Unconditional Love (of mangoes, dancing, and me)
Resisting body fascism through feminist noncompliance, creativity, and joy!
An anti-diet dance theater performance that uses an intersectional approach to understand anti-fatness in relation to capitalism, race, and patriarchy through an historic lens, current analysis, and personal experience. Using dance, song, storytelling, research, and projections, this one-hour show is also about body liberation, pleasure, dancing alone in the mirror, eating mangoes, and shaking off that which binds us.
Free. Open to the public. No tickets needed.
Friday, September 18, 2026, 5:00-6:00pm
Mahaney Art Center Dance Theater
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Choreographer/Director: Rachel Frida Siegel in collaboration with the ensemble
Performers: Laura Haines, Winnie Looby, Alex Heisler, Zoraya Hightower, Hadley Mueller, Rhonda Doonan, and Rachel Siegel
Production and lighting director: Craig Mowery
Dancehall Choreographer: Raah Vibez
Kizomba Coach/instructor: Emma Ernst
“Capitalism” sound technician: Tyler Bolles
Videographer: Graydon Hanson
Sponsored by: Middlebury College Dance Department; Gender, Sexuality, & Feminist Studies Department; Black Studies Department; the Academic Enrichment Fund; the Committee on the Arts; and the Feminist Resource Center at Chellis House.
Music credits:
Viaja, Irina Barros
Toast, Koffee
Shikoku, Kate Simko and London Electronic Orchestra
Falaaz, Winnie Looby
Huge appreciation for the one and only Laurie Essig who initiated and made this opportunity possible through your work with the Gender, Sexuality, and Feminism Studies and your own passion. Thank you Harper Nichols for the support of the Feminist Center. Immense gratitude to Lida Winfield and Bert Crosby who’s gorgeous dance theater and support gave us the space to do it! And special thanks to Sanctuary for Healing and Liberation for the generous use of your beautiful studio for rehearsals.
Pleasure video contributors: Lauren Larken, Angela Robins, Fiona Robins, Jen Solin, Jennifer Monroe Zakaras, Anna Tosi, Amanda Northrup, and Lienne Bick
Unsplash photographers: Dylann Hendricks, Valeria Smirnova, Shane, Mathaus Heringer, Nsey Benajah, Monika Kozub, Prateek Katyal, Sami Chau, Afsal Shaji, Red Zeppelin, Olga Thelavart, Valentin Balan, and Pexels Karola
Sources:
“The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love;” Sonya Renee Taylor
“Fearing the Black Body: The Racist Origin of Fat Phobia;” Sabrina Strings
“Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eating;” Christy Harrison
“Body Positive Power: Because Life Is Already Happening and You Don't Need Flat Abs to Live It;” Megan Jayne Crabbe
“Health at Every Size : The Surprising Truth about Your Weight;” Lindo Bacon
“Plucked: A History of Hair Removal;” Rebecca Herzig
What it Takes To Heal Podcast
Sections of the performance:
Dancehall – choreography by Raah Vibez
What is the matter with me?
Cross the floor
Facebook quotes
Witchy Sister Circle – choreography by Winnie with support from Zoraya
Diet culture 101
ABCDE12345
Monologue
Amoeba w/vignettes
Winnie’s slide
Eat the mango (slurping involved)
Pleasure videos
Kizomba (Note: this is about pleasure, musicality, and connection – we are beginners!)
Resources and Opportunities at Middlebury College:
Winter Term 2027 GSFS 1017 Anti-Diet/Body Liberation Show
Taught by Rachel Siegel
In this course we will co-create a multimedia dance-theater performance called Unconditional Love (of dancing, mangoes, and me). Blending dance, song, spoken word, recorded stories, and slide projections, this one-hour show explores eating disorders, patriarchy, capitalism, and racism while celebrating body liberation, pleasure, dancing in the mirror, and shaking off what binds us. Using texts (including Sonya Renee Taylor, Sabrina Strings, and Lindo Bacon), podcasts, personal stories, and research, participants will generate new material and also learn sections of existing choreography. The course culminates in a public showing. Grounded in an intersectional analysis of anti-fatness across race, class, and patriarchy, this course is both academic and intimate, using collective feminist creativity to resist body fascism and affirm self-love. For more information, contact rachel@towardliberation.net.
Let's Talk About It: Food, Eating, & Body Image Thursday 9/24, 5:00-6:00pm
(20 Old Chapel Road - Health and Wellness Education Office)
Many people are in recovery from challenges with their eating and body image. Attend an engaging peer-led presentation examining and dismantling societal misconceptions about people's relationship to food, eating, body image, and exercise!
Feminist Resource Center at Chellis House (behind Proctor Dining Hall)
Provides a forum for the advancement
of feminist issues with meetings, workshops, and social events.
Counseling (at Centeno House)
Students facing challenges with eating or body image can access confidential individual counseling.
Health and Wellness Education
(20 Old Chapel Road, next to Axinn)
Provides programming focused on body acceptance and finding a more peaceful relationship with food and movement. healthandwellnessed@middlebury.edu