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“The Masks We Wear” was a performance project which took place in Harehills, Leeds exploring personal reflections on identity and what it means to be a young womxn in an age of social media and contemporary societal challenges. We explored public and private identity with five young womxn to create a dance piece and costumes for the stage.
THEMES: Gender, Identity, Love, Power, Transformation, Masks, Shadows, The Toltec Secret, Mythology, Healing, Shamanism
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*womxn: we are using this alternative spelling to avoid suggestions of sexism perceived in the sequence of m-a-n and m-e-n, and to be inclusive of trans and non binary women.
Concept and Direction: Ella Mesma
Dancers: Jemma Mae, Pareesha Valentina, Farida Oba, Cherry Mui, Isabelle Pritchard
Choreography: Ella Mesma and Dancers
Costume Concept: Renata Gordon (Costuminati)
Costume: Renata Gordon (Costuminati) and Dancers
Music: Mixed by Ella Mesma: Tui: FJK, Alma Mestiza: Rebeca Lane, Malamente: Rosalía
Photography: Ben Farman and
Funding and support: Vamos Festival, Leeds Inspired
Thank you: Leeds Inspired, Nikolas Barrera, Touchstone, Lubi Jovanovic, Harehills Lane Baptist Church, Shine Project Leeds, Reginald Centre (Leeds Library), RJC and all who came to support the sharing.
Ella Mesma Company is a British dance theatre company who use a diverse range of folkloric dance styles, inspired by director Ella’s background in Afro-Latin, Breaking and Contemporary dance, as well as the skills of each individual who has joined the company.