Place Winner in Art
Don’t Fuck with Trans Kids
Choreographed and performed by: A'Keisha Lee (she), Dawn Heilung (they), Reign Drop (they, he)
Russian is Too Gendered to Name this Dance
Choreographed and performed by: Masha Bandouil (they)
Cozy
Choreographed by: A'Keisha Lee (she)
Performed by: Marin Lord (she, they), A'Keisha Lee (she), Uduak Angel Wilson (they), Reign Drop (they, he)
Gender Fucked Productions advances trans, non binary and gender non conforming equity through creating inclusive spaces, uplifting artists, and coalescing radical community. Gender Fucked Productions envisions a world where trans, non binary and gender non-conforming artists are able to thrive and make art that pushes beyond any binary we could imagine. You can learn more about them at genderfucked.org.
Dawn Heilung is a performer, producer, and wiggly spaghetti noodle. Dawn has been dancing for 13 years and has trained in numerous movement styles like viewpoints, droznin, partnering/lifts, and gaga. They’ve choreographed for multiple musicals like the Addams Family and Thoroughly Modern Millie and danced in Queer Dance Freakout since its inception in Texas in 2018! Dawn studied Dance and Musical Theatre at the North East School of the Arts and graduated with a BFA in Acting from Texas State University. (Go bobcats) Dawn wants to thank Lake Michigan for holding them with the reflection of the moon during all their late night choreo sessions.
A'Keisha is so excited to join the Queer Dance Freakout Company! A'Keisha is originally from Lansing, Illinois, and started dancing as a little girl at Dance Expressions Studio. A'Keisha re-discovered her love for dance in 2021 through Indie Media's Fundamental Heels Academy. Now, A'Keisha primarily dances Musical Theatre, Heels, and Chicago dance styles. A'Keisha loves that Queer Dance Freakout allows dancers to experiment with different dance styles and does not prioritize formal training over authentic expression and storytelling. You can catch A'Keisha in future performances with Creations Dance Company.
Reign Drop is a trans dancer, choreographer, and Co-Founder of We Are Collective. Over the last seven years, they have grown roots in the Chicago dance community focusing on creating sustainable and accessible dance spaces for all ages. They research contemporary movements that demonstrate autonomy, liberation, and nerve. In the community, they have led an Improvisers’ Jam for Chicago Dancemakers Forum, performed for Alix Shilaci and Erin Killmurray, and serve as Dance Captain for Queer Dance Freakout (Runner Up for Best Dance Production in the Chicago Reader). They have also choreographed for Synapse Arts' New Works, Danceworks Chicago's New Dances, and the iconic Chicago drag queen Shea Coulee’s "Rewind" music video. Reign aims to be heard—to share their story—to honor the stories of all magical trans people.
Masha is a queer mover, collaborator, and researcher based in Chicago. Masha’s work is rooted in the value that our identities are innately physical and deserve to be understood, reclaimed, and celebrated through movement. They received a BA in Dance and BS in Biology from Loyola University of Chicago where they performed works by Stephanie Martinez, Sandra Kaufmann, Doris Humphrey, and Jana Bennett. Masha has a passion for interdisciplinary work and has received several research fellowships to create dance films aiming to make scientific concepts (such as genetics and bioluminescent bacteria!) more accessible. Masha is currently dancing with Gender Fucked Productions, Noumenon Dance Ensemble, and Meadows Dance Collective. They also serve as Co-Lead of Education for Queer Dance Freakout and VP of Community Engagement for Echo Modern Dance Collective.
Marin Lord is a former member of QDF, and is currently focusing on other endeavors pertaining to their doula career. She hailed to Chicago in 2021 and has found a supporting community of people to call home. In her spare time, she’s a writer and has performed at various open mics around the city and shares her experience with navigating through her queer identity. Although they’re no longer part of QDF, you can still catch her shaking ass on a Friday night at one of the many gay clubs around the city.
Uduak Angel Wilson is an educator/artist from Atlanta. They’ve lived in Chicago for about 6 years. They haven't really danced as a performance before, but they dance all the time. They dance in clubs, (carefully) in the shower, while they cook, on the train, on their walks, pretty much any time they’re touching the ground.