Bailee-Rose is a dancer

Body of a Dancer explores the world of a transgender, contemporary dancer in Melbourne.

The body is the dancer’s instrument, the tool with which they make their art. Like any tool, an artist’s tool must be well maintained and appropriate to the task at hand. When this tool is your body, this is not only keeping the body fit, but being ‘comfortable’ in your own skin. If this body is in opposition to the artist’s self-identity, there is always going to be tension –never comfort. This in itself will influence the dancer’s art.

In addition to the personal element of body identity described above, the world of dance is highly gender specific, particularly when it comes to choreography. In dance, choreography is vastly different when created for and performed by a woman as opposed to by a man. Thus, acceptance as a trans-feminine dancer is reliant on either camouflage or acceptance by peers, audiences and other stakeholders.