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he Brooklyn Music School Settlement was founded in 1909, a pioneering music school and the only settlement in the city that taught music to the blind at that time. Nestled in Fort Greene alongside the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the nonprofit, now with its name updated to Brooklyn Music School, continues its mission “to make it possible for everyone, regardless of their background and resources, to be able to experience the joy of music and the artistic and intellectual benefits of musical performance.” Beyond its many classes and camps, the school also hosts events throughout the year, including a contemporary ballet this May.
The upcoming performance will be put on by Company Rouge, a small dance company formed by Parisian actress, singer, dancer/choreographer and director Naïma Pöhler. Pöhler created the company about a year ago to create awareness around social issues, a direct response to the death of an Iranian girl who had not been wearing a hijab, as well as changing laws surrounding access to abortion in the United States. Rather than tackling difficult topics on an intellectual level, Pöhler uses dance to express what she is feeling. When she shares her art with an audience, it’s an opportunity to both express herself and also begin a dialogue about these topics. “Movement without meaning is movement. With meaning, it’s a message,” she noted on a call about the ballet.
The ballet, Born to Be, takes its name from Simone de Beauvoir’s famous line, “One is not born, but rather becomes a woman.” A writer and feminist activist, Beauvoir believed that the differences between men and women arose due to differences in situation and society, rather than being based on biological or intellectual differences. Second Sex, the quote’s source, was published in 1949, and yet three quarters of a century later, Beauvoir’s statement continues to ring true for many.
Born to Be seeks to reimagine Beauvoir’s exploration of womanhood, using dance to dissect gender constructs and amplify marginalized voices. According to its website, “This work is a homage to resilience and transformation, inviting a journey into the depths of identity and rights across eras.” The performance will feature five dancers and will consist of three very different acts. The first act will examine what it means to be born in the human body and what is expected of us. The second act transports the audience back into the 1920s—society was shifting, but was it shifting enough? In the final act, the dancers look at the dichotomy of woman: the archetypal woman, seen as motherly and innocent, versus the one who fully embraces her power and breaks this mold, often to be reviled.
Two composers collaborated to create the music to accompany the ballet. Brooklyn-based artist Allison Spann is a classical composer and vocalist. Meanwhile, LA-based artist Samanta Liza Shi will provide electronic music that promises heavy percussion, but that according to the company’s website, “defies categorization.” In addition to the music and dance, the company has also invited a speaker from Planned Parenthood to speak to the audience, an attempt to further connect art and community.
Born to Be will be performed three times at Triskelion Arts, an industrial performing space in Greenpoint, before taking the stage one last time at the Brooklyn Music School on May 26 at 6:00 pm. Tickets are available online ($30 – $60) at companyrouge.com. Visit Brooklyn Music School’s website to find even additional upcoming events and programs.
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