Blood on the Dance Floor

Blood on the Dance Floor is a one-man show featuring the hugely talented Jacob Boehme. Playing in a number of shows till Sunday, 5 June at the Arts House, Boehme employs the use of image, choreography and music to transform his personal story into a powerful, captivating and raw semi-autobiographical experiment. Milk Bar Mag was lucky enough to chat to Boehme about his personal journey, his inspiration and his hope that Blood on the Dance Floor breaks down the stigma around being HIV-positive.

What is the biggest lesson you have learnt in your professional or personal life?

The value of time: in both professional and personal capacities. The older I get, the more I value time as my ally, rather than as a nemesis. Throughout my 20s & 30s I was so busy, so eager to create, produce, present. Pumping out idea after idea, there never seemed to be enough time! Now, there’s nothing more pleasurable than to give an idea or a passion the room to breathe and grow.

Could you give a quick preview of your show, Blood on the Dancefloor?

Blood on the Dance Floor is an unapologetic, passionate and visceral narrative that traverses time, space and characters. A story of our need to love and be loved, revealing our secret identities and our deepest fears, seeking to invoke ancestral lineage in a quest for courage and hope.

What was the most challenging aspect of putting the show together?

The biggest challenge has been finding the balance between each form of storytelling (text, movement, sound and video), to give each form its own space in the narrative. A challenge, but also delight (and surprise) has been finding the relationships between these forms and how they can work together and complement each other, rather than compete for that space. In saying that, potential solutions weren’t that far away when we referenced our own performance methodologies (ie: Indigenous ceremony), rather than Western theatre conventions. We are the original multi-disciplinary arts practitioners. Our ceremonies are evidence of that, with the use of text, sound, movement and visual art as equal and integral parts to storytelling.

What should the audience expect from your upcoming show? And what would you like them to take away from it?

Blood on the Dance Floor is not just about HIV. We all have a little secret part of ourselves (or our past) we find hard to disclose or share with others, particularly a loved one or potential partner. We can all understand or empathise with that. With that in mind, we invite our audiences to consider the act of disclosure, from the perspective of a person living with HIV: which still today has so much stigma, discrimination and silence around it. We hope that this performance encourages a more open and public discussion around HIV, particularly about reducing the stigma attached to the virus.

What advice would you give to your 16-year-old self?

Shut up and listen!

Boehme commands the stage with his impressive array of talents and superb range – you will laugh at his quick-witted delivery and be moved by his sadness. At the heart, Blood on the Dance Floor portrays what it’s like to be in love and risk being completely open with another person. Make sure you check out this hit show!

Blood on the Dance Floor
Till Sunday, 5 June
Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St North Melbourne
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