The Red Dress Project

© The Red Dress Project

What happens when you engage in an investigation into the imbalance of power through mobilisation and embodiment?

The Red Dress Project is an life long project where the artist Manuela Benini performs wearing a red dress in different settings across the world.

The locations are often sites of contention or difficult terrains, symbolising the various socio/political challenges that the project addresses.

The aim is to incite reflection and discussions on the world and individual agency in societal change. It represents the personal journey of a dancer/activist, an ongoing conversation, and a prompt for action, blending movement with the act of mobilisation and embodiment.

In the pages of this website you will encounter photographic documentation of the project as well as more information about the project.

Through dance and visual storytelling, the project aspires to be a catalyst for change, encouraging political involvement and social engagement in addressing the question:

“The Red Dress Project uses kathak as a means of telling the stories of those being exploited by the West while simultaneously drawing attention to the abuses and suppression put upon women and their bodies. Benini taps into her personal and political experiences, putting her body to the fore in order to highlight the ubiquitous, dogmatic, exploitative imbalance of power.”

“it’s a journey, a dialogue, and a call to action. In essence, the Red Dress Project stands as my lifelong exploration of mobilization and embodiment through dance.”