TENDER CITY: THE SILENT SLOW DANCE PROJECT

Tender City: The Silent Slow Dance Project is a socially engaged dance project conceived by Kevin Jesuino, inviting men to participate in partnered silent slow dances in public urban spaces. Historically, urban design has often prioritized order, efficiency, and productivity, reflecting societal structures that have traditionally favoured hetero-patriarchal capitalist ideals. These priorities may inadvertently limit opportunities for fostering tenderness, connection, and community care within city spaces. Some homosexual men navigate this imposed system through cruising, seeking physical connections in public due to having no other options in a city or world that rejects their existence. Tender City translates this intimate choreography into an urban public silent slow dance.

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Engaging gay, bi, and trans men, the project hosted workshops with Health Initiative for Men (HIM) and facilitated dances at various sites, including significant historical queer spaces in Vancouver like šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl'e7énḵ Square, Davie Street, and St. Paul’s Hospital. The project continued with a performance installation in the lobby of Simon Fraser University's School of Contemporary Arts, inviting male and/or masculine-identifying individuals to join the silent slow dances throughout the exhibition.