Episode 13 - JJ James on COPTERS AND HEARSES, Self Care in a Capitalistic Structure and Collaboration Spaces

In this episode, Megan is joined by contemporary dance artist and choreographer JJ for a reflective conversation on queerness, care, and making work within systems that often resist softness. Beginning with a gentle catch-up, they speak about daily rituals, studio time, and the small structures that help sustain a freelance artistic life.JJ shares the ideas behind Copters and Hearses, a work that sits inside the tension between self-care and capitalism. Together, they explore how care becomes commodified, how movement and cultural practices are taken up and discarded, and how artists are asked to continually optimize themselves in the name of wellness.The conversation turns toward the studio, where JJ reflects on trust, honesty, and genuine connection in collaboration — leading without certainty, caring without performance, and creating spaces that feel both held and open. The episode closes with JJ sharing their upcoming performance at the Resolution Festival, grounding these questions in embodied, lived practice.