The Meaning of Where I’m From

Overview

How does a white trans Jewish woman feel like themself? How do you develop a relationship with a ghost? How do your ancestors live through you? How can art help dismantle white supremacy and forward decolonization? Is this piece “compostable dance”? What does that even mean?

In “The Meaning of Where I’m From”, Zoe (they/she) seeks to investigate the question “What is compostable dance?” by “composting” the past into a fertile place of growth and transformation. Zoe explores the interwoven stories of their own artistic and trans identity and the histories that her Bubby, Lillian Kriegel, tells through her memoir. She becomes different Jewish matriarchs onstage, furiously dances, plays guitar, sings songs, tells mischievous stories, and invites the audience into connective rituals. A multi-sensorial journey of text, music, dance and more, this piece is the beginning of the personal ancestry work Zoe hopes will carry on through the rest of her life. She hopes to inspire others to explore who they are and where they come from. The work touches on themes of death, suicide, migration, sexism, and medical abuse.

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About the Artist

Zoe Farnsworth (they/she) is a Brooklyn-raised, Jewish, trans artist educator based in Philadelphia, PA. Their roots are in dance improvisation, post-modern dance, contemporary dance, and release technique. They are dabbling in different dances of the African diaspora.

Zoe explores the boundaries of dance inside and outside the studio, currently revolving around the question, what does it mean to practice compostable dance? They explore themes of ecology, environment, identity, mythology, humor and social justice. Their current process is a dance/theater mixture that seeks to evoke sensorial, body-centered experiences.

Credits