Consent in Practice: Tools & Benefits by Madonna Lenaert & guests

Workshop description 'Circus - a safe(r) space for danger'

Content & format

A short theoretical introduction by Madonna Lenaert (they/them) about what consent is, which conditions are necessary and the benefits of working with/through consent. This will be followed by an open panel conversation in a sharing space. Following artists are invited to present their way of working and mechanisms for working together safely/with consent.

  • Jakobe Geens | GEDACHTEGANG, a circus company that aims to question expectations, habits and patterns present in society.
  • Creator duo Toon Van Gramberen & Hanna Mampuys | THERE THERE Company makes strong and meaningful circus, rough and real, with a focus on the performer and the message rather than on the trick.
  • Sabine Maringer | Circus Advocat and Researcher. Sabine Maringer has been researching how a consent culture in circus can take shape and what a good relationship between the circus arts world and their bodies, and mental and physical health could look like.

Everyone will then be invited into a large sharing circle moderated by Madonna to exchange on experiences, doubts, longings…

Learning outcomes

Participants will leave with a wider understanding of consent and the different conditions that could be necessary for working with consent. Participants will also learn about different artistic practices and mechanisms people use to work together in a safe and respectful way. There will be space to ask questions, to exchange, to share doubts…

Presentation

consent
Click to open presentation
Visuality
Madonna
Iben Van Damme

About the speaker

Madonna Lenaert (they/them) graduated in 2023 with a Masters Degree in Drama at KASK & Conservatorium Ghent with the performance ‘DO YOU LOVE HER?’, in collaboration with, ‘Magdalena Collectief’ which they are part of. In 2023 they started working at KASK Drama, where they now coordinate the Bachelor education and offer practical support for the Master education. They are also co-host of the queer podcast ‘Flikker Op’, wrote a chapter in Jan Wallyn’s book ‘Een Doodgewone Dag’, are part of the artistic team of ‘Ghent 2030’, co-curated a day about accessibility during ‘HetTheaterfestival’ and give lectures about gender and sexual diversity.

In 2021-22 they did an internship with Kunstenpunt to research ‘consent’ and the different impacts it has on an artistic working process. At the end of 2022 they turned that research into an article for Kunstenpunt.