Sei kein Mann

Be a man. Don’t be a man. Real men are feminists. Show your emotions. Pull yourself together! Be cool. Wuss! What is my kind of masculinity? Which masculine images do you have, and where do you get them from? And what does the patriarchy have to do with all that?

To a backdrop of live music, Berne-based Kollektiv F kicks out the old stereotypes and baked-in images of masculinity, in a critical, humorous, feminist, approachable and sensual dance evening for teenagers and adults.

This dance production picks up on images of masculinity that dominate in advertising, sport, social media, music, film and the like. These instantly recognisable images are accepted as valid versions of what masculinity is: strong, aggressive, ambitious, successful, dominant.

«Sei kein Mann!» («Don’t be a man!») questions these images and makes the case for masculinity where men cooperate more than they compete, dance more than they fight, cry and laugh more, express their feelings and really listen to one another. It shows how the toxic system of the patriarchy deeply damages women, relationships and also men. The male performers in the show reflect on what the patriarchy has given them and how much of that they want to throw on the scrapheap.

Three dancers will take to the stage, and using their own recollections and experiences, they will cast a critical eye on images of masculinity and put them in motion, literally and metaphorically. They will be supported by a live female musician, driving them on with her sound and confronting the subject from a female perspective.