Birth Spaces, a performance created by anthropologist Pascale Hancart Petitet and theatre director Thiane Khamvongsa, was showcased at the Fanglao BlackBox choreographic center in Vientiane. This powerful performance, blending theatre, dance, and live music, tells the stories of women giving birth in remote areas of Laos where healthcare access is limited and cultural traditions hold strong influence. The event, attended by 150 people from Laos and around the world, highlighted the strength of these mothers and the challenges they face, including the decline of traditional midwives in rural communities.

Director Thiane Khamvongsa explained that the performance aimed to give a voice to these women beyond their immediate communities, allowing their stories to travel across space and time. The production interpreted ethnographic research through theatre and dance, addressing themes of cultural heritage, social dynamics, and power relations in rural villages. This project represents a new way to communicate scientific research to a broader audience, moving beyond academic circles.

This collaboration marks the second choreographed theatre project by Khamvongsa and Petitet, following their previous work Live with It, which focused on migrant workers living with HIV in Laos. *Birth Spaces* will return to Vientiane and tour in Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Pakse in April 2025.