When the Bleeding Stops

The creator of the performance openly tackles one of the many taboos in today's society: menopause. This topic is seldom discussed, and Lovísa invites the viewers into a world full of vulnerability, shame, but also tremendous empathy and humor. The performance draws on the multi-layered experiences of women, incorporating them into the narrative. Above all, it is a dance celebration of life and the body in all its phases.

A performance work by Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir, When the Bleeding Stops tackles the silence and taboo that seems to engulf menopause in Western society, as well as Lovísa's personal experience of aging as a dancer. When the Bleeding Stops invites the audience into a world of vulnerability, shame, empathy and humor. The work transports them into the privacy of the participants' homes, dives deep into the many layers of the female experience associated with menopause and invites them to celebrate life in all its stages. Lovísa wants to take part in changing the narrative on menopause in Western Society and is therefore on a mission to travel with the performance internationally, connecting to local, menopausal women in each place and inviting them to join her on stage.

The performance uses spoken word in English.

Lovísa Ósk Gunnarsdóttir is an internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer from Iceland. After a successful 16-year career with the Iceland Dance Company, she suffered an injury that led her to reevaluate her relationship with her body, dance and her own artistic work. Becoming aware of the limitations of her gradually aging body, she developed an interest in the still-taboo topic of female menopause. She started engaging with women in her community, initiating a dialogue about aging, body awareness, and the stigmas associated with the female transition.