Keywords From Facing Backlash:Performance in the Age of Reactionary Politics
Curated by Celine Daaboul
A
Activism
- Direct action, campaigns, or advocacy aimed at promoting, impeding, or directing social, political, economic, or environmental change. Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Access Activators
- Facilitators of Relaxed Performance training and accessibility resources in the arts. Tangled Art + Disability; British Council Canada; Bodies in Translation.
Alameda Theatre Company
- Professional Latinx Canadian theatre company in Toronto, founded in 2006 by Mariló Nuñez. Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia, 6 Nov. 2019.
Artistic leadership
- The practice of guiding, shaping, and influencing creative and cultural institutions, such as theatres, galleries, or ensembles, to fulfill artistic visions, promote inclusive practices, and support equitable representation among artists and communities. Create Strong Artistic Leadership, creativenz.govt.nz. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
B
Backlash
- Resistance or opposition to progressive social movements or reforms, often seen as a reassertion of dominant cultural or institutional norms. Collins English Dictionary. Accessed 22 July 2025.
- A program that supports and mentors Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) theatre critics. Offers emerging critics training, guidance, and professional development to amplify underrepresented voices in arts media.
Black joy
- A political and cultural assertion of joy among Black communities in defiance of systemic oppression. National Museum of African American History and Culture. Accessed 23 July 2025.
Blackout Night
- A performance initiative where Black audiences are prioritized to attend and engage with Black-led productions, aimed at fostering community and representation. (Definition compiled based on context of symposium).
Bureaucratic silencing
- The use of institutional processes and red tape to suppress dissent, delay reforms, or prevent progressive change. Psychology Today. Accessed 22 July 2025.
C
- A national, public agency that supports and promotes the arts in Canada by providing funding, grants, and resources to artists, organizations, and cultural initiatives.
Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals
- National network supporting Canada’s fringe theatre festivals through advocacy, resources, and promotion. fringefestivals.com. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Cancel Culture
- A modern phenomenon in which individuals, particularly public figures, are socially ostracized, boycotted, or professionally penalized after being deemed to have acted or expressed views that are offensive or unacceptable. Such actions often occur online via social media. Merriam-Webster. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
D
DEDI
- An acronym for Decolonization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, reflecting efforts to reform and transform institutional structures to be more equitable and representative. York University – DEDI Strategy, 10 Jan. 2024.
Decolonization
- The process of deconstructing colonial ideologies and systems, particularly in cultural and academic institutions, and reclaiming Indigenous knowledge and practices. BC’s Office of the Human Rights Commissioner. Accessed 2 May 2024.
Disability Arts
- Creative expressions, such as theater, visual art, or writing, that center on the experience or context of disability, challenging norms, and reshaping cultural perceptions. Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Diverse Leadership
- Leadership that encompasses and values individuals from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, genders, abilities and disabilities, and ethnicities, recognizing differences in family income, education, social class, and economic experience.
Diversity
- The presence and inclusion of people from a range of different social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds and identities. Merriam-Webster; NCBI. Accessed 21 July 2025.
E
Emotional labour
- The often unrecognized effort involved in managing emotions or addressing systemic inequities, especially by marginalized individuals in professional settings. Simply Psychology. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Embodied
- Refers to art practices that integrate body and mind, highlighting physical movement, kinesthetic awareness, and sensory experience as central to meaning-making. AMA Journal of Ethics. June 2025.
Equity
- Fair treatment and access to opportunities and resources for all, accounting for varying needs and disadvantages. National Association of Colleges and Employers. Accessed 21 July 2025.
Erasure
- The removal or overlooking of marginalized narratives and contributions from historical or institutional records. Dictionary.com. Accessed 22 July 2025.
F
Fascist regimes
- Authoritarian political systems characterized by aggressive nationalism, suppression of dissent, censorship, and centralized power. Merriam-Webster. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Feminism
- A socio-political movement and ideology advocating for equality across all genders, challenging patriarchy and empowering marginalized gender identities. Wikipedia. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
- Organization preserving and promoting the legacy and pedagogy of playwright María Irene Fornés. fornesinstitute.com. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Freedom of Speech
- The right to express opinions without undue censorship, restricted only by laws against defamation, hate speech, or incitement to violence. Wikipedia. Accessed 12 Aug. 2025.
G
Gatekeeping
- The control over access to opportunities, resources, or spaces, often reinforcing existing power structures. HotBot. Accessed 5 Feb. 2024.
Gender-Diverse Leadership
- Leadership inclusive of people across the full spectrum of gender identities, including men, women, non-binary, transgender, genderfluid, agender, and others. Harvard DCE. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Genocide
- The deliberate and systematic destruction of all or part of a racial, ethnic, religious, or national group. United Nations. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Great Canadian Theatre Company
- Ottawa, ON. Professional theatre company founded in 1975 by Carleton University faculty and students, focused on Canadian plays with social resonance. Wikipedia.
H
Healing practices
- Rituals or community-based actions focused on restoring well-being, often rooted in cultural or Indigenous traditions. Fiveable. Accessed 22 July 2025.
History
- The study of the development and evolution of cultural and political movements (e.g., disability arts, mental health activism, feminism). Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
I
- Program designed to support and mentor Indigenous, Black, and People of Colour (IBPOC) theatre critics. Provides training, resources, and opportunities to increase diversity in theatre criticism.
Imaginative potential
- The capacity of individuals or groups to envision radically different futures or structures beyond existing systemic limitations. (Definition compiled based on context of symposium).
Imperialism
- The practice or policy by which a state extends its power over other territories, through economic domination, political control, or cultural influence. Wikipedia. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Inclusion
- Creating environments in which all individuals feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. Inclusion Action in Ontario. Accessed 21 July 2025.
Institutional accountability
- The responsibility of organizations to address and correct inequities through transparent action. Climate Sustainability Directory. Accessed 22 July 2025.
Institutional gaslighting
- When institutions dismiss or distort the concerns of marginalized groups, causing them to question their reality or the validity of their advocacy. Psychology Today. Accessed 21 July 2025.
Institutions
- Established organizations or structures (e.g., governments, universities, museums) that uphold societal norms and exercise power. Wikipedia. Accessed 22 July 2025.
Interdependence
- A principle in equity work emphasizing mutual support and recognition of shared responsibilities within communities and institutions. (Definition compiled based on context of symposium).
- A Canadian online publication offering in-depth coverage of the performing arts (especially theatre), with reviews, interviews, essays, and industry insights.
J
Joy
- A deep emotional state of happiness, fulfillment, or affirmation, especially as invoked through communal or artistic experiences. Merriam-Webster. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
L
Lead Belly Album
- First recorded use of the phrase “stay woke”, cited as part of the evolution of “woke” in Black culture. Lead Belly’s Last Sessions. Folkways Records, 1994.
Legacy
- The long-lasting impact or contribution of an individual or institution, particularly in cultural or social contexts. Merriam-Webster. Accessed 21 July 2025.
- Award supporting Black artists, discussed in terms of cultural specificity and resistance to dilution. Black Shoulders Legacy Award. Accessed 22 July 2025.
Liberatory possibilities
- Potential for freedom and justice beyond existing institutional frameworks. KnowledgeWorks. Accessed 17 Oct. 2023.
Liberatory potential
- The possibility for actions or ideas to contribute to freedom from oppression or unjust systems. (Definition compiled based on context of symposium).
M
Media
- Systems and platforms for mass communication, including TV, newspapers, and digital channels, that shape public discourse and awareness. Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Mental Health Activism
- Advocacy aimed at improving mental health awareness, advocating for care equity, and combating stigma through community action and policy reform. Tulane Public Health Blog; Verywell Mind. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
O
- Author: Founded by Philip Akin | Type: Theatre Company. Culturally specific Black Canadian theatre company and site of community-based access. obsidiantheatre.com. Accessed 22 July 2025.
Occupation
- The control and governance of a territory by an external military or political power. Merriam-Webster.
- Grant program providing up to $5,000 in supplementary funding to Deaf and disability-identifying applicants to remove accessibility barriers. Ontario Arts Council.
Ontario Black History Society (OBHS)
- Provides educational resources and advocacy around Black history in Canada. OBHS – 2023 Black History Month Kick-off Brunch. Accessed 29 Jan. 2023.
P
Performance art
- Time-based art where the artist uses live action or presence—often blending mediums like theater, visual art, and dance—to engage audiences directly. Wikipedia. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Performance as protest
- Using artistic expression to challenge dominant power structures and promote social justice. USC, Performance Studies.
Performative allyship
- Superficial support for marginalized groups that does not lead to change, often used to maintain appearances rather than challenge the status quo. Rizing Tide. Accessed 18 May 2022.
Power
- The capacity or ability to influence or control decisions, resources, or people, often linked to authority or leadership roles. Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 21 July 2025.
Professional consequences
- Outcomes such as job loss, career stagnation, or ostracization that individuals may face when advocating for DEDI or resisting systemic norms. Merriam-Webster. Accessed 21 July 2025.
Q
Queer / Queer Theory / Queering
Queer – A loosely defined term embracing a spectrum of nonheteronormative sexualities and gender identities, used inclusively across identity, politics, and analysis.
- Queer Theory – An academic approach challenging fixed binaries of sex, gender, and sexuality.
- Queering – A critical method of analyzing cultural texts (literature, theatre, media) by exposing and subverting heteronormative assumptions.
- Queer Theatre – Theatre that reflects, centers, or embodies queer experiences, identities, and aesthetics. Wikipedia. Accessed July–Aug. 2025.
R
Racially Diverse Leadership
- Leadership that includes individuals from a range of racial backgrounds and identities, and actively values and leverages the contributions of all racial groups. The Leadership Quarterly. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
Racism
- Prejudice, discrimination, or oppression directed at individuals or groups based on racial identity, often embedded in social and institutional structures. Wikipedia. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Radical honesty
- Speaking truth to power with clarity and without compromise, especially in institutional contexts. Kim Egel. Accessed 26 May 2025.
Rage
- A powerful emotional response to systemic injustice, often discussed in activist or feminist contexts as a legitimate and catalytic force for change. Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed 22 July 2025.
- A social media platform organized into user-curated discussion forums (subreddits), used widely for community dialogue, activism, and resource sharing. Wikipedia. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.
S
Shakespeare
- William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed 16 Aug. 2025.
- Winnipeg, MB. Manitoba’s classical theatre company known for dynamic, site-specific Shakespeare productions in non-traditional settings. Tourism Winnipeg.
Silencing
- Institutional or social mechanisms that suppress dissenting or marginalized voices. Taylor & Francis Online. Accessed 22 July 2025.
Social Media
- Digital platforms that enable users to create, share, and interact with content, playing major roles in shaping culture, activism, and public discourse. Merriam-Webster. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Systemic barriers
- Obstacles embedded in structures or institutions that hinder marginalized individuals from accessing opportunities. Fiveable. Accessed 22 July 2025.
T
Theatre Criticism
- The practice of analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating theatrical works—often engaging with cultural context, aesthetics, and power dynamics. Critical Stages. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Then They Fight Theatre Company
- Founded by Jordan Lafrenier and colleagues. Name based on a misattributed Gandhi quote used to name the company. lucypowis.com. Accessed 22 July 2025.
- A micro-blogging social media platform where users post short messages (tweets), widely used for news, commentary, and public conversation. Wikipedia. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
Y
- Toronto, ON. Canada’s largest and oldest professional theatre for young audiences, producing plays and arts education since 1966. Wikipedia.