Kay Bradshaw
VITAL festival
Elder of the Queers
Dance & Theatre
I am deeply moved to have been invited to the VITAL Festival as a Queer Elder.
All my life, I’ve been fascinated by relationships. I’m interested in how we as humans can build better connections—both with ourselves and with one another. I believe that healthy relationships, creativity, impact, clarity, and good collaboration arise when we dare to bring our whole selves into play: when we playfully explore our emotions and bodies, become aware of our habitual ways of moving, thinking, and relating, and give ourselves permission to try out new ways of being in the world.
As an actor and director, as an explorer of conscious kink, as an advocate for sexual freedom and equality, and as a person who wants to live and teach about healthier relationships, I create workshops that explore themes such as self-confidence (and the lack thereof), dominance (and submission), and how these are often confused.
I have a master’s degree in education and have taught in schools, youth organizations, adult education programs, and the business world on both sides of the Atlantic.
I provide coaching in acting, movement, creativity, collaboration exercises, and team building; I teach English and drama; and I direct plays.
I am trained in the Five Rhythms (with Gabrielle Roth) and in three different schools of Conscious Connected Breath—also known as Rebirthing and Vivation.
I have been active in the queer community, where, among other things, I have co-organized film and cultural festivals that create safe spaces for trans and gender-diverse people.
In addition, I have facilitated workshops on trans inclusion for leaders in companies, communities, and creative teams, and I have led workshops on sexuality for transgender people in collaboration with RFSL and CRS (Center for Radical Sexuality).
I have performed on stage and in film as an actor, mime artist, puppeteer (including at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, The Muppets, and Spitting Image), voice actor, cabaret artist, and drag performer.
My pronouns are she/her, but I also advocate for the broader use of the gender-neutral pronouns they/them as the standard in English. Since coming out as a transgender person, I’ve focused particularly on raising awareness of and promoting inclusion for diverse gender identities, gender expressions, and gender roles—as much as possible through play, curiosity, and humor—with the goal of creating a safe space for exploration and growth.
Workshop 1:
Focus, Self-Confidence, Dominance, and Status
The workshop begins in a light and gentle way.
Through playful exercises, we explore body language, relationships (dominant/subordinate), self-confidence, and visibility.
While we strengthen the bonds between participants, we also focus on clarity, setting boundaries, and consent.
Workshop 2:
Three Levels of Relationship in the Five Rhythms Movement
This workshop serves as an introduction to Five Rhythms for new participants or as an in-depth practice for those who already have experience.
The workshop also focuses on creating balance between the three levels of relationship—the relationship with ourselves, the relationship with another person, and the relationship with the group—as we practice various forms of ecstatic dance.
Workshop 3: “
” The Elders Roundtable
Welcome to one of the festival’s most unique gatherings, where all our elders come together for a shared conversation.
Kay, Hivshu, LeAnn, Linda, Celso, and Govind will join Li in a panel discussion on what it means to be a mature person in our time.
Together, they will explore questions such as:
How can we bear witness to the world’s challenges and accept them without succumbing to fear or shame?
What role does the body play in human development and transformation?
How do rhythm, sound, dance, and movement support our personal growth?
How do we honor both community and the sense of unity while remaining true to our authentic selves?
The discussion will conclude with an opportunity for participants to ask their own questions and engage in direct dialogue with The Elders.