House Of Strength I (Zoorkhaneh)
• Interdisciplinary Performance, 2014
• House of Strength is a performance inspired by the traditional Persian gymnasiums called Zoorkhane (House of Strength) The traditional Zoorkhaneh is a place where male participants practice a lengthy series of exercises designed to build their skills. Women have traditionally been strictly forbidden from entering these gyms where male semi-nude performances are led by a singer who chants sacred poetry and plays drums and bells . Women are only allowed to enter the arena and sit as audience. In this performance, women artists from different ethnic backgrounds working in a variety of disciplines will collectively perform a contemporary rendition of these traditional rituals. The performance entails choreographed body movement with props and music.
• Credits:
Dancers: Amanda Hameline, Mersiha Mesihovic, Anahita Mogahaddam, Abby Price, Natalie Pulido
Choreographer: Mersiha Mesihovic
Sound Artist: Negar Behbahani
Production Assistant: Amirmohsen Shahheidari
Conceived and directed by Nooshin Rostami
• Related Publication:
2014 The House of Melancholy and Strength, Written by Gelare Khoshgozaran, Published by jadaliyya