Kimberly Dark
Encyclopedia
Kimberly Dark is an American
performance artist, writer
, and sociologist. Born in San Diego, California
, she received a B.A. from University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 1989, and an M.A. in Sociology
from Cal State San Marcos in 1998. She began her work as a storyteller
and performance artist in 1998. She was previously founder and principal for Current Change Consulting, a firm specializing in coalition building facilitation, conflict resolution, and qualitative research.
Her current work uses sociological perspectives and first person storytelling to discuss ways humans organize social life - through gender, race, class, and sexuality. Her performances, lectures and writings use humor to reveal the makeup of privilege and oppression, as the purpose is to prompt change. Her work has been produced at colleges and universities in North America and Europe, and at theaters, festivals, conferences and other events worldwide. As of 2010, she has authored and toured five solo-performances including, The Butch Femme Chronicles: Discussions With Women Who Are Not Like Me (and Some Who Are), Public Contact, True Confessions of a Lesbian Diva, Stripped and Teased: Scandalous Stories With Subversive Subplots, and Dykeotomy.
Her educational programs and interactive lectures include "Becoming the Subject of Your Own Story (Rather than the Object of Another's Gaze)," "Gender Race and Money" and "Is That a Dude? Inside Lesbian Gender - It's More Complex than you Think." Kimberly Dark teaches in a graduate program in Sociological Practice at Cal State San Marcos.
, an American non-profit organization which promotes and supports LGBTQ leaders on University campuses, named Kimberly Dark on the "Top 25 'Best of the Best' LGBT speakers, performers [who] raise awareness of inclusion, visibility on college campuses nationally."
and critical theory
are brought to non-academic audiences through storytelling and performance. Academically, Dark's approaches are situated in research methods such as autoethnography
and poetic inquiry. As sociologist Laurel Richardson articulates "I consider writing as a method of inquiry, a way of finding out about a topic...form and content are inseparable" (2000, p. 923).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
performance artist, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and sociologist. Born in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, she received a B.A. from University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 1989, and an M.A. in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from Cal State San Marcos in 1998. She began her work as a storyteller
Storyteller
- Films and television :* Narradores de Javé , a 2003 Brazilian film by Eliane Caffé* The Storyteller , a 2009 American horror film* The Storyteller, a 1988 television series by Jim Henson...
and performance artist in 1998. She was previously founder and principal for Current Change Consulting, a firm specializing in coalition building facilitation, conflict resolution, and qualitative research.
Her current work uses sociological perspectives and first person storytelling to discuss ways humans organize social life - through gender, race, class, and sexuality. Her performances, lectures and writings use humor to reveal the makeup of privilege and oppression, as the purpose is to prompt change. Her work has been produced at colleges and universities in North America and Europe, and at theaters, festivals, conferences and other events worldwide. As of 2010, she has authored and toured five solo-performances including, The Butch Femme Chronicles: Discussions With Women Who Are Not Like Me (and Some Who Are), Public Contact, True Confessions of a Lesbian Diva, Stripped and Teased: Scandalous Stories With Subversive Subplots, and Dykeotomy.
Her educational programs and interactive lectures include "Becoming the Subject of Your Own Story (Rather than the Object of Another's Gaze)," "Gender Race and Money" and "Is That a Dude? Inside Lesbian Gender - It's More Complex than you Think." Kimberly Dark teaches in a graduate program in Sociological Practice at Cal State San Marcos.
Work
According to Dr. Lynda Dickson, University of Colorado, "There is clear evidence that [Dark] has constructed a social context for her narratives. The characters not only have a personal story - a lived experience - but the stories are routinely connected to a larger, social reality... Attending one of her performances could accomplish more than a semester course of introduction to sociology." As a form of pop-sociology, Dark's writings are also well-received as entertainment. Strong poetic imagery blend with moving stage presence (Munro, 2008). In October 2010, Campus PrideCampus Pride
Campus Pride is an American national nonprofit 501 organization founded by M. Chad Wilson, Sarah E. Holmes and Shane L. Windmeyer in 2001 which serves lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and Ally student leaders and/or Campus Organization in the areas of leadership development, support programs...
, an American non-profit organization which promotes and supports LGBTQ leaders on University campuses, named Kimberly Dark on the "Top 25 'Best of the Best' LGBT speakers, performers [who] raise awareness of inclusion, visibility on college campuses nationally."
Themes and Style
Frequent themes include gender, sexuality, race, class, beauty and body image. Performances such as Dykeotomy question the intersection of social norms and individual choices. Many of Dark's works deconstruct gender binary. Her texts and performances are concerned with both politics and pedagogy - the way feminist theoryFeminist theory
Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, or philosophical discourse, it aims to understand the nature of gender inequality...
and critical theory
Critical theory
Critical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism...
are brought to non-academic audiences through storytelling and performance. Academically, Dark's approaches are situated in research methods such as autoethnography
Autoethnography
Autoethnography is a form or method of social research that explores the researcher's personal experience and connects this autobiographical story to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings...
and poetic inquiry. As sociologist Laurel Richardson articulates "I consider writing as a method of inquiry, a way of finding out about a topic...form and content are inseparable" (2000, p. 923).
Publications
- "Examining Praise from the Audience: What does it mean to be a 'successful' poet-researcher." (Poetic Inquiry 2009)
- "Parting, Renewal" and "Famous Poet" (San Diego Poetry Annual 2009)
- "My Son is a Straight A Student" (Poetic Inquiry: Vibrant Voices in the Social Sciences 2009)
- "Roadside, Perris CA" (Visible: A Femmethology 2008)
Discography
- You Are My Singing Lesson, Eko Records, 2002
- Location Is Everything, Durga Sound Studio, 2008
Performances
- The Butch Femme Chronicles: Discussions With Women Who Are Not Like Me (and Some Who Are) (1998)
- Public Contact (1999)
- True Confessions of a Lesbian Diva (2000)
- Stripped and Teased: Scandalous Stories With Subversive Subplots(2005) * Dykeotomy (2009)
Lectures and Educational Programs
- Gender, Race and Money (2003)
- Is that a Dude? Inside Lesbian Gender, It's More Complex than You Think (2004)
- Becoming the Subject of Your Own Story (Rather Than The Object Of Another's Gaze) (2007)
See also
- LGBTLGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
- Women's StudiesWomen's studiesWomen's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
- FeminismFeminismFeminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
- AutoethnographyAutoethnographyAutoethnography is a form or method of social research that explores the researcher's personal experience and connects this autobiographical story to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings...
- Performance ArtPerformance artIn art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
- Fresh Fruit FestivalFresh fruit festivalThe Fresh Fruit Festival is a New York summer arts festival featuring the work of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered artists. Held every July, the festival was founded by Carol Polcovar in 2003 and sponsored by All Out Arts and New Village Productions. It is currently a program of All Out...