Lea’s work is based on stereotypes. Stereotypical characters are those, which people expect to see, it is a general perception of society. She uses various ways in which to portray her thoughts about stereotypes, often gender based. Her thoughts being that male and female should not be treated differently but as one. She portrays this constantly throughout her work by using male and female stereotypes.
Take for instance Perfect Moment; the dance uses both groups, the Cholmondeleys and the Featherstonehaughs. Anderson uses stereotypical clothing and crosses these into both genders in order to highlight the point that male and female should be treated the same. Lea uses hobnail boots, wetsuits and dressing gowns for both genders. A key point is where both groups are wearing identical white dressing gowns and wigs and they all perform the act of getting ready, this being a stereotypical female thing to do. A lot of unison is used as this highlights the fact that everyone is doing the same. Lea also uses just single genders in this dance for instance all the men wear kilts. Although this is stereotypically male it is also a skirt like garment, which is what women wear, thus being classed as crossing gender again.
Lea has done this with the clothes to purposely emphasise the fact that clothes determine our stereotypes .She believes that we are all the same on the inside.
Another dance which I have studies with prime examples of Lea’s stereotypical viewpoints is Flesh and Blood. Lea’s stimulus was Joan of Arc. Clothing used was chain mail dresses worn by the Cholmondeleys only, this indicates a gender cross once again as chain mail is stereotypically only worn by men. Lea likes to do this in order to state that clothing should not determine who we are.
Black Rose of Mandela used a lot of unison. Both groups were involved and wore identical clothing consisting of stilettos, Basques, fishnet stockings, whips etc. The dancers portrayed the stereotypical image of a prostitute or a woman of that nature.
Lea, in conclusion bases the majority of her work on stereotypes, she concentrates on forming strong and striking visual images on stage and film. She constantly outlines the fact that men and women are equals and tries to defy the various things that define the genders e.g. clothing and stereotypical gestures. This is outlined in her work we have studied which contains strong examples of where things stereotypical to a specific gender have been applied to both or reversed.
