Kiss The Stormy Sky

“The expression of one’s body is professionally and fearlessly explored in Kiss the Stormy Sky. Eilers’ physicality is breathtaking as they move about the stage, enticing the audience with their captivating performance (aided in no small part by composer Shn Shn).” - Amanda Cobsy-Nesbitt

OutFest 2024

April 23: 9:00PM, April 26: 7:30PM April 27: 2:00PM with ASL interpretation

Location: The Bus Stop Theatre, 2203 Gottingen St, Halifax, NS

Online Audience Talk Backs and In Person “Say Hello”!

email: sid@aeriskorper.com for talk back info or just to say hi!

April 24th: 4:00pm (Atlantic/Halifax):

April 27: 4:00pm (Atlantic/Halifax) (3pm Eastern/Toronto):

  • Online: HERE Meeting ID: 879 2339 3087 | Passcode: 399708

Program Notes

Written by Sid Ryan Eilers

"Kiss The Stormy Sky" originated from a question posed by Elder Maria Montejo during my participation in her workshop, Indigenous 101, at Dodem Kanosha, where I sought to learn the intricacies of delivering a land acknowledgment.

Elder Maria's inquiry, "find out where you are indigenous to," prompted an exploration into my own family history, leading me to uncover the narrative of my great grandfather, Henry Eilers—a German who traversed the tumultuous landscapes of Russia during the Russian Revolution. His journey, intertwined with the shadows of the Nazi regime, eventually culminated in my grandparents seeking refuge in Canada, arriving in Halifax on July 1, 1950. Their story, like many others, echoes the resilience of settlers and acknowledges our debt to the Indigenous custodians of this land.

Driven by a desire for introspection, I embarked on a personal journey to understand the twists and turns of my own life and to unravel the reasons behind my delayed self-acceptance. "Kiss The Stormy Sky" emerged as a platform for connection, a space to share, be acknowledged, and understood.

The mysteries surrounding my ancestors continue to beckon, particularly through the detailed journals left by my great grandfather, Henry Eilers. These chronicles offer insights into his experiences as a gardener employed by Czars in late 19th-century Russia, detailing his rise to wealth and subsequent loss during the Russian Revolution. The echoes of his story resonate through subsequent generations, including my grandfather Alfred, who managed the family business, Eilers Blumen, in the 1940s, until it was abandoned during the Nazi regime. Their narratives, though grand and dramatic, have left an indelible mark on my life, shaping the exploration depicted in this show.

As I grappled with understanding my gender identity, my therapist encouraged experimentation. Through exploring expressions of masculinity and femininity, I discovered the limitations of binary definitions and embraced the fluidity of my non-binary identity. This playful exploration of personas and attire has woven itself into the fabric of "Kiss The Stormy Sky."

Artistic Collaborators

Other Music Credits:

Care Bear Countdown 

Teen Spirit by Nirvana

Korobeiniki

Prince Igor, Act II: Polovtsain Dances. No. 17. General Dances, Allegro by Alexander Borodin

Schnürlregen by Lieselotte Hösl

The Harvey Weinstein Trial: Unfiltered

Some of the Ideas Explored:

Intersectionality: is an analytical framework for understanding how a person's various social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege. Intersectionality identifies multiple factors of advantage and disadvantage. Examples of these factors include gender, caste, sex, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, religion, disability, weight, and physical appearance.These intersecting and overlapping social identities may be both empowering and oppressing.

Gender Binary: The term gender binary describes the system in which a society allocates its members into one of two sets of gender roles and gender identities, which assign attributes based on their biological sex (chromosomal and genitalia).In the case of intersex people, the gender binary system is limited. Those who are Intersex have rare genetic differences which can give them the sex organs of both sexes or otherwise non-normative genitalia and may have difficulties fitting into the gender binary system.

Compulsory Heterosexuality: often shortened to comphet, is the theory that heterosexuality is assumed and enforced upon people by a patriarchal and heteronormative society. The term was popularized by Adrienne Rich in her 1980 essay titled "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence". According to Rich, social science and literature perpetuate the societal belief that women in every culture are believed to have an innate preference for romantic and sexual relationships with men. She argues that women's sexuality towards men is not always natural but is societally ingrained and scripted into women.Comphet creates the belief that society is overwhelmingly heterosexual and delegitimizes queer identities. As a result, it perpetuates homophobia and legal inequity for the LGBTQ+ community.

Historical Events Referenced:

Great Grandfather - Henry Eilers - Russian Revolution My great grandfather worked for the Czars as a gardener at the St. Petersburg Palace and was part of the bourgeoisie. The Russian Revolution of 1917 was one of the most explosive political events of the 20th century. The violent revolution marked the end of the Romanov dynasty and centuries of Russian Imperial rule. Economic hardship, food shortages and government corruption all contributed to the downfall and assassination of Czar Nicholas II. This included my great great grandfather losing all his wealth and his family was forced to scatter the globe. I have distant relatives in Finland, South Africa, South America, America, Canada, Russia and Germany. 

Grandmother - Charlotte (Lotti) Eilers - World War II My grandmother and grandfather lived in Hamburg during the first half of the 20th century. Towards the end of World War II, British and American airforce dropped 39,000 tons of bombs, killing about 42,000 German civilians in Operation Gomorrah. This continued until the Nazi regime finally surrendered in May 1945. During this time my Grandmother escaped to Kitzbühle, Austria. They all returned to Hamburg after 1945 and then found passage to Canada in 1950. 

Mother - Dörte Eilers - #MeToo Movement Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison, the culmination of a case that fueled the global #MeToo movement and encouraged women to speak out against sexual abuse. When My mother watched the trial on CNN she became so agitated and upset and shared the story, which was shortened and many details omitted but is animated and shared in the final monologue of Kiss The Stormy Sky. 

About Aeris Körper Contemporary Dance :

Aeris Körper is a Canadian professional dance company based in Hamilton, Ontario. Our primary objective is to co-create with artists, community members, and audiences to foster interpersonal connections. These connections grow by allowing our curiosities to guide us into a creative process that prioritizes people over productivity. We research how to create safe spaces and how to cultivate genuine connections to break down the traditional separation between performer and audience. We produce live immersive shows, host community platforms, and lead accessible movement workshops. 

Aeris K​ör​per’s goal is to inspire the exploration of creativity, movement, expression and interaction in performance to foster self-awareness and connection. The audience’s experience and perspective are paramount and typically our performances break the fourth wall through the use of gaze, physical contact, speech, and/or audience participation. 

We work to dismantle the ways dance has oppressed dancers and how we have internalized harmful ideas such as binary gendered stereotypes, hierarchical organization, fatphobia, euro-cetnric beauty standards, valuing ability, homogeneous balletic movement patterns, and more. Through critical dialogue we gently dismantle these harmful ideas by placing value on the celebration of our uniqueness. We are not interested in traditional dance steps, we are interested in movements that are physical, animalistic, visceral, and emotive. 

Aeris, the lightness of spirit and energy, combines with Körper, the strength and beauty of the body, to allow and encourage us to explore, share, connect, understand and innovate. 

Our values and goals: 

CONNECT: Our uniqueness is welcomed, acknowledged and celebrated.

SHARE: We gather to express and understand one another.

SENSE: We embrace the inherent intelligence of our bodies, minds and creativity.

EXPLORE: Our curiosity guides us as we ask: how can we create unforgettable encounters with dance?

INNOVATE: We notice where we hold back or experience shame and explore those areas so that our curiosity can offer new ways of being and doing.

With Gratitude:

Thank you to Issac Mulè, Page 1 and everyone with OutFest 2024, and to Deanna Jones, Suitcase in Point and everyone with In The Soil Arts Festival 2023. 

Thank you to the incredible collaborating artists who made Kiss The Stormy Sky possible; your contributions are profound and invaluable. 

Thank you to Aeris Körper’s sponsors and community partners: Zee Float, Defining Movement Dance, Theatre Aquarius, Thrive Dance Academy, Pia Bauman School of Dance and Goodbody Feel. 

Thank you to the Hamilton City Enrichment Fund, Ontario Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. 

Thank you to my brother James Farrington and the use of his work “The Gardener’s Journal” which documents many of the instances in Kiss The Stormy Sky. 

Thank you to Aeris Körper Contemporary Dance, Co-Artistic Director Mayumi Lashbrook for your brilliance, support and encouragement. 

Thank you to “PROSPECTS: an evening of dance and discussion” where the first iteration of this piece was workshopped. 

Thank you to my incredible child, Quintin and my love and life partner, Sharon. 

I dedicated this show to my cousin, Nicole Eilers. May you be free and at peace.

Land Acknowledgement for OutFest 2024

Being here in Halifax on the ancestral lands of the Mi'kmaq (mig-ma) people, is indeed an honor and privilege. Halifax, or Kjipuktuk (che-book-took) as it's known in Mi'kmaq (mig-ma), has been a beacon of hope for countless immigrants and refugees throughout history. Its harbor has been a gateway, welcoming settlers who have crossed the threshold of its shores.

However, it's essential to acknowledge the painful history of violence, land theft, broken treaties, the atrocities of the residential school systems including kidnapping and murder, and the ongoing tragedy of missing and murdered Indigenous 2-Spirit and women.

Kiss The Stormy Sky, began from a question posed to me by Elder Maria Montejo. I was taking her workshop Indigenous 101 at Dodem Kanosha to learn how to deliver a land acknowledgement.

Elder Maria imparted invaluable wisdom on colonialism, its mechanisms of power and the contrast offered by Indigenous teachings. 

Reflecting on her teachings, I'm struck by two fundamental truths:

Firstly, colonialism wields its power by seeking to homogenize our identities and severing our connection to our ancestral lineages. 

Elder Maria's poignant question, "find out where you are indigenous to," sparked a deep dive into my own family history. 

This journey led me to my great grandfather, Henry Eilers, a German who navigated the tumultuous landscapes of Russia during the Russian revolution. His story, intertwined with the horrors of the Nazi regime, ultimately led my grandparents to seek refuge in Canada, landing in Halifax on July 1, 1950. Their narrative, like countless others, speaks to the resilience of settlers and the indebtedness we owe to Indigenous caretakers of this land. 

Secondly, Elder Maria illuminated how colonialism thrives on fostering a sense of estrangement among us, perpetuating suspicion and isolation that render us dependent on leaders' decisions for our communities. This division, rooted in fear and distrust, is a barrier to true collective empowerment and liberation.

Contemplating these insights, it's clear that our personal realms - our lands, bodies, and minds - have been colonized. It's a journey of acknowledging the pervasive influence of domination and control in shaping our perceptions and beliefs. To reclaim our truths, we must embark on a journey of introspection, questioning, and critical examination.

We must confront the colonial constructs that govern our lives, including the binary notions of gender that seek to police and control us. It's a recognition that liberation lies in transcending these confines and embracing the fluidity and diversity of human identity.

Elder Maria's teachings underscore the urgency of recognizing our interconnectedness and dismantling the barriers that perpetuate division. Your presence here today matters. Your energy, your listening, your witnessing - it all contributes to the power of this moment. We're in this together, co-creating now. 

Kiss The Stormy Sky is not intended for entertainment purposes; it delves into intense themes of abandonment, war, corruption, death, sex, and #metoo. It's a journey through time and space, celebrating the complexities of the human experience. It serves as a catalyst for critical dialogue and introspection. 

Please scan the QR code provided for information on the collaborative team of artists, the historical and political ideas explored in the show, and schedule for online talk-back sessions with myself facilitated by Psycologist and Care Coordinator Robin Lacambra.

Thank you to Director Danielle Denichaud, Technical Director Vik Mudge, the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, City of Hamilton Enrichment Grant and the organizers of OutFest and my incredible life partner, Sharon Lee.

Here is to embracing the complexities of life, transcending binaries, and working towards our collective liberation. Thank you for being a part of this journey.