The Suns Insides Us is a live performance created for the Shaker Heritage Meeting House as part of the performance series Moonbow. The work explores queer becoming and interconnectivity, envisioning a space for communal ritual in support of queer expansion.

 

The Suns Insides Us builds on the foundation that we are composed of the same matter found in stars, including the closest star to us, Earth's Sun. While the Sun appears yellow from Earth, it is actually white, emitting all the colors from the rainbow. This fact, as well as a line by Emily Dickinson, inspired the work: I'll tell you how the Sun rose - A Ribbon at a time.

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Gold bodysuits reference another inspiration: 1970s queer sci-fi-inspired musicians and glam rockers including Jobriath and Marc Bolan. The bodysuits are customized to each performer; snaps to receive the ribbon are added to specific areas of the body that performers would like to energetically support.

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The Suns Inside Us is set to the metronome-like repetition of a guitar pattern and a chorus of crickets at night. Two performers slowly connect to one another through 6 long colorful ribbons, supporting and mirroring each other as they move. Audience members are then invited to join, forming a group of 14 orbiting through the space.