This event has concluded

This gathering took place on February 21, 2026.
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What Is Erotic?® Presents: REFLECTION

Grand Finale & Closing Night

Date & Time

Feb 21 2026 (Saturday)

7:30 PM - 10:30 PM

Location

The 418 Project

In the: Large Theater

Ticket sales concluded. This event has already taken place.

About This Event

For twenty years, What Is Erotic?® has tempted and teased, empowered and emboldened. It has been playful and provocative, vibrant and vulnerable. Now, in its twentieth year, the work turns inward.

This all-original cabaret of performance art features dance, aerial, poetry, comedy, and more—created by local artists from diverse backgrounds who courageously explore relationships, gender, self-love, kink, identity, and connection. In response to a culture of objectification, What Is Erotic?® leads from the heart, breaking through stereotypes to spark safer, more expansive conversations around sexuality, sensuality, and empowerment.

Bold, intimate, and unapologetically human, REFLECTION is designed to have you squirming in your seat, laughing out loud, and returning again and again to our favorite—and most enduring—question:

What Is Erotic?® Tickets: $25–$125 Ages 18+ only

Join us for an evening that is reflective, daring, and deeply alive—and celebrate twenty years of original performance art that continues to ask brave questions and open powerful dialogue.

Featured Artists & Lineup

2 Artists

Laura Bishop

Director
Executive Director of The 418 Project and Producer of What Is Erotic?®.
What Is Erotic?® Ensemble

What Is Erotic?® Ensemble

Headliner
Multidisciplinary cabaret collective of aerialists, dancers, and poets.

Event Schedule

Times and locations across the venue

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Doors Open & Pre-Show Elixir Bar

Oasis Lobby open with artisan elixirs and music.

7:30 PM – 8:45 PM

Act I: REFLECTION Cabaret

Aerial arts, dance, and cabaret in Large Theater.

8:45 PM – 9:05 PM

Intermission & Social Gathering

Lobby social.

9:05 PM – 10:30 PM

Act II & Grand Ensemble Finale

All-cast closing and spoken word.

Visiting The 418 Project: What to Expect

House guidelines to ensure a welcoming, inclusive space for everyone

We are committed to a safe, welcoming environment where everyone is treated with cultural and personal respect across all backgrounds and identities. We hold the highest standards for consent—in movement, touch, and conversation. Always check in first, honor boundaries, and ensure that consent is clear, voluntary, and ongoing.
As a community-run non-profit collective with a small staff, we cannot clean everything after every event. Please help us care for the space by picking up after yourself, placing recycling and compost in the bins provided, and treating every room with kindness so it remains welcoming for the next gathering.
We have a filtered water bottle refill station on-site, so feel free to bring a refillable bottle. All restrooms are all-gender, ADA-accessible, and located conveniently on the ground floor.
To ensure everyone can breathe and move comfortably—especially community members with chemical sensitivities and asthma—The 418 Project is a low-fragrance space. Please refrain from applying perfumes, scented colognes, or strongly scented lotions before attending.
As an artist-driven non-profit collective, we believe movement and art should be accessible to all regardless of financial circumstances. Many events feature sliding scale tickets, and we offer work-trade opportunities for community members who wish to volunteer in exchange for admission.

All Event Dates

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Venue & Accessibility

The 418 Project is located in downtown Santa Cruz. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming space for all dancers, artists, and community members.

Address: 155 S. River St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Accessibility: Ground floor entrances & all-gender accessible restrooms
Parking: On-street parking & nearby River Street public garage

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