Is there space for non-binary dance in a mainly cis het world?

In a world where gender binaries continue to enforce unhealthy forms of repression, Kumari Suraj is making spaces for queer dancers to thrive and be seen without feeling vulnerable or isolated. Through a medley of movement, escapism and hyper-expression, Suraj is paving the way to inspire folks from all backgrounds and identities to be liberated in their own unique depiction of gender and sexuality.

This is sadly not the case for the majority of dance environments. When looking at the binary of dance culture in the UK, cis heteronormativity permeates throughout every style from ballet to hiphop, salsa to swing. Typically, roles are divided between men and women taking on specific characteristics and those roles are loaded with gendered stereotypes that perpetrate a division between leader and follower, hyper femme versus dominant masc, gentle woman versus strong man. But how can these roles translate to the ever growing group of people who find themself wanting to identify more fluidly? For someone who wants to move between their masculine and feminine energy, or who is transitioning in their gender, where are the spaces that allow this to happen without judgement or feeling isolated?

Pop culture has had a significant impact on the evolution of queerness, with vogueing and drag rising up through generations and being depicted in music videos, mainstream TV and iconic films. By the early 2000s, such displays of drag made it possible for AMAB folks (assigned male at birth) and men to femme up and find safety in communities. From films such as Kinky Boots (released in 2005) to the significant success of Ru Paul’s Drag race (with 16 series and counting), we find clear examples of the knowledge and acceptance there is for this style of art and performance by the masses. But for the AFAB’s (assigned female at birth) and queer female folk, there is still a long way to go before we see the same level of exposure, representation, or even credibility for their work within the dance scene.

Which is one of the reasons people like Kumari Suraj are not yet a household name. Kumari Suraj is an innovator and pioneer of non-binary dance, known most prominently for their groundbreaking work circulating the style Waacking around the world. Waacking stems from the gay clubs of Los Angeles during the 1970s disco era and is distinguished by rotational arm movements, hyper posing and placing an emphasis on expressiveness. It’s full of Sass and is accessible for people of all genders and ages to flex their attitude and be free to move.

In Kumari Suraj’s world, everything is gay. As a waacking dancer and choreographer, Kumari is all about creating space for people and inviting them to show up as themselves, providing folks with a non-binary setting to explore their identity and self-expression. Be that a masterclass, a competition, or building their own dance collective, Kumari is an unsung hero who has broken the structure of cis het dance worlds and injected their own AFAB energy into directions that have brought attention to queerness in small towns, large cities, and mainstream TV. Having worked their way across the globe moving from LA to Mumbai before touching down in the UK, their intentions have always been to shift the discussions around culture, gender and sexuality, openly and supportively

“Kumari is an unsung hero who has broken the structure of cis het dance worlds and injected their own AFAB energy in directions that have brought attention to queerness in small towns, large cities, and mainstream TV”

Looking at Kumari Suraj’s back catalogue of work and the way they’ve established their own House of Suraj wherever they go for folks to express themselves through waacking and hybrid forms of the dancestyle, it is clear how crucial their role has been in spreading a message of acceptance for all. This is not common in the dance world where, both in mainstream and underground spaces, competition and toxic gender binaries play a significant role in how successful someone is in accessing companies and winning battles. From the size of the person to the colour of their skin and the way they present their gender, the gap is oppressively small.

So for folks like Kumari Suraj who never stay in one box, the clarity and volume of their communication and what they stand for is essential in helping change the scene for the better. Suraj can often be found using their social media as an avenue for educating the masses on the fluidity of gender, culture and sexuality. As well as consciously archiving workshops and performances that shed light on the ever blossoming community of waackers. Documenting the history of their own and their communities so that the rest of the world can see and witness the evolution goes hand in hand with their activism celebrating queerness. As a non-binary, multi-ethnic dancer, Kumari has fought to be seen and heard in the industry as a performer, teacher and choreographer, which highlights the disproportionate hierarchy of male counterparts in creative spaces trampling the arena for conversations around race, ethnicity and gender, as well as gay male counterparts embodying a feminine energy that comes with a clear divide of how men have dominated the spaces.

This void of representation and lack of non-hierarchical support fails the needs of AFAB and female folk who are searching for spaces where they can grow in a supportive community; something Kumari is consciously working towards, creating safe havens for folks to share experiences and build a family of peer support helps with day to day livelihood. For many nonbinary dancers who enter the scene, being misgendered is a common experience both on and off stage. This can result in dysphoria leading to additional emotional and mental labour processing the moment, let alone having the energy, courage and confidence to correct people leading, hosting or participating in events and classes. This can become a burden and an additional weight to carry, especially for new dancers fresh on the scene, leading to a sense of isolation. Which is another reason Kumari Suraj’s work is so essential; creating spaces for queer folk’s narrative to flow freely in the face of certain levels of oppression and seeing that ripple across to everyone feeling a similar battle of exposure and accurate representation.

First portait & group by by Tania Chikaima

Healthy escapism and a culturally informed sense of care are two major benefits of House of Suraj - the company that Kumari has transferred from multiple continents to the UK. With their approach being full of drama, sensuality, fluidity and sparkly emotions, they offer people the opportunity to feel safe, supported and free to be themselves. With so much of life encouraging people to conform or repress their emotions, House of Suraj is the antidote to these societal pressures, providing the magic ingredients for achieving liberated self expression void of shame and stigma.

Kumari Suraj: IG @kumarisuraj Website kumarisuraj.com @houseofsuraj

About the writer:

Bethany Burgoyne is sex-positive creative professional: sharing knowledge about intimacy, kink, and sexual pleasure as liberation, expression and empowerment. As a podcaster and performer, they founded The Sassy Show, a multimedia sex- and body-positive digital platform focusing on creatives and aiming to transform the portrayal of women and gender in the media. Their Sassy Show journey has led them to incredible places around the world, where they have experienced gender-diverse realities and inspiring communities across cultures.

IG @bxsassy2 LinkedIn Bethany Burgoyne Website bxsassy.com Platform thesassyshow.com