A new skin becomes mine. It works against my form. My form simultaneously rejects it. The skin in question contains shed materials designed to shape, control, or conceal the physical category of women, as well as other materials that mimic the body. The piece can be adapted to different environments. It is accompanied by a body soundscape, born from the process of making this work. “Altered to Fit” reconsiders the body and its relationship to space.

This performance is inspired by my own rebellion against many of the garments designed to shape or control women’s bodies. There exists a freedom in rebellion, but also a struggle to accept myself as “against.” Existing in contrast to societal expectations may lead to judgment from the outside world. To rebel is to be vulnerable. Many of the garments used in this work are intimate, even designed to resemble skin. All of these garments will be altered to fit a new context in which the fabric is questioned through material manipulation and performance. I shed a wardrobe that doesn’t honor my body. I ask myself; what would it be like to grow, to change, to let myself be seen, to breathe as widely as possible, to take up space?

Although it is serious, the result—thankfully—was comedic.

Duration: 20 minutes or more