Monsters of Grace, questions how strength, grace, and femininity can co-exist in a single body using the percussive and ethereal qualities of the pointe shoe. Through a non-traditional application of pointe work, this piece celebrates the strength and ability of the women on stage without losing touch with their intrinsic femininity. We see a band of women reminiscent of Amazonian Warriors who are self-sufficient in and of themselves. They prepare for combat, honing attentive stillness, tension, and calculated release through archery, thrusting themselves into the air with a quiet, earthbound power. Monsters of Grace puts forward a vision of full-bodied, qualified women whose varied inner lives and ways of occupying space lend strength and poignancy to their performance, defying stereotypes around what bodies are suited to ballet. Read more from Oberon’s Grove on the piece here.