Julidans: When The Bleeding Stops

At the age of forty, Icelandic dancer Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir was injured and at the same time ended up in menopause. This forced her to rethink her relationship with dance, her body and artistic practice. During this process, and aware of her aging dancer body, she was confronted with the silence and taboos surrounding menopause in Western society.

Lovísa posted an open invitation on the internet inviting menopausal women to join her research on menopause. This led to When The Bleeding Stops, a performance that highlights the deep-rooted knowledge, history and experiences inherent in the aging female body.

In When The Bleeding Stops, women invite their audience into their world of vulnerability, shame, empathy and humour. The performance offers a glimpse into their lives and explores the different aspects of their experiences, encouraging spectators to laugh, cry, and celebrate life alongside the women on stage.

On her European tour, Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir invites middle-aged local women to join her on stage. This creates a new, layered story about menopause, which is worldwide, universal experience. The performance grows with it and forms an ever-growing, international community.