Talks / Ideas / Philosophy

Dancing in the Third Space: Orientalism, Hybridity, and the Global Stage

Various venues across London

Tue 6 Oct · 19:00 · £20.25

90m · Talk

About this event

"Nutrition Misinformation in the Digital Age: Influencers, Diets, and Dogma" with Marlana Malerich Summary: How does the West construct its ideas of the "East," and what happens when artists weaponize those exact stereotypes to fight back? To understand the landscape of modern performance, we must first look at Orientalism—the historical Western habit of romanticizing, exoticizing, and distorting Eastern cultures to assert cultural dominance. But the story doesn't end with passive stereotyping. Join researcher and lecturer Anna Kirakowska for an interactive journey through the concepts of postcolonial theorist Homi Bhabha. Pulling from visual art samples—including the vibrant, subversive textiles of British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare—we will dive into the concepts of mimicry and hybridity. Discover how contemporary boundary-pushing choreographers like Akram Khan step into the disruptive "Third Space" to shatter binary stereotypes, remix cultural traditions, and completely reinvent what intercultural art can look like. Bio : Anna Kirakowska is a dance researcher and guest lecturer whose work is driven by a performing career’s worth of questions gathered on the road touring, where she developed curiosity about dance through the lens of racial perception, body politics, and the intersection of cultural tastes with post-colonialism.With a lifetime of dance experience performing, choreographing, researching, producing and lecturing, Anna specialises in the niche field of Dance Anthropology (the study of dance and culture) where she was part of one of the final cohorts to graduate in this highly niche topic. Her contributions to the field have been recognised with the Academic Mama's Award (2020) and a two-time win of the Society for Dance Research Ivor Guest Award (2019 and 2020). Anna currently shares her expertise as a Guest Lecturer in Dance History and Contextual Studies at the London Contemporary Dance School (The Place). Venue: Blue's Kitchen Brixton, 40 Acre Ln, London SW2 5SP Event Running Time: (We recommend arriving at 6:30pm if you're eating, and 7pm if drinks only) Doors from 7pm Introduction: 7:25pm Lecture: 7:30pm Q&A: 8:10pm Finish: 8:30pm FAQs: What is Pints of Knowledge? Pints of Knowledge is a series of public talks where experts, researchers, and big thinkers share fascinating ideas all in the relaxed setting of a pub. We bring brilliant minds and curious audiences together over a pint, covering topics from science and politics to history, art, and beyond. What happens at Pints of Knowledge? At each Pints of Knowledge event, you’ll hear engaging talks (approx. 40 minutes) from expert speakers on fascinating topics — followed by an audience Q&A (approx. 20 minutes). The vibe is informal and social, set in a pub where you can grab a drink, meet interesting people, and enjoy big ideas in a relaxed setting. What if I don't drink alcohol ? No problem at all! Pints of Knowledge is all about the ideas and the community, not the drinks. You’re welcome to enjoy a soft drink, coffee, or whatever you prefer. The focus is on creating a relaxed, social atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable. Can I attend without a ticket? Tickets must be purchased online prior to the event. With our limited capacity at each venue we can't let people in without a ticket. There is occasionally the option to purchase a ticket on the door for our sold-out events, but we cannot guarantee this. Is there food available? Yes, there is usually the option to purchase food at our events - please see each venue's menu on their website. If you plan on eating at the venue, we recommend arriving as early as possible so the kitchen can get your order out before the talk starts. In the unlikely event the kitchen isn't open, there will typically be an option to order in food from elsewhere or bring your own food. Can I get my ticket refunded? We issue full ticket refunds up to 24 hours before the event. Any requests after will be at the discretion of the event organiser. Can I get my ticket exchanged? We issue full ticket exchanges if you have requested 48 hours before the event. Any requests after will be at the discretion of the event organiser . Is the event pet/baby friendly? Yes, we allow pets and babies to attend but reserve the right to request their removal if they are disruptive. Is the venue accessible? All of our venues are accessible, besides the following: The Old Queen's Head, The Landor, The Alma, and The Morpeth Arms.