JEZEBEL 2019
Cherish Menzo
& Frascati Producties
JEZEBEL is a dance performance inspired by the ‘Video Vixen’: female models who appeared in hip hop video clips in the late ’90s and early ’00s.
Images in the mass media – and in music videos particularly – often projected the female in a hyper-sensualized way. The repetitive images in hip hop videos reinforce stereotypes associated in particular with black/dark/coloured women. Video Vixens – also referred to as ‘hip hop honeys’ or ‘video girls’ – were the subject of severe criticism and often typified as the ‘Jezebels’ of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In the pre-Youtube era – when MTV still meant Music Television – the Video Vixen model played a central role in video clips. In spite of the explicit lyrics (usually written by men) and the sensual, seductive and scantily clad appearance of the vixen, her performance had a great influence on the aesthetics of these clips. As well as on the popularity of the (male) artist.
During the past twenty years, the Video Vixen has both suffered and benefitted from this. Today, she stands for much more than the objectified ‘ride or die’ model within a male-dominated culture.
Jezebel refuses to be defined by others. She navigates the landscape of hip hop culture, looking for ways to reclaim her own image. Can Jezebel deconstruct the controversial stereotype associated with the black hip hop honey? How did this video girl redefine herself in 2020?
awarded an Amsterdam Fringe Award and International Bursary [2019].
nominated for the BNG Bank Theaterprijs [2020].
nominated for the Nederlandse Dansdagen [2020].
credits
PREMIERE: Nov 5th, 2019 at Frascati (Amsterdam, NL)
CONCEPT, CHOREOGRAPHY & PERFORMANCE: Cherish Menzo
LIGHTING DESIGN & TECHNICAL COORDINATION: Niels Runderkamp
MUSIC: Michael Nunes
VIDEO: Andrea Casetti
COSTUMES: Daniel Smedeman
DRAMATURGY: Renée Copraij
OUTSIDE EYE: Berthe Spoelstra, Christian Yav and Nicole Geertruida
VOCAL COACH: Shari Kok-Sey-Tjong
CAMPAIGN IMAGE: Tatchatrin Choeychom
CO-PRODUCTION: Frascati Producties
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT: Bibi Scholten van Aschat
DISTRIBUTION AND TOUR MANAGEMENT: GRIP and Frascati Producties
WITH THE SUPPORT OF: Amsterdam Fonds voor de Kunst
THANKS TO: Benjamin Kahn, Centre Chorégraphique Le Château
dates
05.11.2019

frascati
AMSTERDAM (NL)
premiere
06.11.2019

frascati
AMSTERDAM (NL)
11.11.2019
theater ins blau
LEIDEN (NL)
19.03.2020

campo nieuwpoort
GHENT (BE)
cancelled - premiere BE
21.03.2020

pand 18
DEN BOSCH (NL)
(festival cement)
cancelled
22.03.2020

pand 18
DEN BOSCH (NL)
(festival cement)
cancelled
18.04.2020

theater rotterdam
ROTTERDAM (NL)
(motel mozaïque)
cancelled
08.05.2020

la raffinerie – charleroi danse
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled
09.05.2020

la raffinerie – charleroi danse
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled
10.05.2020

la raffinerie – charleroi danse
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled
11.05.2020

la raffinerie – charleroi danse
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled - on location
12.05.2020

la raffinerie – charleroi danse
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled
13.05.2020

la raffinerie – charleroi danse
BRUSSELS (BE)
cancelled
20.05.2020

centre for contemporary arts
GLASGOW (UK)
(take me somewhere festival)
cancelled - UK premiere
03.07.2020

on location
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(julidans & whynot)
excerpt / in the frame of 'off venue'
04.07.2020

on location
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(julidans & whynot)
excerpt / in the frame of 'off venue'
21.07.2020

de brakke grond
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(peepshow palace festival)
05.09.2020

frascati
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(het theaterfestival)
06.09.2020

frascati
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(het theaterfestival)
07.09.2020

frascati
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(het theaterfestival)
08.09.2020

frascati
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(het theaterfestival)
10.09.2020

bronks
BRUSSEL (BE)
(het theaterfestival)
11.09.2020

bronks
BRUSSEL (BE)
(het theaterfestival)
18.09.2020

toneelschuur
HAARLEM (NL)
19.09.2020

toneelschuur
HAARLEM (NL)
24.09.2020

stuk
LEUVEN (BE)
25.09.2020

stuk
LEUVEN (BE)
29.09.2020

théâtre des bernardines
MARSEILLE (FR)
(festival actoral)
30.09.2020

théâtre des bernardines
MARSEILLE (FR)
(festival actoral)
13.10.2020

campo nieuwpoort
GHENT (BE)
14.10.2020

campo nieuwpoort
GHENT (BE)
06.11.2020

dansens hus
OSLO (NO)
cancelled
07.11.2020

dansens hus
OSLO (NO)
cancelled
08.11.2020

dansens hus
OSLO (NO)
cancelled
13.11.2020

tanzquartier wien
VIENNA (AT)
cancelled
14.11.2020

tanzquartier wien
VIENNA (AT)
cancelled
27.11.2020

wiels
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled
28.11.2020

wiels
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled
29.11.2020

wiels
BRUSSELS (BE)
(kunstenfestivaldesarts)
cancelled
17.12.2020
corrosia theater
ALMERE (NL)
cancelled
07.01.2021

theater kikker
UTRECHT (NL)
cancelled
08.01.2021

theater kikker
UTRECHT (NL)
cancelled
15.01.2021

chassé theater
BREDA (NL)
cancelled
26.02.2021

kunstencentrum nona
MECHELEN (BE)
(buitenkant voet)
livestream show
03.03.2021

concordia
ENSCHEDE (NL)
livestream show
04.03.2021

grand theatre
GRONINGEN (NL)
cancelled
05.03.2021

lux
NIJMEGEN (NL)
cancelled
08.03.2021

theater aan de rijn
ARNHEM (NL)
postponed
12.03.2021

théâtre de l’oiseau-mouche
ROUBAIX (FR)
(le grand bain)
postponed
18.03.2021

zwolse theaters
ZWOLLE (NL)
postponed
19.03.2021

de singel
ANTWERP (BE)
(bouge b)
cancelled
26.03.2021

tbc – ‘s-hertogenbosch
'S-HERTOGENBOSCH (NL)
(festival cement)
cancelled
27.03.2021

tbc – ‘s-hertogenbosch
'S-HERTOGENBOSCH (NL)
(festival cement)
cancelled
28.03.2021

theater kikker
UTRECHT (NL)
postponed
31.03.2021

chassé theater
BREDA (NL)
cancelled
02.04.2021

de nieuwe vorst
TILBURG (NL)
cancelled
03.04.2021

theater aan de rijn
ARNHEM (NL)
postponed
15.04.2021

zwolse theaters
ZWOLLE (NL)
cancelled
28.04.2021

het nationale theater
THE HAGUE (NL)
cancelled
01.06.2021

bourla schouwburg
ANTWERP (BE)
(antwerpse kleppers)
cancelled
10.06.2021

radion
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(front row festival)
11.06.2021

radion
AMSTERDAM (NL)
(front row festival)
13.06.2021

theater kikker
UTRECHT (NL)
25.06.2021

tanzquartier
VIENNA (AT)
postponed
26.06.2021

tanzquartier
VIENNA (AT)
postponed
27.06.2021

tanzquartier
VIENNA (AT)
postponed
03.07.2021

belluard bollwerk
FRIBOURG (CH)
(belluard bollwerk)
09.07.2021

festival de la cité
LAUSANNE (CH)
(festival de la cité)
10.07.2021

festival de la cité
LAUSANNE (CH)
(festival de la cité)
13.07.2021

santarcangelo festival
SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA (IT)
(santarcangelo festival)
14.07.2021

santarcangelo festival
SANTARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA (IT)
(santarcangelo festival)
12.08.2021

de nieuwe vorst
TILBURG (NL)
14.08.2021

corrosia theater
ALMERE (NL)
03.09.2021

la bâtie
GENEVA (CH)
(la bâtie)
04.09.2021

la bâtie
GENEVA (CH)
(la bâtie)
07.09.2021

short theatre
ROME (IT)
(short theatre)
08.09.2021

short theatre
ROME (IT)
(short theatre)
26.09.2021

contemporanea festival
PRATO (IT)
08.10.2021

dansens hus
OSLO (NO)
NO premiere
09.10.2021

dansens hus
OSLO (NO)
28.10.2021

tanzquartier
VIENNA (AT)
AT premiere
29.10.2021

tanzquartier
VIENNA (AT)
13.11.2021

alkantara festival
LISBON (PT)
(alkantara festival)
PT premiere
14.11.2021

alkantara festival
LISBON (PT)
(alkantara festival)
15.11.2021

alkantara festival
LISBON (PT)
(alkantara festival)
19.11.2021

bourla schouwburg
ANTWERP (BE)
(antwerpse kleppers)
24.11.2021

het nationale theater
THE HAGUE (NL)
06.12.2021

theater aan de rijn
ARNHEM (NL)
cancelled
17.12.2021

nowy teatr
WARSAW (PL)
(new europe international festival)
cancelled - PL premiere
18.12.2021

nowy teatr
WARSAW (PL)
(new europe international festival)
cancelled
08.01.2022

theater rotterdam
ROTTERDAM (NL)
cancelled
08.02.2022

theater antigone
KORTRIJK (BE)
school performance
09.02.2022

theater antigone
KORTRIJK (BE)
18.02.2022

le carreau du temple
PARIS (FR)
19.02.2022

le carreau du temple
PARIS (FR)
05.03.2022

sophiensaele
BERLIN (DE)
06.03.2022

sophiensaele
BERLIN (DE)
22.03.2022

le gymnase cdcn
ROUBAIX (FR)
(le grand bain)
25.03.2022

points communs
CERGY-PONTOISE (FR)
cancelled
26.03.2022

points communs
CERGY-PONTOISE (FR)
cancelled
01.09.2022

roxy birsfelden
BASEL (CH)
(theaterfestival basel)
02.09.2022

roxy birsfelden
BASEL (CH)
(theaterfestival basel)
03.10.2022

project arts centre
DUBLIN (IE)
(dublin theatre festival)
04.10.2022

project arts centre
DUBLIN (IE)
(dublin theatre festival)
06.10.2022

battersea arts centre
LONDON (UK)
07.10.2022

battersea arts centre
LONDON (UK)
08.10.2022

battersea arts centre
LONDON (UK)
11.10.2022

battersea arts centre
LONDON (UK)
12.10.2022

battersea arts centre
LONDON (UK)
13.10.2022

battersea arts centre
LONDON (UK)
14.10.2022

battersea arts centre
LONDON (UK)
16.10.2022

fierce
BIRMINGHAM (UK)
(fierce festival)
22.10.2022

national arts centre
OTTAWA (CA)
(festival actoral)
25.10.2022

usine-c
MONTRÉAL (CA)
(festival actoral)
26.10.2022

usine-c
MONTRÉAL (CA)
(festival actoral)
11.11.2022

kunsthalle helsinki
HELSINKI (FI)
(moving in november)
12.11.2022

kunsthalle helsinki
HELSINKI (FI)
(moving in november)
16.11.2022

dansstationen
MALMÖ (SE)
18.11.2022

dansens hus
STOCKHOLM (SE)
19.11.2022

dansens hus
STOCKHOLM (SE)
22.11.2022

norrlandsoperan
UMEÅ (SE)
past dates →