Recent Work

**Presenter at the International Society of Mythology’s *Mythologim Conference* 2024**

*LINE DANCING INTO ECSTASY:*
*ON QUEER CULTURE AND THE DIONYSIAN PSYCHE*
What makes queer line dancing so special, and sets *Stud Country* apart from other dance classes or nightclub events? Through an intimate reading of *Dionysus in Exile* and “Reflections on the Duende” by Raphael Lopez-Pedraza, this presentation explores the relationship between the recent popularization of queer country culture and archetypal Dionysian psychology as it arises in the creative practice of line dancing. Persecuted queer poet Federico García Lorca’s 1933 essay “Theory and Play of the Duende” introduces the energetic, earthen *Duende* as a spirit filled with “dark sounds” who enters into an artist through their feet while in the process of creation or performance, namely in the Andalusian traditions of flamenco and bullfighting. Just as those forms arose from marginalized cultures, Black feminist author bell hooks states that “not belonging” is the “essence of being queer” ("Are You Still a Slave?”). Pedraza’s assertion of the “Dionysiac capacity to integrate different cultural influences” (Dionysus 39) speaks to the reality of being queer in country spaces that have been historically unwelcoming and even violent towards queer people. Noting the interwoven threads of exclusion, presence of fear and death, and a distinctly embodied creative impulse in both Dionysus and el *Duende*, this presentation proposes that the self-proclaimed “Queer Church of Line Dance” serves as a modern day *thiasos* where devotees come time and again to commune with the ancient energies of ecstatic expression and radically reaffirm their aliveness in the face of persecution.

**Presenter at Trans Pride LA 25 Years @ the LA LGBT Center (June 2024)**

“Dual-Sexed Dragons: Exploring the Intersex Archetype”

This workshop presents stories of gender expansive dragons from ancient and Indigenous mythologies, inviting participants to engage with the multiplicity of this powerful archetype through a powerpoint presentation, interactive experiences, and group discussion. All are welcome in this journey to reclaim the lost lore of dragons (and rainbows), which exemplify “the wild queer creation spirit of humankind whose imprisonment engenders trends of repression (and oppression) and whose liberation grants a collective freedom of spirit.” As a storyteller who highly values authenticity, respect for all life, and the compassionate pursuit of truth, Kira seeks to cultivate enriching experiences that facilitate a nuanced articulation of the wild ride that is being alive.

Trans Pride LA 25 Years Event Page: https://lalgbtcenter.org/trans-pride-la/

Dylan O'Brien and River Gallo in *Ponyboi* (2024)

Consultant on Ponyboi (Sundance 2024)

Unfolding over the course of Valentine’s Day in New Jersey, a young intersex sex worker must run from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways, forcing him to confront his past.

Kira provided support throughout the editing of the film, offering their experience as an intersex person alongside their knowledge of the archetypal hero’s journey to help the creative team articulate the nuance of intersex experience and elevate mythic themes present in the film’s fresh take on “the LGBTQIA+ return home tale and the classic Jersey mobster saga.”

For more information and to view the film via online screening visit : https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/656a0128fac9f44bfdc04033

Editor & Author in the 2023 Mythological Studies Journal

The Mythological Studies Journal (MSJ) is entirely student run and edited, featuring pieces by students enrolled in the MA/PhD Mythological Studies Program with a specialization in Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute (PGI). The essays reflect the interdisciplinary approach of this program, which integrates perspectives on myth from religious studies, literature, and depth psychology as a means of elucidating issues and motifs that shape the cultural dynamics, diverse worldviews, and complexities of psychological life in the contemporary world.

‘In these pieces are curiosity-driven explorations pursuing the guidance of Joseph Campbell: "The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the univese, to match your nature with Nature." These works do the job of pathfinding with that heartbeat as a guide.’

Kira served as a Senior Editor on MSJ Volume XI which features their work in:
• “Beyond the Sum of Their Parts: An Alchemical Flight Towards Freedom” pg. 105
• 35mm film photography of nature and friends on Pacifica’s campus

CLICK HERE for a Free PDF download and/or order your copy in print at the link above. Thank you for reading!

Photo by Abby Mahler at Them Fatale, April 2023

Consulting Mythologist on Butch Visions

Created and performed by Provvidenza Catalano, Butch Visions is a facilitation and solo performance that wrestles with generational queer wounds that impede us from finding the love that engines liberation. Utilizing performance, teaching facilitations, and improvised community involvement, Butch Visions sets out on a collective building experience that asks us to reckon with the ways we need and want to be loved by queer community. Resisting overanalysis and discourse, Butch Visions guides us towards unraveling the emotional and relational strata of what being queer means so that we can be loved in real time.

Sponsored by Circa presented by One Institute, performed at the Los Angeles LGBT Center Davidson/Valentini Theatre

Contributing Author in Wussy vol. 11 - Bringing Intersexy Back

“Hotties with bodies in-between have always existed. But with intersex people making up roughly the same percentage of the population as those born with green eyes or red hair, how many can you actually name? Since coming out as intersex in 2020 I’ve come to know many incredible people and activists with various intersex traits, but quickly realized I knew nothing of our presence across history. Currently pursuing a doctorate in Mythology, I decided to explore what it’s been like for us through the ages. The more I looked, the more I found intersex folks appearing in every culture and across every time period, continent, and mythology of the world…”

Purchase the magazine HERE or inquire for a digital copy of Kira’s article

Teaching Staff at Mendocino Sufi Camp 2023

Sacred Play: Creative Practices to Engage the Myths Within Us

What if our creativity could serve as a mystical practice? What if play is just as powerful as prayer? Sufi mystic, philosopher, and poet Ibn al-Arabi coined the term alam al-mithal meaning “realm of images” in the 12th century. Psychologist Carl Jung drew great inspiration from Arabi’s writings in the formation of his theories of archetypal image and the “collective unconscious” centuries later. With theatrical play as a guide, this class will dive into an exploration of these inner landscapes. Participants will have the opportunity to deeply meet themselves through symbol, image, and archetype, giving voice to these imaginal players through varying forms such as song, poetry, and movement, because in the realm of imagination, anything is possible. Come, come whoever you are!

More info HERE

artist in Residence with Iñipak Churu in Putumayo, Colombia

This “spiral of trust” Regenerative Arts Residency took place at the intersection of the Amazonian foothills and the Andes mountains. Facilitated by hosts Eslabon La Realidad and Progetto RESCUE!, the international ensemble combined an array of modalities grounded in theatre, song, and dance. Engaging with indigenous technologies and histories, the month-long format was guided by the ancient code of the Chakana Andean cross and the four phases of time : Birth, Death, Rebirth and Manifestation. Incorporating individual creative lineages, the group developed original works as part of a regenerative cultural exchange of art with local communities that culminated with interactive performances and ritual celebrations.

Director at Ritual4Return

“Ritual4Return is dedicated to using ritual, art, community-building, and education to support formerly incarcerated people as they heal from the trauma of incarceration, overcome feelings of shame and stigma, and strive to live healthy, meaningful, and fulfilling lives.”

Over the course of five weeks, Kira worked with a team of directors to guide and support the first cohort of women to embark on the R4R jouney. With little to no former theatrical experience, these brave women chose to creatively engage with their stories and emotions, crossing the threshold into a new chapter as their families and communities bore witness. More than half of prisoners in the US will be re-arrested within three years of release, largely because of systemic failings and lack of support for re-entry after incarceration.

For more information, to donate, or to recommend someone for this process, click HERE

~ CV available upon request ~