I have over 20 years experience performing in burlesque shows and am happy to discuss it :)
How has the industry and art form changed since you started?
Well the big thing is that there are less and less people wanting to perform and therefore less people attending. So that’s a bummer. But new dance styles are getting incorporated. I myself like things that would have been performed in the 50s 60s and 70s just as easily as today. But when there is a younger dancer now they often come equipped with dance styles far more modern. It’s cool, honestly. But definitely different.
What are some common stereotypes about burlesque that you’d like to debunk?
Not just a lot. There used to be a criticism that burlesque was perpetrating male fantasies about scantily clad women, but in the past ten years that’s pretty much flipped to empowerment. So not really anything I’ve found to complain about
What are your top three most memorable moments in your career so far?
First show I was ever in, that was just an eye opener to what this whole style of performance is and can be.
My first time touring an act which was crazy. On the road with other young actors just focused on performing and crushing every set. Probably the most fun period of my life.
And then helping build from the ground up the show I’m a mainstay at now. Essentially gotten to help bring together wonderful people who I love working with at a place we can all come home, and I’m almost like a celebrity within the walls of our little establishment so that feeds my ego haha
I’ve seen one burlesque show in my life that was part comedy routine, part song and dance number, part strip tease and I absolutely loved it! Is that typical for burlesque shows? How does one find about events in their area to see more like that?
Yes! Burlesque is a risqué variety show. The strip teases are obviously like the iconic brand of the performances, but really there such a huge emphasis on comedy and having them be fun and enjoyable. The best part of doing burlesque is that you get to do everything. I get to act, dance, sing, perform comedy, occasionally I’ve even done magic. It’s a performer’s dream!
How did you get started?
It was a summer in college and I was a theater major so any way I could get paid to perform I was dying for and a friend of mine who was also a theater major heard about this open audition for a burlesque show and we decided to try it out. Worked out an awful routine, made it into the show, and got a few laughs. Been hooked ever since.
That’s really cool, thank you for sharing :)
What is your favorite show you’ve gotten to take part in? I saw the Empire Strips Back a few years ago and remember it was a ton of fun.
“Hollywood Icons”. We all got to dress up as actors from the golden age and do impressions and it was so much fun. Got to recreate scenes from famous movies. Bu there’s so many fun themes I’ve gotten to do.
