The Success Cycle

"The Success Cycle" is a fast pace ritualistic, fashion-induced, rhythmic “motivational speech" with atmospheric and dark music underlying it. "Belinda Evangelica", one of Bettina John's recurring protagonists, a fashionista gone activist, takes the audience on a 15 minute speech where one learns all about the ups and downs of success. The performance makes use of elements of rituals. A sense of collectiveness paired with strong visuals and low light ambient evokes ideas of a cult. In her world success becomes a mystical place, a cult whom Belinda Evangelica is the leader of. She is the priest who promises success to those who follow her, who listen to her and take her words on board. The words are written like a motivational speech inspired by the numerous self-help videos, not least of celebrities such as Will Smith and "success gurus" such as Tony Robbins. In this work Bettina John questions the well accepted notion that one can be told what to do in order to achieve success and that there is a formula to use.

The performance comprises of three parts, "Flying High", "Underground" and "The Success Train". These three parts have no particular order. They are a cycle just as success is which goes up and down and up again. And when one is down that is the moment when new things have the space to develop; out of the ashes of your past life. Just like Phoenix is born from the ashes over and over again.

The performance is accompanied by electronic music and makes use of a mic however there is a low tec version too that just uses speech. The full performance comes with an installation of several photographic canvas prints (approx. 1mx1m) hung like a ancestor gallery, some smaller set pieces and several props supporting the ritual-like format of the performance.