tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64250201319573318142024-03-12T18:18:45.416-07:00Throwing StonesThe Life and Times of a Boston-Based Male Burlesque PerformerAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-54214267034839092942018-03-09T11:30:00.001-08:002018-03-09T11:30:24.405-08:00Walking awayI haven't opened up Blogger for a while, mostly because I've been afraid of doing so. Lately, I've felt kind of unconnected with the community, and kind of at a loss for how to express that. It's not that I'm not grateful for being given so many opportunities to perform and be a de facto leader and role model in the Boston scene, but there's another force tugging at me from somewhere else, and I thought it might be worth exploring here.<br />
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As I look around and observe different interactions both backstage at venues, on social media, and in casual conversations between fans and performers, I'm gradually getting more and more uncomfortable. I've written before about how burlesque is a vulnerable artform, one where we have to lean on each other to feel safe in spaces where venue owners, fans, producers, and newcomers can be dangerous.<br />
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I'm feeling like there's a lot of toxicity between performers lately. Some of it is justified, some of it is perceived. Almost all of it has been directed at other performers, and with that comes a microscopic evaluation of each of us, constantly asking us "who's side" we're on.<br />
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All of it has merit, and everyone's feelings are real. That's not up for debate.<br />
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What I'm reticent about is the constant polarization of each burlesque performer based on every comment they post online, what producer they work with, who they're still friends with, and more than anything else, what they DON'T say when others expect them to.<br />
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It seems like the most vocal performers and leaders in each scene are focused on whose careers deserve to be ruined. Who needs to be raked across the coals. Which person should be cast out of the community and for what reasons. While I will always support producers and performers avoiding people who are dangerous or have proven remorseless about their problematic behavior, I've noticed that burlesque performers are by and large focused less on calling out said problematic behavior and more on decrying performers who make them uncomfortable.<br />
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I've had numerous conversations about people I associate with and who I hire, and I've felt pretty solidly about my guiding principles when it comes to problematic behavior. Is this person a danger to others? If so, they won't be in my show. If they've been historically problematic and unrepentant when confronted? They won't be in my show. If they're generally disrespectful and find it hard to follow rules and guidelines, I likely won't hire them more than once.<br />
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These self-made guidelines have served me well over the years. I've had to apply them when considering whom to hire, what producers I'm willing to work for, and even how to manage my own troupe.<br />
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My main issues are not with people who don't operate on the same pretenses that I do. My issues stem from when people claim they stand for certain things and then are selective about when they apply them. Is this a person I've heard about and have never worked with and has been publicly accused of unacceptable behavior? Written off immediately. Is it someone I've worked with and like and has given me lots of gigs? Wait, slow down. You can't talk about them like that, it'll damage their career. YOU'RE the monster, this person CAN'T be guilty of anything.<br />
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To me, true friendship doesn't involve shielding people you care about from the consequences of their actions. I'm often the FIRST one to talk to my friends when there's bad rumors going around. I encourage people who are being publicly accused of poor behavior to apologize for their role in what they've caused, not necessarily because they were being intentionally malicious, but because so much of our behavior is ingrained to the point of obliviousness. Granted, there are predatory people in our scene who intentionally commit acts that hurt others, and have no intention of apologizing and making amends for what they did. THOSE are the people who should be cut out, with the behaviors in question put up on display as an example of what actions we cannot and will not tolerate.<br />
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But for everything less, people should publicly own their behaviors, and apologize for them when they've hurt others. They should acknowledge that conflict rarely exists because one person says that it does. They shouldn't silently assemble and hide behind a phalanx of loyal supporters to run shaming campaigns against the people who would call out their behavior. If this happens to me, I hope to hell or high water that I don't let my ego convince me I'm faultless just because I've made art here in town.<br />
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Lately, gigs have been feeling like wink-and-nod social clubs where people make plays to get you on some performer's moral street team. Frankly, I'm not interested in that and I never have been. I'm way more interested in encouraging good behavior and calling out poor behavior, and encouraging my friends to know the difference. I've never been interested in ending someone else's performance career, especially since unrepentant repeat-offenders will eventually do that on their own.<br />
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I've been giving away my acts and costumes because of how good I feel spending less time in gossipy, toxic environments--which predominantly in my life are burlesque spaces. Granted, there are producers out there who I truly admire and run very professional productions, and what I fear the most is that this general malaise has sapped my energy for even performing alongside them, and it makes me feel somewhat guilty for enjoying the time I've taken.<br />
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I've come to realize that I need that time to really figure out what it is I'm getting out of being in burlesque shows, as well as what it feels like producing fewer of my own. I'd like to still teach my class and do the amateur showcase, but even that feels like it needs a facelift ("Dale's All-Male Yardsale" is a name I still kind of dislike). I'm proud that I got to help create a group that performs at a high level, and that we have the kind of clout that people appreciate when using us to promote shows.<br />
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It's also important to help give opportunities to newer performers, who often get overlooked. I've been suggesting some of the alums of my class as replacements for gigs I'm offered, and it's a good practice for helping remind me that we're supposed to be here to lift each other up.<br />
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Thanks for reading, and for following me for the past several years. I'll leave the door open for possibly returning, but for now I'll continue to take some time to really get into married life, my new career, and working on circus skills, music, comedy, and building and maintaining friendships, all of which during busy burlesque months, I end up neglecting. It's been fun, and thank you all for being a part of it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-334002482429672762017-10-16T09:39:00.004-07:002017-10-16T09:39:49.147-07:00Sexual Assault and Toxic MasculinityIn just browsing Facebook in the last week, I've been reminded of the magnitude of the problem that sexual assault is in our culture. It's not that I didn't know it existed, but the huge, pervasive reminder that people I love and care about are showing me as I scrolled through my feed reaffirms to me that it's a real thing that really happens to real people. And I needed to see that.<div>
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I've mentioned before that one of the things that makes burlesque a tight-knit community is the fact that we're doing a vulnerable form of art. We take ownership in doing a type of performance with our bodies that can be perceived in a dangerous and possessive way to others. Because of that, there's a level of trust that is required among performers and the people we work with. Backstage, you absolutely need to trust the people you're collaborating with in order to not feel unsafe. Because of that, we're all held to high standards, and that trust can be so easily taken advantage of.<br /><div>
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In the last week alone, I've been made aware of two separate acts of sexual assault that were perpetrated by male members of the burlesque community. While neither of them are my story to tell, I did want to acknowledge that this is the kind of thing that happens all too often, and very close to home. This is why it is crucially important for me to believe the people who tell me about these violations of personal boundaries, and why I need to factor that information into my decisions about who I work with and hire for my own productions.</div>
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What's terrifying to me is that men in our culture are in so many ways raised to feel entitled to sex. Not only does our media corroborate this by showing movies, television shows, comics and video games with male protagonists being "awarded" the beautiful woman for saving the day, but we're thrust into conversations about masculinity that are predicated on men taking what they want from women who are unwilling, non-consenting, or uninterested.</div>
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These tropes are sneaky, and they often work themselves into burlesque acts. As a straight male who does burlesque, I confess that it's very easy to use striptease as the theatrical leverage that makes a female character on stage do a thing. In creating a scene where a male protagonist will remove clothing or make a comically lewd joke in order to change how another character (or audience member, as the case may be) views him, we're subtly reinforcing a harmful perspective that being sexually aggressive can net you positive results.</div>
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I wanted to acknowledge that my own perspective on this is just one side of the issue. Women, fem, non-binary, and people with different sexual orientations all have varying narratives on how our culture treats the issue of sexual assault, and it's equally important that we're all involved in this dialogue.</div>
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One person I know posted something to Facebook that brought me backwards in time to my own involvement in perpetrating toxic masculine culture. I asked him if I could share his post, and I copied it in its entirety below;</div>
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<span class="fwn fcg" style="color: #90949c; font-family: inherit;"><span class="fwb fcg" data-ft="{"tn":";"}" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: bold;"><a data-hovercard-prefer-more-content-show="1" data-hovercard-referer="ARQYnaMBW1OVL1LHlxMxI19FaMkuCKjc7wvUglh1WPwvKoRbbAt9GUOijQgaSbwhRj8" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=537503888&extragetparams=%7B%22hc_ref%22%3A%22ARQYnaMBW1OVL1LHlxMxI19FaMkuCKjc7wvUglh1WPwvKoRbbAt9GUOijQgaSbwhRj8%22%2C%22fref%22%3A%22nf%22%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/brendan.boogie?hc_ref=ARQYnaMBW1OVL1LHlxMxI19FaMkuCKjc7wvUglh1WPwvKoRbbAt9GUOijQgaSbwhRj8&fref=nf" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;">Brendan Boogie</a></span></span></h5>
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All of this "me too" is really moving me. However, I don't see a lot of men admitting to their part of it, so I'm breaking my "don't actually write anything real on the internet" rule. Here goes:</div>
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In my boozy single days, I can remember occasions in which I was too aggressive or persistent and made women uncomfortable. I knew I wasn't a threat to anyone's safety, so I never even considered that my approach could be perceived as threatening in any way. Looking back, I was completely wrong about this. I regret not recognizing the power inherent in my maleness. I should have behaved in a less selfish, more compassionate way. I am deeply sorry for this. I am still learning and trying to get better.</div>
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Fellas - there's not a bunch of faceless mystery men that are making women feel unsafe. It's us. Let's do better.</div>
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Of course, as I read this, I went back through my own timeline and tried to figure out how I might also have been that guy. I don't pretend that I'm without blame, or that I don't have similar flashbacks to memories of being too aggressive or persistent with someone because I thought that was what you did to win someone's interest. I thought back to memories of my high school football locker room, which I assure you is not just a cliche, but a real place where other men brag about their sexual conquests. I remember being silent in situations where I watched other men making women uncomfortable and unsafe, and being too frightened of whatever silly, insignificant thing to say anything. I also recall listening to female and fem people in my life, and a younger me offering to help solve their problem with violence instead of listening and acknowledging, and understanding that one form of toxic masculinity doesn't require the deployment of another.</div>
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In terms of the steps I need to take now, I will strive to be compassionate and sincere in how I treat other people. I will watch my speech to ensure that I don't speak about subjects that normalize sexual assault in any form. I will also make sure I'm listening and not speaking when other people are sharing their experiences and believe others when they share their own narratives. I will speak up when I am watching men saying or doing things that are making women feel unsafe. I have, and will continue to not work with people who I have learned are dangerous, or who do not espouse these beliefs.</div>
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In relation to the men who have committed sexual assault in the burlesque community, it's important that we don't continue to provide them opportunities to perform. Even though asking someone to leave your production is 100% of the time going to be an unpleasant conversation, my policy is that if someone tells you they feel unsafe, I can assure you that that conversation will absolutely take place.</div>
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I am not perfect, and I acknowledge that I have a long way to go. I am learning and trying to get better, with the acknowledgement that I play a role in how we handle sexual assault in our culture. I can only hope that doing the right thing and being respectful stops being the paradigm and starts becoming the minimum accepted standard for how we treat each other.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-2868038222575983432017-06-02T14:23:00.001-07:002017-06-02T14:49:48.461-07:00Wanting to be a part of everythingSince a couple years ago I've had a pretty steady amount of offers to be in many different kinds of burlesque and variety shows. This is normally an awesome thing, as it means I have to hustle less to get myself booked. I appreciate and am grateful that enough show producers can find a place for me in their plan for an entertaining evening.<br />
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I had a moment recently where I found myself hesitating while writing a response email. A response in which I was declining a gig.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1i8a3AJDIvMLCHYdTurZK1UMiqmGig4z32TpaCGBJ5I-_TL_8FoBnyW4HBxxkNvPxDwQ8KbSIWLDOdZrzOmsKmv7d3p9zE4cQe8pENnsSaNdxeIuDnEdu7Kzpan-ySNiv_SvQNW8ag9AR/s1600/DECLINED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="530" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1i8a3AJDIvMLCHYdTurZK1UMiqmGig4z32TpaCGBJ5I-_TL_8FoBnyW4HBxxkNvPxDwQ8KbSIWLDOdZrzOmsKmv7d3p9zE4cQe8pENnsSaNdxeIuDnEdu7Kzpan-ySNiv_SvQNW8ag9AR/s400/DECLINED.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"DECLINED!"</td></tr>
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I had a really hard time writing this one email, and was worried about how what I was saying might come off. Typical anxiety notwithstanding (this producer will hate me/never book me again, I'll miss out on a chance to do something fun, if I don't do this it'll look bad, etc), this is an activity I find more stressful than all of the preparation that comes with an acceptance. Though I've written these types of responses before, I think the reason why I'm having so much trouble this year is for two main reasons;</div>
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1 - Due to recent life circumstances, I have the capacity to take on fewer commitments than ever before.</div>
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2 - Having done festivals and shows in a wide mess of new places, I now know EXACTLY what I'm saying "no" to.</div>
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Saying no to things that are too much for you to handle is a healthy practice. With that said, I've -NEVER- been good at it. Despite Lucifer Christmas's recent blog post assuring me that "<a href="http://www.burlesqueboston.com/blog/the-waiting-game">there will always be another gig</a>," I know that in my own little mind, there will be some degree of omnipresent regret for saying no. It's awful, and I don't know how to make that go away and shut up with the noises.</div>
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As I watch my friends head off to other cities (and countries) to go to festivals, I do feel a little bit of <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fomo">FOMO</a>. I always make a short list in my head every year of all the festivals I want to do, and make a casual attempt to remember when and where they are each year.<br />
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Further compounding this is the mathematical fact that I only have a finite amount of years left to try to follow up on some of these dreams before I retire from burlesque or die.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWHWps9LlbnMHUSyg50nTqw2JQAELIPoHNqqkIX-fgZ__KZ3aO5g0WdJYHVRIWK1iIw41kyLav9IOMT2oma_sPvQlZ2M3uyKTFCdfGlxnvIv9JT9jXSAOqfDKce9GtBeytj-s5rADOUtC/s1600/Rob+Starobin+Nerdlesque+Fest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqWHWps9LlbnMHUSyg50nTqw2JQAELIPoHNqqkIX-fgZ__KZ3aO5g0WdJYHVRIWK1iIw41kyLav9IOMT2oma_sPvQlZ2M3uyKTFCdfGlxnvIv9JT9jXSAOqfDKce9GtBeytj-s5rADOUtC/s400/Rob+Starobin+Nerdlesque+Fest.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few more shots to the head like this, and that day may be right around the corner.<br />
Photo by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rob.starobin" target="_blank">Rob Starobin</a>, NYC Nerdlesque Festival.</td></tr>
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On the other hand, I am writing the majority of this after having just finished a 2 hour nap in the middle of a relaxing getaway in New Hampshire. Between a demanding 9-5 weekday job, regular circus and strength training, and an average of 10-15 various gigs per month, I forgot how completely satisfying an afternoon nap can feel.<br />
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Granted, this last week was a grind--six shows, three of which involved acrobatic and physically painful stage combat (thank you for that, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1365502000159958/?active_tab=discussion" target="_blank">Holy Shitsnacks, An Archer Burlesque</a>). The show turned out amazingly, and the cast was completely on their A-game. And speaking of which, look at this amazing cast intro video;<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="274" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qgc3n5SwdC8" width="487"></iframe>
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Video by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theadriano" target="_blank">Adriano Moraes</a>, all cast credits contained within.<br />
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Some people have the ability to grind it out and make this whole burlesque thing their living, but I know that I don't have the energy to do that. Frankly, I'm looking forward to being able to rest up a bit and take the biggest swing I can at the next thing I'm able to go 110% on. To me, that seems like the best way to get back in, and I know that I'll be less stressed (and tired) if I'm able to choose what that next thing is.<br />
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There's a lot of questions spinning around in the blender here for me. What kind of fulfillment do I get from packing my schedule full of things that scare me? Why do I have such ennui about declining things that <a href="https://www.16personalities.com/infp-personality" target="_blank">my Meyers-Briggs test results</a> tell me I should hate? Why do I find satisfaction doing something that makes my father uncomfortable?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJk36SY2rQOx1EQJIbNsRpevdH4gz03Olc5ipFQJM4nva31x2QTQhUPNos2Q1HCfayZvy3RUimq5tBGtAZ12QPuqWVJ9E43IdiEakZYY9o81opUknbe5G0S5tneyr-_Jg-x-cDLPvivxAH/s1600/Clippers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="792" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJk36SY2rQOx1EQJIbNsRpevdH4gz03Olc5ipFQJM4nva31x2QTQhUPNos2Q1HCfayZvy3RUimq5tBGtAZ12QPuqWVJ9E43IdiEakZYY9o81opUknbe5G0S5tneyr-_Jg-x-cDLPvivxAH/s400/Clippers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe it's because of that time I threatened to cut off another man's muttonchops.<br />
Photo by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/roger.gordy" target="_blank">Roger Gordy</a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OldSchoolGameShow/" target="_blank"> Old School Game Show</a></td></tr>
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What is it exactly that I'm afraid to give up? I guess the best answer I can come up with is....that I enjoy being other people. Is that escapism?<br />
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As burlesque performers, we all want to entertain--that much is universally true. I look at entertaining others as a side benefit, since I feel like there's a bigger thrill to be had by exploring the lives of people and characters with other perspectives. Each time I get to perform on stage is an opportunity to move, speak, look, act, and briefly live like someone else. I even treat my professional life that way; I get a truly embarrassing kick out of being the regular human coworker at the water cooler that also likes sports.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YHI2N_cWwXf-nSZgfjOHjEeSW1ONLBPtnf8GO6FP3e-qhAWYRNYUGO1SmtnvRwDX_VYgW5c6N5kBN5Vf2-bXUJOoH5dP44eKNAs8Dv-nvQya36systcFAxLv9MHig5-9TYz0ELYDiC8j/s1600/Normal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="641" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YHI2N_cWwXf-nSZgfjOHjEeSW1ONLBPtnf8GO6FP3e-qhAWYRNYUGO1SmtnvRwDX_VYgW5c6N5kBN5Vf2-bXUJOoH5dP44eKNAs8Dv-nvQya36systcFAxLv9MHig5-9TYz0ELYDiC8j/s400/Normal.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOOK HOW NORMAL I AM</td></tr>
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Maybe a part of that is the rush that I experience from fooling people around me into thinking I'm "good enough" to keep a job, have social skills, or fulfilling emotional relationships. Maybe it's the counterweight that the edginess of burlesque offers to an otherwise perfectly normal life. Maybe I'm just scared of having to experience and sort through the feelings and experiences that come with each day on my own.<br />
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Whoa man. That went right into the abyss.<br />
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Cool!<br />
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Anyway, I think there's an intangible value in feeling like you're in demand. If people want you to do things, it would be selfish to deny them what they want, right? But I'm feeling lately like taking some time to be a regular life person should be a way for me to get re-centered, re-prioritize everything in my life, and remind myself why I love performing. Regaining some perspective might help me get back there.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-16435385277836346232016-12-22T09:33:00.001-08:002016-12-22T09:43:12.903-08:00Mindless Praise vs. Effective CritiqueAs many performers I know can attest to, it's very easy to get praise for your work from fans, peers, and other performers. It's almost impossible, however, to find good, constructive critique that pushes you to be better.<br />
<br />
After watching myself in the role of Barry Dylan from the burlesque adaptation of the television show "Archer," I felt thoroughly pleased with myself and the performance I gave. I mention this specifically because I rarely feel this way about my performances. Even though I felt satisfied with how it went, I still wouldn't have minded if someone had made some suggestions on what could have used more polish.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKv2EZaIC2iefKy1Di2vLgwsBlwcdx0NeNpsGLlIWCF7FUj1HfA7YbN9VSLJQh7A_AEIPvS7ihkcyBjI-KphprqmEwWzrSeNdPwSfUzHnXX2rn1OYqXR6zXq0szspUcfA0M0ckjbb5oon/s1600/Feedback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmKv2EZaIC2iefKy1Di2vLgwsBlwcdx0NeNpsGLlIWCF7FUj1HfA7YbN9VSLJQh7A_AEIPvS7ihkcyBjI-KphprqmEwWzrSeNdPwSfUzHnXX2rn1OYqXR6zXq0szspUcfA0M0ckjbb5oon/s400/Feedback.jpg" width="353" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I said GOOD feedback, you dullard!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The best performers I know place a high value on effective critique, and I've come to find that there isn't all that much of it in burlesque. In general, I've found that it's very easy to surround yourself with people who have nothing but adoration for you, and I absolutely believe that there's nothing worse than that if you're trying to grow as an artist. It's hard to fight that instinct.<br />
<br />
As far as the duo act I did in that same show, I felt a lot differently. In that act, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/danny.drake.965?fref=ts">Danny Drake</a> (as Archer) and I did a duo-acrobatics striptease that resembled a high-energy fight scene, a confrontation where we illustrated the futility of these two characters' persistent quarrel throughout the show. I discussed with Danny a lot of personal critiques I came up with about how the performance went, and would have loved to have heard more from other performers about what worked and what didn't while we were still in the rehearsal phases. In my opinion, the act looked a bit contrived and juvenile on video, despite me being smashed in the head at one point with a glass bottle.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvvY2NFPiTuKJchlU6Ryd53WkqqW2QrhHCXOsc6yBRmgqTg-kveXjzRThbSJS5jXGAKBmg11cKw-Ebwc57K0rJPQdpTCvx35FXPGRkHKjYxwAMfRidylpYQjVH6eS5NR9n78LngWDjtU-/s1600/Bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvvY2NFPiTuKJchlU6Ryd53WkqqW2QrhHCXOsc6yBRmgqTg-kveXjzRThbSJS5jXGAKBmg11cKw-Ebwc57K0rJPQdpTCvx35FXPGRkHKjYxwAMfRidylpYQjVH6eS5NR9n78LngWDjtU-/s400/Bottle.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes. It did really happen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It got me thinking quite a lot about the reasons our performances sometimes don't look polished in the ways we want them to. Why do we create our performance pieces in isolation while avoiding checking in with people we trust along the way?<br />
<br />
I was reading <a href="https://definitelynotdita.wordpress.com/2010/07/14/shooting-the-survivors-a-guide-to-giving-and-taking-constructive-criticism/">Mary Cyn's blog about how to take and give effective critique</a>, and it inspired me to want to finish this post that I've kept shelved for a long time. One of the big reasons that I wanted to hold off on finishing this topic is that I knew I hated some parts of burlesque performance because of how the community at large handles effective critique, but wasn't sure how to get it into writing. Mary helped me to figure that out with her own take.<br />
<br />
The title of this entry, phrased as "Mindless Praise vs. Effective Critique," doesn't quite encapsulate the entirety of the issue. If I'm honest, I would tell you that me giving crappy critique and shaded criticisms also factors into my motivation for writing this, though that seems like too many words for a blog title, expressly for the point of washing my hands of things my younger self once did. One of the reasons I like to teach other guys how to do burlesque is because it gives me the opportunity to help develop and course-correct in a forum where constant feedback is the expectation, and to further reinforce those lessons in writing after their first performance. Plus, I get to deliver feedback in a way that I would have wanted to receive it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtFfyQ-vZ8AAop1f_jOhj1c72acwiLmKnv-Xx5v34c-IkuibLA6Nj9CmUBdU24znTpnLi2Iuo65c-UJMayM6RIh33ZLc06y7aLYK4pBb513V6_Lct2B-qX9fhADgCUuQTfHTGgEtV_zG1/s1600/Goth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtFfyQ-vZ8AAop1f_jOhj1c72acwiLmKnv-Xx5v34c-IkuibLA6Nj9CmUBdU24znTpnLi2Iuo65c-UJMayM6RIh33ZLc06y7aLYK4pBb513V6_Lct2B-qX9fhADgCUuQTfHTGgEtV_zG1/s400/Goth.jpg" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I dunno man. Your words seem a little harsh."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
As artists, we have a tendency to believe that the first thing we think of (and indeed EVERY thing we think of) is the best idea anyone's ever had. I've certainly come up with some crap ideas (see; <a href="http://dalestones.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-worst-burlesque-act-ive-ever-done.html">The Worst Burlesque Act I've Ever Done</a>), and some were more obviously crap than others--but the finer point is that it took some hard coaching to get me to the point where I accepted that the aforementioned act was a garbage fire, and I don't know that I would have accepted that conclusion on my own.<br />
<br />
The ways we experience rejection in burlesque isn't the same way rejection is doled out in other walks of life. It's fairly straightforward when a hiring manager tells you "you didn't get the job," or when a love interest tells you that she's "not all that into you," but I've found that most of the discord between response and critique in burlesque focuses largely on whether or not you're attractive on stage, and not necessarily on whether or not you executed great choreography or told a truly compelling story. Our audiences and fellow performers frequently tend to focus on whether or not we're "hot" up there, which, if you're a stickler for the technical stuff, can seem extra superficial. So rejection can look like straight up silence, unless you do something aggressively inappropriate.<br />
<br />
But we all occasionally tell each other that our performances are "sexy" and "mega-hot," and most of the time that's totally okay to do.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2t0yQdquW26hBrqMXMOL1v3Myz6FXPI7alOkb1CkJEiHoAJ4D1Fixdim-7gpv1M-T3MLrXwGyAMyOKyFIvof1WrQUucX0L5xE1CqCSRMsYeA4aBJO_7xTLTZNslXbu4ArpsHqse-aj3c/s1600/Beauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP2t0yQdquW26hBrqMXMOL1v3Myz6FXPI7alOkb1CkJEiHoAJ4D1Fixdim-7gpv1M-T3MLrXwGyAMyOKyFIvof1WrQUucX0L5xE1CqCSRMsYeA4aBJO_7xTLTZNslXbu4ArpsHqse-aj3c/s400/Beauty.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Please tell me I'm beautiful."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
As performers, I think we owe it to ourselves to help each other out with specifics. What I like to do is to pick two or three things that I can say to someone when they leave stage that I loved about their performance;<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>"Hey, I love that your fan dance was just two giant mustaches, it was super clever!" </li>
<li>"That cartwheel into a split right when the theremin solo started was so well-timed!"</li>
<li>"Tearing your sleeves off to reveal two tinier, angrier sleeves was choice!"</li>
</ul>
<br />
Alternatively, there are some bits of feedback that are more critical. These are useful to give out (with permission, of course), if the person is looking for a bit more honesty about what didn't work well for you. Bear in mind that while I personally love hearing more corrective comments after a number, most people tend to feel that this works directly against their performance high, which can be a tad soul-shattering. So always make sure it's welcome to say things like these, paraphrased from actual critiques I've given;<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>"Your expression in the beginning was distressed and shameful, like you were a hostage--but I don't know if that was the consistent with the tone of the piece. Was that intentional?"</li>
<li>"Your costuming struck me as being racially insensitive. I might avoid using headdresses and kimonos when you do this piece in the future."</li>
<li>"I don't think using actual liquids and real knives in your piece was a good idea for safety reasons."</li>
<li>"There were one or two dance moves that seemed inconsistent with the mood and music, could you tell me about that part of the choreography?"</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Reflexively, this is the kind of stuff I find most helpful. While we ultimately want to be the best performers we can be, the only way to improve is to hear specifically what didn't work, and to parlay those suggestions into conversations about what we can do better.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqCAGKCjWADfxy5Ei93x_0uS96lw7rBH2K9GvweObGe4YcGlqhNMKpZraC8nCqbqY_BEtN_kqdbtjTW2C1ctUf11lskozEo6iwMzFnkBmEExttB4bJGOQPWGMIDP0bYicMW21aFj9lZyp/s1600/Thumbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqCAGKCjWADfxy5Ei93x_0uS96lw7rBH2K9GvweObGe4YcGlqhNMKpZraC8nCqbqY_BEtN_kqdbtjTW2C1ctUf11lskozEo6iwMzFnkBmEExttB4bJGOQPWGMIDP0bYicMW21aFj9lZyp/s400/Thumbs.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This air BJ really worked for me!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Which brings me to the last part. Often, I find that a shared instinct we have as artists is to explain away criticism. If I know that someone says they are receptive, I'll log my observation with them without ending in a question. Frequently with newer performers, I find that it prompts a (usually lengthy) explanation of why what I mentioned has to stay the same.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying that there can't be a reason why something I disagree with should remain in a performance piece--but if it's something that you had to clarify at length to an experienced performer, it probably isn't something that's all that clear to your audience.<br />
<br />
So in essence; watch and listen, ask permission to discuss, give thoughtful and meaningful critiques, encourage vigorously, and be receptive when others offer you feedback in return.<br />
<br />
ART!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-40492767410594080442016-09-23T13:22:00.001-07:002016-10-04T08:12:07.852-07:00"Masculine" Burlesque and Self-Deprecating HumorI was scrolling through my performer Facebook like I usually do, when I came across a thread posted by fellow performer Dangrrr Doll that caught my attention. Since I love reading about contentious topics and the oft debated "why we do this" ideologies of burlesque performance, I was inspired to write on it myself.<br />
<br />
It's no coincidence that Dangrrr, a terrifically accomplished burlesque performer who I occasionally get to share the stage with, habitually critiques the way we present our concepts on stage. I've even <a href="http://dalestones.blogspot.com/2015/06/embracing-full-time-artistry.html">featured her on this blog before</a>, so with that in mind, here's the original post;<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1tfC6J7o_WoARFgU3Jg82oBhphNwovtBr0lLobI9hs9Uql3WDXXFuQ4Pcv6z_ySb249VIIID9hw8uzmt5U4hz9h4FxZZ6dSJL9cpVV9v3QBk1rsj4ZK8A2fBRRNM37aKe3NFkrbUUP2G/s1600/Dangrrr.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha1tfC6J7o_WoARFgU3Jg82oBhphNwovtBr0lLobI9hs9Uql3WDXXFuQ4Pcv6z_ySb249VIIID9hw8uzmt5U4hz9h4FxZZ6dSJL9cpVV9v3QBk1rsj4ZK8A2fBRRNM37aKe3NFkrbUUP2G/s400/Dangrrr.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In the class I teach here in Boston (now in its fourth installment), this is the core concept I build from--masculine movement, masculine character building, masculine stripper moves, masculine kazoo concertos, masculine giraffe husbandry, etc. It's really the only thing I can speak to as an expert, since it's at the heart of every piece I write and perform. And based on the varying levels of comfort of the men I know in burlesque, it's not always a focal point of everyone's act construction, though for my own students, I like it when they take my lead and make it their own.<br />
<br />
When I first sat down to talk with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stratton.mccrady/?fref=ts">Stratton McCrady</a> and Robin of the "<a href="http://www.blurb.com/b/6207894-acting-out">Acting Out</a>" project, Robin was surprised to learn that I was a straight male performer doing burlesque. Even though operating on the pretenses that most burlesque performers are queer to some degree (or that any men who perform burlesque MUST be gay) isn't an unsafe bet, it does beg the following question:<br />
<br />
"What does a straight man performing burlesque look like?"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_-0Y1jlVenZrhvbxhY8UNFVNH8l0xYFNdWY5Yx-qZwAm6HMcZcCv6alUopJwTqY7VVFV7D48IVxjOD5PXBmtpBmSZpAto0HGWKO_Mf2FhZ9sYct2AtwrMTSI3J1hTecdNu5l2dW1EqhC/s1600/Swing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK_-0Y1jlVenZrhvbxhY8UNFVNH8l0xYFNdWY5Yx-qZwAm6HMcZcCv6alUopJwTqY7VVFV7D48IVxjOD5PXBmtpBmSZpAto0HGWKO_Mf2FhZ9sYct2AtwrMTSI3J1hTecdNu5l2dW1EqhC/s400/Swing.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I dunno, this?<br />
Photo by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/roger.gordy?fref=ts">Roger Gordy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
While straight men aren't a rare commodity in most walks of life, we are somewhat unrepresented in burlesque. I've found that most straight men don't have any idea how to move like a man might, to say nothing of how to break into the burlesque scene in the first place. As I've alluded to before, I learned most of my first striptease movements from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RogueBurlesqueBoston/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf&qsefr=1">Rogue Burlesque</a> founders <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dixiedouya?fref=ts">Dixie Douya</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bustee.keaton.1?fref=ts">Bustee Keaton</a>, and those movements weren't exactly....masculine.<br />
<br />
After a year or two of figuring out what I wanted to change, I decided to spend some time and effort learning how to walk, crawl, posture, and pose myself as a masculine character. And for several years now, I've spent a lot of time watching myself in the mirror and making changes as needed.<br />
<br />
But taking it back a little, I've found that men who jump onto a stage to perform instinctively gravitate toward one tendency; self-deprecating parody. It's almost like there's an expectation for a man to get on stage and put himself down to make himself feel accepted by the audience. It's weird, but I understand it. I used to do it a lot.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VQ4dRV16mG_O2eFTAGmq2_M4HqZ1FMeMtmLk6UaTZjs1X_5Q8z61WMoBGmNzMpCUyE1GFOxttgs4XijJrskA2LjC9uZ3oGBh3sOFIjdRDfTkqECG9utflQsPbPxZieL2M_Z-weKKhm_C/s1600/Stratton+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9VQ4dRV16mG_O2eFTAGmq2_M4HqZ1FMeMtmLk6UaTZjs1X_5Q8z61WMoBGmNzMpCUyE1GFOxttgs4XijJrskA2LjC9uZ3oGBh3sOFIjdRDfTkqECG9utflQsPbPxZieL2M_Z-weKKhm_C/s400/Stratton+8.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like, an uncomfortable amount. <br />
Photo by Stratton McCrady, Acting Out!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
If I've learned one thing about teaching men striptease, it's that men don't have a default "sexy" set of movements. If I ask a new guy in my class to walk around and move like a suave, ladies-man type for the purposes of an exercise, he will almost always include a section where he's pantomiming an aggressive rejection (possibly involving getting a drink thrown on him). Selling confidence, success, and attractiveness in movement is <b><i>terrifying </i></b>for many men, and I suspect, a huge reason why they might want to take my class in the first place.<br />
<br />
I'll give you an example. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/swaybradbury?fref=ts">Sway Bradbury</a> mentioned that "embarrassment/shame is all about maintaining your masculinity in moments of vulnerability; i.e. your pants fall down and you feel shame, portraying your nudity as something you feel negatively towards and understand should be hidden. Whereas in high femme burlesque, what I consider classic burlesque, nudity is something you revel in. That vulnerability isn't embarrassing, it's empowering."<br />
<br />
That's real. If a guy is on stage and acting out a scene where his shirt and pants are suddenly missing, he's embarrassed, he's shy, and his first move is to cover it up. That same scene acted out by a woman? She's suddenly the one in control. She's sexy, intense, and using that as her weapon.<br />
<br />
I want to say that this has to do with the power dynamic of burlesque and how it contrasts with the power dynamic of a gendered society. Should straight men naturally feel like they need to approach burlesque cautiously, and justify their presence in the space with a few jokes made at their own expense? Maybe that's just the price of entry. But I think there's something else hiding there.<br />
<br />
I think it has more to do with the fact that men are raised without the burden of having their sexuality constantly available for consumption, a benefit that women don't have the option of. At every turn, women are expected to be sexy and have a way to market themselves constantly with every choice they make in their waking lives. A lot of women I talk to about burlesque performance use the stage as a way to claim ownership of their sexuality--especially since there's so much unjustified entitlement to it in the outside world, perpetrated by media, industry, and random men on the sidewalk. Since men never have to experience this, they don't know what to do in a situation where the expectation turns to them.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4UbzGAHQHly_FtO-u2Q-lm0XcmClNvMflQZm1yE8eHu33gr51Ukp_J_pTbXStKnUp-0Hvo1aiLeZsLa7TWw6odyAO95Z8KBu1yBaYrsqemPS4OsNh0I0fYY9Y5C-D5JvTM8rT1vPHSaE/s1600/Horrible+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4UbzGAHQHly_FtO-u2Q-lm0XcmClNvMflQZm1yE8eHu33gr51Ukp_J_pTbXStKnUp-0Hvo1aiLeZsLa7TWw6odyAO95Z8KBu1yBaYrsqemPS4OsNh0I0fYY9Y5C-D5JvTM8rT1vPHSaE/s400/Horrible+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"IT'S ALL MINE!"<br />
Photo by Ben A Johnson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The result of this is that straight men on stage have to get naturalized to the concept of being objectified. Even after all these years of performing striptease, whenever I get an aggressive compliment from a stranger about my sexiness on stage, my gut tells me to feel flattered. What I don't feel is guarded, defensive, or threatened. I don't think I'll ever understand what it means to be truly objectified, and that vulnerability is something I could never learn or teach.<br />
<br />
Straight men aspiring to perform with sexual and vulnerable burlesque on stage require a bigger understanding of this, myself included. It's that knee-jerk answer that I get from every guy that I talk to about potentially jumping on stage to perform burlesque: It's the "I'm not in good enough shape" response which signals that most of us fellas aren't even remotely conscious of what the concept of sexual desirability is for a male-facing audience--which would explain why gay male performers have a better understanding of the concept. We straight guys instinctively assume that we just have to be hot and show up, and only then can we perceive the ironic vulnerability of what it means to be objectified.<br />
<br />
Or, barring that, we could make intentional fools of ourselves to garner favor from the audience. Comparatively, that certainly does seem like a less scary option.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-13759699790277922082016-08-01T10:19:00.001-07:002016-08-01T12:11:12.055-07:00Ember Flynne: "The Business of Stage Names"I have another guest writer on Throwing Stones this week, who is a supremely talented fire spinner, aerial acrobat, and business person whom I've worked with quite a lot. Although I've touched on <a href="http://dalestones.blogspot.com/2015/02/managing-my-moniker.html">the importance of stage names</a> a while back, I didn't really flesh out the issues of safety and accessibility that are part and parcel with this practice.<br />
<br />
So I invited Ember Flynne to share those with me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDqJjbiebX5Yh1njwPmFLvIMZGPAAPIfA5fNeYiQFkcAoNKrB3xPKpuWR_9at7XISf2V6ztifdmaXn8kSlEtixg6BqhclJx-9s_vJGeZJRgH8Iym-T6B8CKdoKzknXVK_RoI3GjfwsVX8/s1600/Ember.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDqJjbiebX5Yh1njwPmFLvIMZGPAAPIfA5fNeYiQFkcAoNKrB3xPKpuWR_9at7XISf2V6ztifdmaXn8kSlEtixg6BqhclJx-9s_vJGeZJRgH8Iym-T6B8CKdoKzknXVK_RoI3GjfwsVX8/s400/Ember.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ember Flynne - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ember.flynne?fref=ts">Fire Goddess</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
My name is Emberโwell, not really, but weโll get to that in a secondโand Iโm a traveling circus performer based in Boston.<br />
<br />
Some years ago, I found out that my entire family was cyberstalking me.<br />
<br />
โGoogle, you know, the search engine,โ my mother explained, โI just type in your name andโฆโ<br />
<br />
โMom I know what it is. But WHY are you Googling me?โ<br />
<br />
โJust to see what youโre up to,โ she said, matter-of-factly. <br />
<br />
My parents and I have never been that close, but this was a new low. Google is for checking that your blind date isnโt an axe murderer, not sating your curiosity about what your twenty-something daughter is doing in her spare time. It felt weirdly invasive. Why not just pick up the phone andโgaspโcall me?<br />
<br />
โOh donโt get all bent out of shape,โ my mom said when I told her as much, โEverybody does it. Richard Googles his kids all the time. Your grandmother Googles you; itโs completely normal.โ <br />
<br />
Iโve always been aware that information about my life could be broadcast to the entire planet without my permission (excepting, perhaps, China), but I still find it unnatural that anyone I know would feel compelled to search for it. That my sprawling Midwestern family also thinks itโs appropriate to dissect their discoveries with random friends and co-workers is boggling. Itโs one thing to be searchable. Itโs another to know that my actual grandma looks me up out of sheer boredom, forms opinions that she never intends to contextualize in person, and spreads them to everyone she knows. That my objections are continually framed as MY problem is just the icing on an exceedingly un-fun cake.<br />
<br />
When I settled on a stage name, it was to escape a certain nebulous scrutiny that kept me from feeling free to experiment, fail, perform acts of a subversive or sexual nature, and build my reputation on my own terms. There are lots of other reasons a performer might choose to use a stage name, but whatโs important is that there are ALWAYS reasons, and itโs crucial to respect them. <br />
<br />
A stage name is a second name used in performance settings, whether in person or in print, that may or may not be associated with a separate stage persona. While some performers are pretty loose with their expectations, it never hurts to assume a strict separation between a performerโs stage life and the life attached to their legal name. Treat them like they belong to two different people.<br />
<br />
Confusing? Sometimes, but rest assured, we donโt do this just to frustrate you. <br />
<br />
For many performers, stage names are actually an important personal safety measure. Anyone who appears in front of an audience commands a great deal of attention from a great many people. Combine that with the fact that itโs a performerโs job to look great and create a connection with their fans, and you have a situation that frequently results in unwanted advances from creepy people with nothing better to do. Usually theyโre audience members or photographers, but sometimes theyโre even clients or unfamiliar booking agents. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2Glsx7rr0rDU-47RxQmjcYVmxgI80Ed24mjmi3AtziHhogIaGx9Pvah3smsc0droZO_IR9kpm-q5PU2TgNmKZ34QGJZ8LrW369AH0aLgjznlpAzgmwNW0ZyJQhAg3baZ6oqIgpshlNCL/s1600/Bro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2Glsx7rr0rDU-47RxQmjcYVmxgI80Ed24mjmi3AtziHhogIaGx9Pvah3smsc0droZO_IR9kpm-q5PU2TgNmKZ34QGJZ8LrW369AH0aLgjznlpAzgmwNW0ZyJQhAg3baZ6oqIgpshlNCL/s400/Bro.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hey, gimme your name so I can harass you."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
My legal name happens to be unique, so Google isnโt going to make it difficult if some stalker with half a brain wants to find out where I live. Deflecting unwanted attention onto a pseudonym is a decent way to keep my personal information private from all but the most determined of creeps.<br />
If a performer is working under a stage name, <b><u>always assume</u></b> that they are trying to keep themselves safe. Using their legal name in connection with their stage name (especially online) could put them in danger by dismantling a layer of protection that they have worked hard to establish. <br />
<br />
A similar concern is job security. Not everyone can work the stage full-time, so many entertainers maintain other sources of income. For some, itโs a way to stay afloat when theyโre first starting out. For others, itโs a way to support themselves and their families during the off season, acquire health insurance, or maintain a safety net. Still others have day jobs just because they like them.<br />
<br />
Performers who are otherwise proud of what they do may not want to tell their co-workers that theyโre a drag queen, or that they routinely light stuff on fire and swing it around. Some bosses would be cool with that. Others, not so much. <br />
<br />
Even in a city as open-minded as Boston, certain industries remain warped bastions of conservatism. Sexualized performance of any kind is essentially grounds for dismissal from most childcare, teaching, and law enforcement positions, and anyone discovered dancing around in pasties on the Internet can hardly hope to be taken seriously as a doctor, lawyer, or scientist (though let it be said that Iโve seen all of the above on the Oberon stage).<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih46OdY27BFzKku_0UEEIHLUl8qOUXJgN1Je94ZDFJxrdNzSueg8FTcYXaVPrMMEYuGzH74rzGj0UFqF87sxLr1IXJgNulATEvKsh818Dk3tvh6xJxAtf13K1dwBkkyoqbtoQ1P66893i/s1600/Batman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhih46OdY27BFzKku_0UEEIHLUl8qOUXJgN1Je94ZDFJxrdNzSueg8FTcYXaVPrMMEYuGzH74rzGj0UFqF87sxLr1IXJgNulATEvKsh818Dk3tvh6xJxAtf13K1dwBkkyoqbtoQ1P66893i/s400/Batman.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Yes, we are a full-time Batman and Commissioner, but also<br />
part-time strippers. Keep that last part quiet."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Sometimes itโs not even an employer, but an employee or landlord thatโs the problem. It doesnโt matter. In all cases, stage names offer a significant shield from casual Google searches and help to maintain a performerโs reputation in relation to others with influence over their lives.<br />
<br />
Thereโs also sheer politeness to consider. Some folks simply donโt prefer to see a parade of half-naked people prancing all over their Facebook feed, so prudent performers may set up separate names and social media accounts with which to participate in different social groups. Itโs a solution that makes it easy to keep in touch with a five-year-old niece AND maintain contacts in the burlesque or fetish scenes without fear of cross-over. <br />
<br />
Finally, thereโs a whole host of personal reasons that can affect a performerโs decision to go by another name. Perhaps they feel that their legal name is inconsistent with their chosen gender or lifestyle, or they wish to use performance as an outlet for forms of expression that would not be acceptable in other parts of their life.<br />
<br />
Stage names also help performers to build a brand based on whatever qualities they think are important to their art.<br />
<br />
When I first started out, I performed a bit and attended industry events under my legal name. I met a lot of people that way, but once I became Ember I completely shifted to that identity for work. <br />
<br />
A few years later, after Ember Flynne had become somewhat more established (and more interesting on the Internet) I started to notice something disturbing. People Iโd met once or twice were walking up to me in performance settings and pointedly addressing me by my legal name, particularly if I was engaged in conversation. They always spoke as loudly as possible and hugged for an inappropriately long time.<br />
<br />
I struggled to understand what was going on. Itโs not that they didnโt know my stage name or couldnโt remember itโin fact, the majority of these people were far more familiar with Ember (albeit via Facebook) than they ever were with my legal name. They followed Ember online, liked my photos, and commented as if we were the best of friends, when in reality we had barely crossed paths.* My real friends all know to call me by Ember when Iโm working, and while theyโll occasionally slip up, those occasions are incredibly few and far between.<br />
<br />
And then one day, it hit me. The randos were showing off. <br />
<br />
To address me by my real name in front of a group of people was to assert that they knew something about me that those other people did notโthat they knew the โrealโ me, which implies, by extension, a closer relationship and perhaps even a degree of influence.<br />
<br />
I immediately called up my 3-in-1 manager / emergency contact / ex-lover and ranted about it. Who the hell did these people think they were, walking around and showing off at my expense? And whatโs more, who did they think I was? Should I be flattered or enraged? <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvXU8eXQX5jxVaBwUlsT5QeSOGSstCZ3oBS1Ru-7MaKsXPU087t6GULjl9ez61OOTrRDtGfDsnlAnYPp4ntlIcAEXT6oKh0K9ZGcEByMmDrRdY3DxbWSdH4J63JtvGD09ltClLzX6FuJx/s1600/Kick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvXU8eXQX5jxVaBwUlsT5QeSOGSstCZ3oBS1Ru-7MaKsXPU087t6GULjl9ez61OOTrRDtGfDsnlAnYPp4ntlIcAEXT6oKh0K9ZGcEByMmDrRdY3DxbWSdH4J63JtvGD09ltClLzX6FuJx/s400/Kick.jpg" width="353" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Editor's note; I know which one I would gravitate towards.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
โDude,โ I remember saying, โIโm legit not famous enough to have these problems.โ <br />
<br />
These days, I respond to exactly that scenario my adopting a look of bewilderment and saying, โumโฆwhoโs that? I think youโre confusing me with someone else?โ Sure, itโs passive-aggressive, but Iโve found that the best way to keep people from using me to try to boost their own social status is to show them it will backfire.<br />
<br />
I actually say the same thing to friends who slip up, but I do it with a smile. After all, people arenโt perfect.<br />
<br />
For the record, if youโre not sure what a performer is going by in a particular setting, you can just ask them. โHow should I introduce you?โ is always a polite question, and encompasses not only a name but the performerโs preferred gender and any other details they see fit to give. <br />
<br />
Stage names are a small thing, but they have big implications for performersโ well-being. If you use one, weโd love to hear about your experiences in the comments!<br />
<br />
<br />
*Let it be said that many fans and followers do form real, meaningful relationships with performers online. Thatโs completely legit, and Iโm not referring to those people.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-43818374080681415732016-07-22T07:02:00.000-07:002016-07-22T07:02:47.911-07:00Person About Town with Kenice Mobley!Good morning!<br />
<br />
I'm not writing a full-length post today, but I wanted to share with you a podcast that I was featured on recently with one of my favorite local comedians, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kenice.mobley?fref=nf&pnref=story">Kenice Mobley</a>.<br />
<br />
In the Boston burlesque world, there's a lot of crossover with comedy, sideshow, and circus, which affords me the opportunity to meet lots of people who are amazing performers in other disciplines. Kenice asked me to be her interview subject for Person About Town, which is a fun, informal sit-down interview show where she conducts interviews with different people at their favorite Boston hangouts.<br />
<br />
In the episode, we talked a lot about male burlesque; points of distinction, highlights, pet peeves, accidentally punching other performers in the face, costuming, that one time each of us were in a strip club, and why the tofu at Christopher's is the bomb.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://kenicemobley.com/person-about-town/">I'd be happy if you took a few minutes to listen in!</a><br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-40272761172425096862016-07-14T14:01:00.000-07:002016-07-14T18:46:54.685-07:00Selfie-PromotingI always told myself I was never going to be one of <i>those</i> people. You know the type. The burlesquer with 15 selfies a day on Instagram, complete with hashtags so obscure that there's no hope in hell they'll ever catch on (#glitterinmycoffee).<br />
<br />
"We need to have a selfie intervention with you," my brother said to me, as I wistfully contemplated the social-media-enabled serial selfie posting persona I'd since become.<br />
<br />
"Why did you post that? It has nothing to do with anything," he said, referencing the photo below.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXIHePCCKUPaV5WiGWaGDuxm23BxIXYXjxAKbEanD7xNKPijtUPZefPC54HYjCoLJBhASEgdG_i1b_uOoB6PaLsA2I_4TNfkvmuOVxjLti_qPi2wgGgHV5hDLY1hEIr4ZvX8R0RCwNiVV/s1600/IMG_2355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXIHePCCKUPaV5WiGWaGDuxm23BxIXYXjxAKbEanD7xNKPijtUPZefPC54HYjCoLJBhASEgdG_i1b_uOoB6PaLsA2I_4TNfkvmuOVxjLti_qPi2wgGgHV5hDLY1hEIr4ZvX8R0RCwNiVV/s400/IMG_2355.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It has plenty to do with my big, stupid face.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
I mean, he was right. I was just at a cool-looking rest stop somewhere in New Jersey, and I wanted to photograph myself with it so I could put another notch in my #traveldale hashtag. I wasn't performing, and it wasn't a particularly moving piece of artwork. But since when the hell did that matter?<br />
<br />
In general, I'm pretty satisfied with how I use my performer Instagram account. Relentlessly photographing myself with other performers and in fun, new locations isn't a super-important part of my personal life, but it's something I get to do and it's a tool I can use as a performer. When you're on stage a lot, I've found that people kind of dig what you're doing and where it takes you. And of course barring any qualified raison-d'etre, you don't really need to justify posting photos of stuff. That's just kind of what our generation does.<br />
<br />
Truthfully, if my IG and FB accounts disappeared tomorrow, it wouldn't shake me to my core (to say nothing of my blog). I'd probably just go merrily about my life, albeit with fewer people at my shows. Ever since Anja Keister showed me how to use Instagram and chastised me with "Where are more posts?" in my first lackluster week as a user, I've felt a subtle obligation to check in with the world via mediocre photography.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPv9qjkczRv2oHraKbeGz_7bBf0ufZdLHbrnooGKSUVD0i8NHFyqpxaNnIpyHz8QRSsYECMgPnrf7wadgZvfZc7Pc_6GLg7uFK-OF45nkz-FjLeOpdFLLgp5qT5PGKtEgyzNqTOydVkZhz/s1600/IMG_2393.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPv9qjkczRv2oHraKbeGz_7bBf0ufZdLHbrnooGKSUVD0i8NHFyqpxaNnIpyHz8QRSsYECMgPnrf7wadgZvfZc7Pc_6GLg7uFK-OF45nkz-FjLeOpdFLLgp5qT5PGKtEgyzNqTOydVkZhz/s640/IMG_2393.PNG" width="360" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured; Motivation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
After all, fans like when you do that. Other performers like when you do that. Random strangers with Russian lettering on their profiles that I can't read also like when you do that. As someone who performs burlesque, it's worth noting that 90% of the marketing I do for my shows and performances is through social media.<br />
<br />
When I post a photo of myself in my stage getup, or show a hint at a routine I might be working on with a carefully-orchestrated costume shot, I know that someone out there is getting excited about what I've got planned. When I post a photo of Sirlesque goofing off backstage, I know that followers are getting to see us in our element, and in some small way, becoming a part of it. When I take photos with other performers I share the stage with, I get to introduce them to my little piece of the world back in Boston, and write a short, visual memoir of the amazing time I had.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ReR6jHTrd0_JbER5QJ2vw6aF54DrcX7AMqYZfSV_QwdMfckfTepaern0mJ-y3fnJe-UrhFfQOm6lOAM4sqwcg2o0FvMJ52xq0nv9B8rvNgk5urzM0HidOLenH2mp34ZvT6mq0s_fBc85/s1600/IMG_2364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ReR6jHTrd0_JbER5QJ2vw6aF54DrcX7AMqYZfSV_QwdMfckfTepaern0mJ-y3fnJe-UrhFfQOm6lOAM4sqwcg2o0FvMJ52xq0nv9B8rvNgk5urzM0HidOLenH2mp34ZvT6mq0s_fBc85/s400/IMG_2364.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sure this was exciting to someone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And like all performers, I feel like I am entitled to a little vanity, if only because it's expected. Another reason on top of that is that it makes clear business sense. If Lilith Beest and I hadn't been picked up by a high-traffic IG account (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/monstersholdingbitches/?hl=en">Monsters Holding Bitches</a>, if you're curious), I doubt we would have sold out "They Live; We Strip - A John Carpenter Burlesque Tribute." The impact of being proactive with our marketing and social media could not be denied.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
In retreating back to the personal, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/corinne.southern?fref=ts">Corinne Southern</a>, a burlesque producer and performer from Providence, Rhode Island, gave me the purest version of the IG selfie appeal.<br />
<div>
<br />
"People like to feel like they are part of the backstage action. I think it makes your audience feel like they have a personal connection with you," she said.</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_946d3Q6WxpfNUfddzk1xzYg97jvU0eUhu8W3eniNbNbiBWo1Tkl6EqUJJnceOfHnTe2BU_Lq9pYlRxtDktvkYV3n1EFCandLovDF7E5l92zFTVOvVinsy1feezwO4_Z_6uGbdNzV1WR1/s1600/Corinne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_946d3Q6WxpfNUfddzk1xzYg97jvU0eUhu8W3eniNbNbiBWo1Tkl6EqUJJnceOfHnTe2BU_Lq9pYlRxtDktvkYV3n1EFCandLovDF7E5l92zFTVOvVinsy1feezwO4_Z_6uGbdNzV1WR1/s400/Corinne.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/corinne.southern?fref=ts">Corinne Southern</a></td></tr>
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Although backstage areas all sort of blend together into the unremarkable after a while, it's kind of important to realize that very few people actually get to have that access. When people are doing makeup or putting on costumes, the process is personal, and the area restricted to performers only.<br />
<br />
As someone who very rapidly made that transition, I was fortunate to have never really experienced the exclusion, so I just assumed it wasn't a huge deal to share those photos. But lots of other performers tell me it is, for their fans.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVssCTDuVinI5WuanqH2-JYLj1D86fWQXCb9hEwKtqBv_u1fsfgV5puV-TGW2x-iESVCRii6SwOQUrfN1Vg0SceIGRjth7ixdIAPPc4Ld-ONZWf8o8a8roOrf9Of2Sf8itlwPqhHqpI0B/s1600/IMG_2350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVssCTDuVinI5WuanqH2-JYLj1D86fWQXCb9hEwKtqBv_u1fsfgV5puV-TGW2x-iESVCRii6SwOQUrfN1Vg0SceIGRjth7ixdIAPPc4Ld-ONZWf8o8a8roOrf9Of2Sf8itlwPqhHqpI0B/s400/IMG_2350.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, I don't see why this is a highlight for anyone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Then there's the photos that show us we're vulnerable. I know that for a lot of people (not just performers), selfies are a way of ensuring that we like the photo that contains our likeness. When people are taking photos OF you, you don't really have much control over what the photographer chooses to display. It's for precisely that reason that I wasn't aware that I had criminal levels of duckface in all my performances until it was far too late.<br />
<br />
At least with selfies, you can make your image truly your own.<br />
<br />
Once I started really getting into the swing of things with DAMYS, the advertising became a bit more focused on me. Despite my protests, the people around me were telling me that my likeness was just as important to selling the concept as the name in the title. Seeing as how so many of us are somewhat unhappy with our self-image to an extent, you can see my own struggle with this fading away as the years went on;<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg7io_gzWsUxH4bZ4cz5pVJp6rCLtv1K4GhqlWTKmwD9GxLb-po-OjfBOiTdIkDR6HMPrTuCE4Pw4Ib8yxV5WpMSkISfNzBbPgouP1UnN0RNYfBZ-KpyKWZNEHx6UzaVI2V83VQmUkiYM/s1600/AllMaleYardSale-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbg7io_gzWsUxH4bZ4cz5pVJp6rCLtv1K4GhqlWTKmwD9GxLb-po-OjfBOiTdIkDR6HMPrTuCE4Pw4Ib8yxV5WpMSkISfNzBbPgouP1UnN0RNYfBZ-KpyKWZNEHx6UzaVI2V83VQmUkiYM/s400/AllMaleYardSale-01.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Episode 1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRA9qWHkNYEFncHne3ezpTozqreVGhQkPKaNtkpM8wmX6ZiFt9X1jURGEMZx8kRfs-IWLonPwvx9kt6V5e-81BpIacHfwNiwNEpYRQuQCvJCcmm0TNAF33Jg8rg4qRz0ViHpNOEPzYVHA/s1600/yardsale2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRA9qWHkNYEFncHne3ezpTozqreVGhQkPKaNtkpM8wmX6ZiFt9X1jURGEMZx8kRfs-IWLonPwvx9kt6V5e-81BpIacHfwNiwNEpYRQuQCvJCcmm0TNAF33Jg8rg4qRz0ViHpNOEPzYVHA/s400/yardsale2.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Episode 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G3InfwLYt5ZF5mYy4kpxmg_XceuUqRn14lRJzrku2jTI1VhARyKAuNeuKEFo608CDLkNcs4ZEgwcITfrd5u2h9KO4nAwHEvIpFcQalmn4Z-u1Af3FXf0XlES_YgFTPv6B6lXo6bGF-at/s1600/Yard_Sale_3_Correction-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G3InfwLYt5ZF5mYy4kpxmg_XceuUqRn14lRJzrku2jTI1VhARyKAuNeuKEFo608CDLkNcs4ZEgwcITfrd5u2h9KO4nAwHEvIpFcQalmn4Z-u1Af3FXf0XlES_YgFTPv6B6lXo6bGF-at/s400/Yard_Sale_3_Correction-01.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Episode 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2R2CEto0HgKg4_QMSB7Guxdz8Jos0jFiuJJgFR1VhQW_z8zNKkVoseztlEbnIrDFmT6ozlSr7zLWSahygqQ0GzPzEBlBbIWYdRBodIFFvwc55s2l0kDk767x0eFIb6pEi71iGs_4Oq85/s1600/Yards4le-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2R2CEto0HgKg4_QMSB7Guxdz8Jos0jFiuJJgFR1VhQW_z8zNKkVoseztlEbnIrDFmT6ozlSr7zLWSahygqQ0GzPzEBlBbIWYdRBodIFFvwc55s2l0kDk767x0eFIb6pEi71iGs_4Oq85/s400/Yards4le-web.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Episode 4 (upcoming!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So in that way, I can see how self photography feels safe. And while I wouldn't use a selfie for promo, it's been a way to compare what I think I look like to how other people see me. That in itself has been a learning experience.<br />
<br />
Although, please reel me in if I start to go overboard.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgmQbUU6-P9JvGjzP74VvKRk820NYy7Boea-OGrJbNSKtIiszbUBWxzkakkpnGK_vbRKt2dAMGA_lsAHuRY2KaHdTCuE6wAttakFE0shmkVGo_-gDhBxSD5ZFjFhtVp_sCLRTl5MAsI64/s1600/IMG_2117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgmQbUU6-P9JvGjzP74VvKRk820NYy7Boea-OGrJbNSKtIiszbUBWxzkakkpnGK_vbRKt2dAMGA_lsAHuRY2KaHdTCuE6wAttakFE0shmkVGo_-gDhBxSD5ZFjFhtVp_sCLRTl5MAsI64/s400/IMG_2117.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will never apologize for how awesome this photo is, however.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-81784559939994334612016-06-30T10:44:00.000-07:002016-06-30T13:09:43.319-07:00Performance Travelling Overstimulates Me<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I'm sitting in the BWI airport on the return leg of my trip to
Washington DC, where I spent the weekend joining the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Evil.League.of.Ecdysiasts/?fref=ts">Evil League of Ecdysiasts</a>
(a burlesque producer duo comprised of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gigi.holliday?fref=ts">Gigi Holliday</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cherie.sweetbottom?fref=ts">Cherie Sweetbottom</a>)
for "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/577576272400960/?ref=br_tf&qsefr=1">Whedonism</a>," their annual Joss Whedon tribute show. For the
record, this weekend was a ton of fun and I wanted to share that with you. If
you're a Whedon nerd and find yourself in Washington DC about this time next
year, I would highly recommend you clear your schedule.</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I also had a lot of downtime to think about things this weekend,
on account of this being my first air-travel trip to another city to perform.
I was simultaneously excited and flattered to have the chance to do it, and Whedonism
was quite the experience. Cherie had asked me to bring up my "Spike"
and "Captain America" acts, which are two of my personal favorites,
and then brought me out to see <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1067994619960041/">Hot Todd Lincoln host his monthly show the next evening at the Bier Baron</a> (a hotel/bar venue I had never been to despite many DC trips previously).
All in all, I got to have an exciting weekend and meet a new community of great
performers I wouldn't have had the chance to meet otherwise, and to get to know
a performance scene I'd only heard great things about.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQuwQokedt-J-sIkC88MorhL1dsLDiZhFPAbMnRDB69rXEy1wOC9IGFux1pR8EP3E1dTwqgxYXWnEIRmG_hyphenhyphenXGLDQy48rahWkfyvBz1g0ehvkXKn3LIxGhsh8iSzEdmtLPcPMSYOaVNRy/s1600/Spike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQuwQokedt-J-sIkC88MorhL1dsLDiZhFPAbMnRDB69rXEy1wOC9IGFux1pR8EP3E1dTwqgxYXWnEIRmG_hyphenhyphenXGLDQy48rahWkfyvBz1g0ehvkXKn3LIxGhsh8iSzEdmtLPcPMSYOaVNRy/s320/Spike.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They let me do Spike! With <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mirandalookinglass">Miranda Lookinglass</a> as Cordelia.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 18px;">For those of you who know my dad, you'll know that he's not the biggest fan of what I do 'on the weekends.' But since he's a huge fan of Buffy and an even bigger fan of Billy Idol, (and it happened to be Father's Day) I called him up to tell him about how much fun the whole show was, and that I loved him and might show up to family dinner in costume. That's how excited I was about this whole trip.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So what were the things I thought the most about in transit? I'm
glad you asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In many places, male burlesque performers are a rarity.</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wasn't sure what to expect form the male performers in the
nation's capital, but I kept having this idea that there were a lot of them.
Having been to DC several times prior to visit my brother when he was living
there, I knew that there was a vibrant gay scene, and burlesque performance
tends to go hand in hand. With that said, the only male-presenting burlesque
performers I met were relatively new; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011391760782&fref=ts">Baron Atomy</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009895152130&fref=ts">Danny Cavalier</a> were two
that I had met in person, the former whom I watched do a brand new
concept-fresh-to-stage ice cream man strip followed immediately by a fire
performance. I'd never seen a fire performance done indoors, and wasn't expecting that--but local laws and the venue both seemed cool with it (see what I did there?).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I got a similar feeling when I first performed with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ladyluckburlesque/">Lady Luck Burlesque</a>
in Portsmouth, NH. Sometimes, you are the only guy in the room, and the crowd
and other performers will be looking to you to show them what a guy doing
burlesque looks like. I decided that I do kinda like being an ambassador in
that regard. I'd better not get caught slippin'.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsV96-nPjJzvhlnRUi8mtdN-XH4ZU3-dXv9VWfamBeh2MBcTxfYVSlFQKEI9SBNcuo5ilE-TEdTGgJ5pNfwxc6uCB7d9DnTpcsvnOW8IZE4J2Tsf3iiPtcYgEqt1YpzTEw-2WyXo69RMQ/s1600/IMG_2370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsV96-nPjJzvhlnRUi8mtdN-XH4ZU3-dXv9VWfamBeh2MBcTxfYVSlFQKEI9SBNcuo5ilE-TEdTGgJ5pNfwxc6uCB7d9DnTpcsvnOW8IZE4J2Tsf3iiPtcYgEqt1YpzTEw-2WyXo69RMQ/s400/IMG_2370.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...or else you'll have to sit on the ground near a bus station. With a newspaper. Or something.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Travelling is tiring/requires planning.</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Two things that I'm diametrically averse to are planning things
(more on this later), and being exhausted. I don't know why this always
happens, but travelling makes me just want to nap. Thanks to Cherie Sweetbottom
who suggested an afternoon nap time on Saturday, as this is exactly what I
wanted. Work beckons and all that, but sleep is great too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I knew I had to try and maximize my activity while I was out of
town to both take advantage of my journey and to combat the costs of travel,
and that required some advance planning. I'm notoriously shitty at managing my
schedule, but was able to offer some available wisdom for aspiring male
performers in the area. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The point of travelling to do burlesque gigs elsewhere is truly
self-defined.</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I was asked by Chip Rox why I felt compelled to go to another city
to do the same acts I do on Boston's stages. Was I not satisfied with being
relatively in-demand in my home town?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had to really think about this. Is it fulfilling to travel to
new places and give them their first experience of what you're all about?
Absolutely. Is it fun to see other performers and what ideas they have for the
stage? Most definitely. Is it fun to broaden your performance network, make new
friends, and connect dots between prevailing reputations and performers in the
flesh? Hell yes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">But what I think is most satisfying for me is getting to be a key
piece of someone else's vision. It's the most flattering thing for me to know
that someone else needs what I'm about to bring, and to be humbly in service to
a production that calls to you from across the expanse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That might have been the most delightfully tacky way to say it,
but I don't think I can do better. You're welcome?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_w8XFOTDVwhjvEM2pGkjFjzytGlD1FDT-isl7PeBkCOeYT97ncDKiwtRTCVaaiOndMLw_WcEUVRMFMKeBYpPvM_lcIprgcT4ml5tLmeGnMBT6ImuoiEIkvWIuHH4Phzf7xnSrZYubJy2/s1600/Expanse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_w8XFOTDVwhjvEM2pGkjFjzytGlD1FDT-isl7PeBkCOeYT97ncDKiwtRTCVaaiOndMLw_WcEUVRMFMKeBYpPvM_lcIprgcT4ml5tLmeGnMBT6ImuoiEIkvWIuHH4Phzf7xnSrZYubJy2/s400/Expanse.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was fortunate to not have had to travel in this manner specifically. Pictured; The Expanse.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">You're really limited in how you promote yourself when you travel.</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I felt like being in DC was a unique experience, in that I
couldn't really market myself or the show I was in too effectively, since I
didn't know anybody in town. The two people I was previously familiar with
prior to this were both in the show alongside me. So in that regard, I had to
let go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Producer me was silently panicking about it, since I know filling
seats is in everyone's best interest. But in the end it turned out okay,
everyone got paid, nobody died, and I think even some people had fun. And
that's pretty neat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I was in Provincetown, I saw two performers I had met
previously who were getting their hustle on outside the venue. While it makes
more sense in a tourist destination like Provincetown to hand out flyers to
fill your own seats, it's not always a viable tactic in every town you go
to. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDtu_gp6j9ietfPJ5-q2XIcfzUbn5K-zEvU5Xv5s8Id-hm0SMXGgIcQvHpMkBeNsOhiyYAliXWaeQPN1V4FlviCRpI06POLEVaRv2rxmO9ajKj-tB36YQe1xZAnXlBI_NJCQkDiT6d_Y1/s1600/IMG_2371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDtu_gp6j9ietfPJ5-q2XIcfzUbn5K-zEvU5Xv5s8Id-hm0SMXGgIcQvHpMkBeNsOhiyYAliXWaeQPN1V4FlviCRpI06POLEVaRv2rxmO9ajKj-tB36YQe1xZAnXlBI_NJCQkDiT6d_Y1/s400/IMG_2371.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"HEY NEW YORK, COME TO THIS SHOW I'M DOING! YOU'LL LOVE IT!!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Getting to travel to do shows rings the ego bell, and I gotta keep
that in check.</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">As a rule of thumb, you should always be grateful for
opportunities that come your way, and I'm perpetually surprised and flattered
that people like the work I do and want to see it again and again. Since I started
visiting other cities, I've found myself repeatedly self-assessing the person I
was and still am becoming. Prior to this trip, I had several moments when I was
faced with the choice of whether or not to go and do a gig out of town, and
without thinking, checked my schedule to see if I could, and then said I would
as soon as I knew I could. I've been finding myself saying more and more
frequently things like "they need me, so I have to go," which on the
surface feels like a selfless choice to help a producer out with his or her
vision. It took some raw moments of honesty with myself to realize that this is
something my ego sees as a way to win some new source of reputation and
recognition, and that I need to make sure I'm giving the 'why' enough thought
before I jump right in and commit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">One of the consequences of not doing that is that it teases out
some negative aspects of my personality, and I have to be super aware of those
little demons as I recognize them; self-importance, overconfidence, feeling
needy for attention, boastfulness, deafness to the needs of others, and those
who are important to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ultimately, I have to keep reminding myself that burlesque is
really just a fun hobby, and that we all love the attention we get from being
on stage. We're not feeding and clothing the poor, and most of us are not
making enough to call it a good living. It's a good exercise in awareness for
me, and I gotta be better about doing it.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqoTeUIzbJKSD8bY5BpCFUW9swYFEBaKR_XVWA8PFIGkltsqYAzmhHCJj-tiMa23YJHknIWzG1FC0FBkDzhPrnyu6I4gWch1Rpq5mfmq01n4yDjh0_bLFXb6VNc3uiWMnfQsEyfX-zqGb/s1600/Car+travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrqoTeUIzbJKSD8bY5BpCFUW9swYFEBaKR_XVWA8PFIGkltsqYAzmhHCJj-tiMa23YJHknIWzG1FC0FBkDzhPrnyu6I4gWch1Rpq5mfmq01n4yDjh0_bLFXb6VNc3uiWMnfQsEyfX-zqGb/s400/Car+travel.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Yummy-Hearts-361696572484/?fref=ts">Yummy Hearts</a> and I were not on our way to a clothing drive, nor a soup kitchen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Some afterthoughts;</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Although I wrote the majority of this after having left DC, I've since revisited and edited this after a weekend with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MissLibertyRose?fref=ts">Liberty Rose</a> and crew in Philadelphia. All of it still rings pretty true, with the added note that I'd never performed at a con before (look up #toomanygames2016 or #broadstreetburlesque if you're curious), and that I hadn't found a better home for my Link character from Legend of Zelda. Seriously, there was so much love in that room for all of the Smash Brothers characters, and I felt it so intensely. A group of dudes all came up to me and asked if we could all take a group shirtless photo, and it was a level of brazen boldness I'd not yet seen from fans. I've just never experienced that kind of character fanaticism before, and it was amazing and humbling at the same time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I also realized that a big part of travel is getting to experience a place, but not in quite the same way you would as a standard tourist. Burlesque performers generally have a similar taste in bars, restaurants, and activities, and I really enjoyed rolling deep as fuck with fierce performers like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MissLibertyRose?fref=ts">Liberty Rose</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dangrrrousdoll/?fref=ts">Dangrrr Doll</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/margotstarlux?fref=ts">Margot Starlux</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/alykatzzz?fref=ts">Hattie Harlowe</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Morrighanx">Morrighan Oh Tulle</a>, and others to the nearest taqueria bar to eat soy tacos and play Ghostbusters pinball. And thanks for taking me to Wawa. I still don't quite understand, but at least I have the experience to dwell on.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAihfWiqh1WWRSbA_hBJgylGc9xPL_IWNFqmBvr8q8_aAl0EsrpqxSgR9wt9idCCZ5PHSrX6xU-hJzv9Y2FhaI-wAcLGf4EqJ8zGOXQg6SdZP3GCPYgia5nESN3U_9vyZ2ErZmuthggLGX/s1600/IMG_2356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAihfWiqh1WWRSbA_hBJgylGc9xPL_IWNFqmBvr8q8_aAl0EsrpqxSgR9wt9idCCZ5PHSrX6xU-hJzv9Y2FhaI-wAcLGf4EqJ8zGOXQg6SdZP3GCPYgia5nESN3U_9vyZ2ErZmuthggLGX/s400/IMG_2356.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting a first time Wawa experience courtesy of Liberty Rose. It was gentle and sweet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Some musings on bus travel;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Bus travel pros; you can sleep, you personally don't have to deal with traffic.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bus travel cons; Unpredictable schedule, wifi does not work as promised, guy in front of me who jacked his seat back all the way.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bus travel chaotic neutral; Every rest stop had a Popeye's or a Burger King, which both excited and nearly destroyed me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, something I realized about being on the road was that I was going to miss all the good shows in my hometown while I was gone. While I was Spike on stage in DC for "Whedonism," my friends back in Boston were putting on another wildly successful "Once More with Pasties" Buffy burlesque show and I didn't get to see it. I also missed the "Burlesque Against Humanity" show put on by my friends at Rogue Burlesque, and I never like missing their events.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But while I was sad about missing those incredible shows, I also know that they're not the last shows I'll ever see, and that it's just as important to put time into being a fan as it is in furthering your own stage rep. Thank you all for sitting through my proverbial projector show about my glamorous vacation, and I wish safe travels to the rest of you.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-22507862012845127392016-06-09T07:40:00.000-07:002016-06-09T08:33:19.705-07:00How to Interact with Performers - A Guide for Audiences<i>Prologue - Honestly, I thought I published this three weeks ago. Brandy Wine of Rogue Burlesque sent me a message suggesting I write about this topic, and I almost smugly responded that I had, before realized that, oh shit, I forgot to insert pictures and click 'publish.'</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>In summation, I am a complete space cadet.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1EsWJ-raDZvtefDv8RRPbLV0hf-hyvSCzpg7VNS2uZ1Ih2kX1_KxU3_zKlTqaMlHDPRlETh5oj4cXudD7dPEUopqKTTgiD0n7pf2P3VStQn_FjNFBpw13Hbu3ppMMbb1VTQbkMPwl2_h/s1600/Space.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1EsWJ-raDZvtefDv8RRPbLV0hf-hyvSCzpg7VNS2uZ1Ih2kX1_KxU3_zKlTqaMlHDPRlETh5oj4cXudD7dPEUopqKTTgiD0n7pf2P3VStQn_FjNFBpw13Hbu3ppMMbb1VTQbkMPwl2_h/s400/Space.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this is how I dress when I embrace that part of me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Sirlesque's newly-acquired Sir Lucky Charming texted me asking if I was planning to put together a guide for patrons of burlesque about how to interact with performers, and until he asked, I hadn't given it much thought. It would make sense to build that out a little more, since I've written about how people react to performance, and the awkward and difficult situations it sometimes puts us in. So I thought I'd go for it, as it would be a nice change from the performance-focused writing I tend to publish.<br />
<br />
Since then, I'd finished producing and hosting a show in tandem with my friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lilith.lilbeast?fref=ts">Lilith Beest</a> called "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1138736772805777/">They Live: We Strip</a>" which was a John Carpenter themed burlesque show. The show went phenomenally well and we sold out the theater, though we did have a few hiccups that were tied directly to fans interacting inappropriately with performers. So I think this topic is timely enough.<br />
<br />
Here's what happened.<br />
<br />
Lilith and I had planned on doing an audience participation based costume contest at the midpoint of the show. We had introduced it, and asked if people were in costume (typically, people shout or make a cheer when you ask them questions). An audience member who was in costume, albeit not one that was even remotely on-theme, came up on to the stage and began a character monologue, and resisted most attempts at diffusing.<br />
<br />
It finally ended when Lilith said "that's great, and we were going to say that you should tell us about it DURING INTERMISSION!"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom5a0qzJnZ81odcDqg4GwyKsQzYB4ILHPFsY7zCvJfoSR2VjOTwETJG02Nd-4K4sKt5VLXJ6IG4kU9gvbHfwnm9ZfJ448_sZYDrUkn6zR1EVVQjzxC5t3jAoPU0U1MnhMipPSr859AB2l/s1600/They+Live.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgom5a0qzJnZ81odcDqg4GwyKsQzYB4ILHPFsY7zCvJfoSR2VjOTwETJG02Nd-4K4sKt5VLXJ6IG4kU9gvbHfwnm9ZfJ448_sZYDrUkn6zR1EVVQjzxC5t3jAoPU0U1MnhMipPSr859AB2l/s400/They+Live.jpg" width="321" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What, these two characters couldn't retain control of their own show?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Disregarding the sad fact that this person was our only entrant, he did break a few key rules of how audience members should interact with performers, and it gave me a lot of insight on the topic.<br />
<br />
<div>
For easier consumption, I'll post my main takeaways in the style of an easy-to-swallow listicle below.</div>
<div>
<br />
<b>1 - Do not disrupt the show.</b><br />
<br />
Burlesque shows are loud and outrageous by nature, but this isn't by any means a grant of permission to walk onto the stage, talk to the emcees, touch or approach any of the performers, or heckle. There are situations where the audience members are invited to be involved, but that's usually curated and doesn't require your embellishments, no matter how much alcohol you've had. I've seen both new patrons and seasoned performers break these rules, and it only makes everyone uncomfortable.<br />
<br />
<b>2 - Keep interactions limited and polite both before/after the show.</b><br />
<br />
As a performer and producer, I'm often a total mess before shows I'm working, and have easily 19 or 20 or 417 things that I need to do which are necessary to make the show happen. I also happen to be too polite to interrupt someone who has been talking to me for 15-20 minutes to tell them this and often have to be pulled away by another person who has something that needs to be addressed.<br />
<br />
Before most shows, performers have to do makeup, tech runs, blocking, logistical planning, scripting, and taking stock of costumes and props, and don't have all that much time to talk.<br />
<br />
After shows is usually the better time to talk to performers. For me, that's usually when the wave of adrenaline from the performance cancels out my extreme introversion and makes me excited to talk with complete strangers and fellow performers. But usually, if you don't know someone who you've watched perform, it's customary to say hello, introduce yourself, chat about the piece you did or some related topic, and then bid them a good evening.<br />
<br />
It's always rude to interrupt people while they're talking (performer or not), but I've still had randos crash into conversations I'd been having with someone else, post up directly between me and the person I was talking to and just start saying words. Once, I had someone snap their fingers in front of my face to get my attention. As a former waiter, I have some serious trauma attached to that. Please don't ever do that.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbwCvR7Llc2DkJ1yX5eB1A3PcvH6Yvtgm_WrjlspUN-kPp8D2cNnCthxiDWcaK8uHdEnPFZmX_jVBzVbFMDO7mBmjbpXaLAKewTcnpkWBp0XX5TUwKY3ypF4RDBaJY5coK-bemU80IfIW/s1600/Waiter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbwCvR7Llc2DkJ1yX5eB1A3PcvH6Yvtgm_WrjlspUN-kPp8D2cNnCthxiDWcaK8uHdEnPFZmX_jVBzVbFMDO7mBmjbpXaLAKewTcnpkWBp0XX5TUwKY3ypF4RDBaJY5coK-bemU80IfIW/s400/Waiter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Regardless of whether or not I'm actually dressed as a waiter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
On that note, the next point is about boundary crossing.<br />
<br />
<b>3 - Do not, under any circumstances, harass or touch performers inappropriately.</b><br />
<br />
I hear tons of stories from my fellow burlesque performers about show-goers who, for whatever reason, feel the need to make inappropriate comments or advances. Sometimes, fans get grabby.<br />
<br />
One time, I was chatting with a small group of people after a show, and a group of drunk, middle-aged ladies started grinding their butts against me. I did not know these ladies, and I believe it was an overt ploy to get my attention. I ignored it, and one of them kept doing it with increasing levels of aggression until I was completely displaced from where I had originally been standing. Who does that?<br />
<br />
Lots of people assume that since you're baring your body for them, they have carte blanche to treat you like an object. I don't know why this is, but it's not cool.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8G7r-SsIOsErI4mJvfYuP8X25JkMWAbqvlSG6PG-FI_86s5oIYAsQT4Z5-XB5LpEYtcYk8jG85-JeaPHTbb3VLcT-3WCoDJ1zQmgEen03BdMdBYS5mOQnpPDQg9N3UIHv6ccRU4NNUPwD/s1600/Spread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8G7r-SsIOsErI4mJvfYuP8X25JkMWAbqvlSG6PG-FI_86s5oIYAsQT4Z5-XB5LpEYtcYk8jG85-JeaPHTbb3VLcT-3WCoDJ1zQmgEen03BdMdBYS5mOQnpPDQg9N3UIHv6ccRU4NNUPwD/s400/Spread.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone in this photo has explicit permission.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>4 - Don't be mean directly or by proxy.</b><br />
<br />
It gets mad awkward. For everyone.<br />
<br />
The standout story that Lucky Charming told me was that after a performance he did, some bro-dude came up to him to tell him something to the effect of "I'm not gay, but you're a good performer," and then proceeded to tell him he "needed to work out" so he can be hotter on stage.<br />
<br />
A lot of times, people feel the need to tell performers about the other people in the show they didn't like or thought were ugly, not realizing that for the most part, we're all friends and hang out with each other.<br />
<br />
If you feel the need to body shame or tell someone you hated their stuff, here's what you do. You go outside, whisper your feelings into an empty glass bottle, and then smash yourself over the head with it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>5 - If you'd like to take a photo or have some strange individual request, simply ask if it's okay to do.</b><br />
<br />
This one time after I did an act at one show years ago, a pretty lady in a red dress came up to me, handed me a sharpie, and asked me if I could sign her breasts. So I did.<br />
<br />
Another time, a gentleman approached me after a show and asked me if I would like to make out with him. I respectfully declined, and it was totally fine.<br />
<br />
In both of these situations, someone asked for permission to do something, and both situations were totally fine and normal. See how easy?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5urXIBlvYtlE-8Nrl-T8zerj7bGGE73rAqVI6NBMP_-PTlnanknMTW_x7SiCpVJ2sQkhv_TdhUv7nGHqDd9bhm5HlCXHlinP211lVKIKIlv6taCA9qkwtELf_ouLDr1tB4L2XvgoIZF-v/s1600/IMG_2072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5urXIBlvYtlE-8Nrl-T8zerj7bGGE73rAqVI6NBMP_-PTlnanknMTW_x7SiCpVJ2sQkhv_TdhUv7nGHqDd9bhm5HlCXHlinP211lVKIKIlv6taCA9qkwtELf_ouLDr1tB4L2XvgoIZF-v/s400/IMG_2072.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's much easier than what is pictured here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In general, performers open themselves up and give the audience a kind of vulnerability. I've found that most people don't have the desire nor the fortitude to do burlesque, and many folks prefer to remain audience members as far as their willingness to participate. This has its own set of obligations and responsibilities, and as performers, we always appreciate mutual respect and curiosity.<br />
<br />
I know I've missed one or two things that producers and performers would advise audience members, and I'd love to hear from you all about what rules are important to you. From the audience side, I'd also like to know what some of your interactions with performers were like, and the impressions it left you.<br />
<br />
Have fun!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-9660169711163492492016-04-05T17:33:00.000-07:002016-04-05T17:38:02.878-07:00How do I book more shows?In my second amateur class that I taught for Dale's All-Male Yardsale, one of the new performers asked me a great question that I hadn't considered speaking about before.<br />
<br />
"How do we get out into the community and start booking ourselves?"<br />
<br />
While I gave the question the best answer I had at the time, I felt like there was a lot more to talk about on the subject. Yes, being put on stage is a great first step and is a wonderful way to make an impression with people who produce shows who might be in the audience. After all, six of the performers at my first amateur showcase went on to book other engagements.<br />
<br />
But the more I talked to other producers in the burlesque scene both locally and far-reaching, I kept coming across prevalent attitudes, beliefs, and conditionals that I'm confident most new performers don't know.<br />
<br />
While discussing post-show networking with fellow Sir Danny Drake, he told me something that stuck with me; "If I meet you after the show, introduce myself, shake your hand, compliment your act, and your response is 'I've been drinking and I probably won't remember your name,' it's a safe bet that I immediately don't want to work with you."<br />
<br />
A first impression<i> is that important</i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_aFREPg3jDrFmhwvYkgy7kicAfWHOVgDo4QmeYJn3V1ywng6zZugtbC4_0GbUkwTQZwQ9MAzEOJYtK-XG7JBVsuRTf7qzG7qzWZxIkOGIl_H5b2xrZ42InQ876J73MNgNRNvA0iCrwFJ/s1600/Knees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_aFREPg3jDrFmhwvYkgy7kicAfWHOVgDo4QmeYJn3V1ywng6zZugtbC4_0GbUkwTQZwQ9MAzEOJYtK-XG7JBVsuRTf7qzG7qzWZxIkOGIl_H5b2xrZ42InQ876J73MNgNRNvA0iCrwFJ/s400/Knees.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">..so you'd better make it a good one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Another thing that performers of all experience levels tend to forget is that producers and fellow performers vouch for the ones they like. All too often, I hear about how one performer did/said/dumped glitter on/farted near someone who had some pull in the local burlesque scene, and now that person is universally banned from performing based on the power of rumor and the unwillingness of anyone to bring up the subject directly with the offending party.<br />
<br />
Whether or not that's fair depends on the circumstances, but it unequivocally mandates that good behavior is important.<br />
<br />
The other side of that is something I'm proud to have experience with. If you end up booking gigs with a variety of different shows and producers, people will begin recommending you to others. For the record, there's really nothing more flattering than being contacted by a new producer who only knows you by reputation. If you're recommended because enough people think of you as reliable, friendly, and a good contributor, you're bound to find yourself in new locations with crazy props and outfits on your saucy bits that you never before thought possible.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNQJYXKy9NHqblO4BVuuhSX6KWjrrymSHpc9JJjMXkHkcn1b_dw9MGOJq7uVi_0ENwnK7-0uwLZruydrmtO9LfM5oLJhDz4RVAC9wjn2uFIT9-_LOtgmKG4k0zja0l1Qk21i_IN3h8s23/s1600/Soccer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbNQJYXKy9NHqblO4BVuuhSX6KWjrrymSHpc9JJjMXkHkcn1b_dw9MGOJq7uVi_0ENwnK7-0uwLZruydrmtO9LfM5oLJhDz4RVAC9wjn2uFIT9-_LOtgmKG4k0zja0l1Qk21i_IN3h8s23/s400/Soccer.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like soccer balls!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And then you get the performers who have inexplicably awful attitudes. One of my producer friends and the official MC of Sirlesque, Allix Mortis, is constantly on the receiving end of emails from performers who feel the need to be extremely unprofessional in how they reach out.<br />
<br />
"There's a give and take in any professional relationship - no one is entitled to be in any particular show and a producer at the end of the day is accountable - both financially and artistically - for their show," Allix told me.<br />
<br />
Now I don't intend to disparage burlesque as an artform here, but if 70% of all available gigs in any given town are on a carpeted stage in the back of a dive bar, you don't get to be a diva about not being booked. Having a childish attitude won't impress anyone.<br />
<br />
Some basics, if you're thinking about reaching out to a producer asking to get booked;<br />
<br />
<b>#1</b> - Be polite and professional with how you reach out. Again, first impressions count for a lot. I asked Allix about the kinds of opening inquiries and emails they get from different performers;<br />
<br />
"What matters to me when someone approaches me about being cast in a show is that they're polite, give me a sense of who they are, and let me know that they know a bit about my show."<br />
<br />
"I've received form responses (and you can always tell when someone is just copy/pasting to a bunch of producers), informal notes with lolspeak and emojis, and messages that also presume that I'll just accept the person. ("In your show I"m going to do...")"<br />
<br />
"In my book the worst things you can do when writing someone about a casting are: be rude or give away that you don't know anything about their show."<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8ehBE7WAsmbXfKYsmbi6PWoLdQ205PudMc0OVexhVLPAycdw8eWS9zuSBik21tZ-24gMa7YKe4seQXsAolU_OwBBPYPbWbkqGLu9VBuBRWGCDFZDCwb7qdX-ciAL1dxkheDqIxDg-5S-/s1600/Hero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE8ehBE7WAsmbXfKYsmbi6PWoLdQ205PudMc0OVexhVLPAycdw8eWS9zuSBik21tZ-24gMa7YKe4seQXsAolU_OwBBPYPbWbkqGLu9VBuBRWGCDFZDCwb7qdX-ciAL1dxkheDqIxDg-5S-/s400/Hero.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I've never been to or heard of your show, but I assume it's just like a Gilad workout video?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<b>#2 </b>- You are in no way entitled to be a part of any show. You don't get in automatically because you asked, and you aren't allowed to throw a temper tantrum if you don't get your way. This goes for new performers, but should especially never happen with performers who have been performing for some time. Allix explained;<br />
<br />
"If the producer doesn't have a spot for you, be gracious. Name calling or trash talk or 'you're missing out' (all things I've received, or, witnessed) are really uncalled for. Not everyone is right for every show - castings are also often done months or weeks in advance."<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdiGqFnw2ATClQrXHFCSivnB2A6RQPMg4hlhp_DyV6ra7suHXA32Jltt9r33HQhB4ktyJxgmN0q6Oe1DukX-KoZBd2rP8gPKaNgMkvJ87LNldpy9ibTs0cNRN_1pZD7yYJiwsgpQR-ih66/s1600/12109232_885086224920854_5335194125133759462_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdiGqFnw2ATClQrXHFCSivnB2A6RQPMg4hlhp_DyV6ra7suHXA32Jltt9r33HQhB4ktyJxgmN0q6Oe1DukX-KoZBd2rP8gPKaNgMkvJ87LNldpy9ibTs0cNRN_1pZD7yYJiwsgpQR-ih66/s400/12109232_885086224920854_5335194125133759462_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AllixMortis">Allix Mortis</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<b>#3</b> - A producer doesn't owe it to you to create a show for you to be in, just because you happen to be in town.<br />
<br />
This is an odd one to have to mention, but sometimes there's an expectation that the burlesque community in the city you're travelling to is going to reconfigure itself to fit your travel plans. I don't know if this comes from a sense of misguided celebrity, or because of unchecked entitlement, but some folks act this way every now and again.<br />
<br />
<b>#4 - </b>Be gracious, even if there isn't a spot for you.<br />
<br />
Allix mentioned this one earlier, but it's worth having its own bullet on the list. Producers book people they like and who have made a positive impression on them, and it's super important not to take it personally.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVyZsgOxPr3Vg-885_IKzc18U_5pW0WM4xtY2vrVuXTCyR2ou5v3ZYtKyocePe47PqzKCVEZs00R4TWuoj4E8fJhqC0KJHDDEfI4sO7D7gOmTEJkTjr_QuSLo-IZ8RSWUK8p_Q_Deuje6/s1600/grace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVyZsgOxPr3Vg-885_IKzc18U_5pW0WM4xtY2vrVuXTCyR2ou5v3ZYtKyocePe47PqzKCVEZs00R4TWuoj4E8fJhqC0KJHDDEfI4sO7D7gOmTEJkTjr_QuSLo-IZ8RSWUK8p_Q_Deuje6/s400/grace.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"AAAAUGH!! YOU'VE CRUSHED MY SPIRIT! Bwuuuuubuuuu..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
It might be really tempting for people who have been performing a while to want to show off their feathers, but accolades are only impressive if someone else is reading them about you (or proclaiming them passionately to the audience you're about to perform for!). As producers, we all talk about performers who have reached out to us--but we talk more about the performers we love and who we plan to reach out to again. It's way more fun.<br />
<br />
I make it a point to thank everyone who performs for me, and to thank producers who book me into shows. When you get right down to it, it's a cosmic, crazy, and improbable thing that we get to do this kind of performance, and that people are willing to pay to see it. As a producer and as a performer, it's important not to take that for granted.</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-16402616495111245052016-02-28T09:53:00.001-08:002016-02-28T09:53:12.540-08:00Diversity on the Boston Burlesque StageOver the summer, the Sirs and I held auditions for Sirlesque, and the process was pretty fun. We got to see some new faces (and bodies) performing some new acts we had never seen, and ended up selecting a new dancer (Sammy Temper) and an official MC (Allix Mortis).
It wasn't until a couple weeks after we had wrapped the process that I noticed something I hadn't really paid attention to before.<br />
<br />
When looking at photos for all of us, it occurred to me that Sirlesque was kind of....homogeneous. We're a group that lacks a specific kind of diversity.
<br />
<br />
I guess I never realized how...white...we were.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB9BFNGLFZ4z37hqXhGGHk0rNRHKPmL4bWqwi6_TIwbLomzpNXUrRwzRza4GHDD5PVQ7rLRpfGA8vePbLm_p3Jg5BIn0NZw91rGXh0BzvcsTltxAJZsy6OC0fRE_1Z6HIpnf81tKFqUun/s1600/Group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB9BFNGLFZ4z37hqXhGGHk0rNRHKPmL4bWqwi6_TIwbLomzpNXUrRwzRza4GHDD5PVQ7rLRpfGA8vePbLm_p3Jg5BIn0NZw91rGXh0BzvcsTltxAJZsy6OC0fRE_1Z6HIpnf81tKFqUun/s400/Group.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And me especially. Jeez.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some of you out there might want to react with "wait, isn't part-time sir Willie Dumey black?" And yes, that is true. But one of the things that I started realizing over time is that the entire burlesque scene in many areas isn't super welcoming to a wide variety of performers of color. It's one thing to be open to the idea of having a broad spectrum of performers who reflect the population where you live, but it's another thing to consider why people of color don't feel drawn to the burlesque stage the way white people do.
So I thought I'd ask a few non-white performers what they thought about that.
<br />
<br />
I spoke with a few performers I admire who also happen to be non-white; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cassandre.charles.10?fref=ts">Jolie Lavie</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/toomeysake">Sake Toomey</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/willie.dumey">Willie Dumey</a>.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HOQ_vAOsGa2Vku-axzRR5q0ZJyR49DnZ4v-syp4neCrPFxOx3Zdijrg14KVREIGLyswMeuq0IXO2MP_429QXLcSC9U3-7GSptSvzyS2oOlbW3735AP62212Gg_wKva3K8GFdx80d3s7a/s1600/12746544_10207297006075991_183222950_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HOQ_vAOsGa2Vku-axzRR5q0ZJyR49DnZ4v-syp4neCrPFxOx3Zdijrg14KVREIGLyswMeuq0IXO2MP_429QXLcSC9U3-7GSptSvzyS2oOlbW3735AP62212Gg_wKva3K8GFdx80d3s7a/s400/12746544_10207297006075991_183222950_n.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/cassandre.charles.10?fref=ts">Jolie Lavie</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Dale Stones; </b><i>"So, as someone who is/presents as a non-white performer in a majority white performance scene, how did you come to define your role in Boston burlesque?"</i><br />
<br />
<b>Jolie Lavie; </b>"I see my brand going in the direction of Vaudeville brown beauty loves 1979 in 2016. I want to be seen sexy and strong like Pam Grier with the business savvy of Ms. Josephine Baker."<br />
<br />
<b>Sake Toomey; </b>"It's an ever-evolving process, especially considering my persona has changed greatly since I started 4.5 years ago. I had originally planned on Sake Toomey being a sexy ninja warrior and I've basically turned into the opposite. I'm always careful to not turn into an all-encompassing Asian stereotype/caricature, although my chosen stage name is definitely a tongue-in-cheek nod to my racial background."<br />
<br />
<b>Willie Dumey; </b>"I am a little on the crazy side, a little unpredictable. I want to go higher, if someone goes gross, I get grosser. Someone wants crazy, I go crazier."<br />
<br />
<b>DS; </b><i>"In a more general sense, how do you see the Boston burlesque scene's relationship with the concept of diversity?"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>WD; </b>"I put that stuff out of my mind because this is my escape. I could be negative and have a chip on my shoulder, but life is too short. I could talk about discrimination, I've definitely had that happen, but I gotta keep it away from my performance."<br />
<br />
<b>ST; </b>"If we're speaking about racial diversity only, I think the Boston burlesque community as a whole is aware of how white it is. Everyone is in tune with the racial tension happening in our country right now and any commentary on the subject is (generally) well thought out. I'm so glad to see that there are several newcomers to the scene who are POC. I know this isn't part of the question, but I think it will be good for audience members to see more POC representation in the community as well. This past Slutcracker season, both cast A and B Fritz and Clara were POC, and it really made an impression on the audience in a good way."<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhPluy0Ry2DfSJ_7namealsIxEGjnsCsqP3tQqQu8GGIA7jjqQQxaTJ5cfE1lzlgBcisoZOZ2H2IkRcmb-88eKELR5zQP2Hi_k_exAZQ8eSBO4TNQqsQffnSB2yahFYAyDuZbWh2I8KSE/s1600/12714207_1711659722448447_1695251931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhPluy0Ry2DfSJ_7namealsIxEGjnsCsqP3tQqQu8GGIA7jjqQQxaTJ5cfE1lzlgBcisoZOZ2H2IkRcmb-88eKELR5zQP2Hi_k_exAZQ8eSBO4TNQqsQffnSB2yahFYAyDuZbWh2I8KSE/s400/12714207_1711659722448447_1695251931_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/toomeysake">Sake Toomey</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<b>JL; </b>"We need more Asian, Indian, Hispanic burlesque dancers in Boston too. Part of this process is to make sure I stay sensitive to our differences and similarities, while keeping things sexy, fun, entertaining and most of all not insulting to anyone. I am in talks with Meff Leone about doing a Black Exploitation burlesque, right now part of this process is my asking Black people how they would feel about this type of show."<br />
<br />
<b>DS; </b><i>"How do you feel that that kind of show would be received?"</i><br />
<br />
<b>JL; </b>"I am getting 'Yes' from Black friends but the reality our audience is mostly white. Hence why a story like Coffy may work well because she kills everybody. Dolemite pimps the ladies out, no matter the color and I don't think any audience would be okay with a Black man pimping a woman out on any platform...My stories featuring Black men will put them in leadership sans crime roles, we have enough profiling in this country."<br />
<br />
<b>DS; </b><i>"This one's for Willie: Is race something you think about, especially as the only male person of color in Sirlesque (and in a larger sense) one of a select few in Boston?"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Willie Dumey; </b>"It has been a major factor in my recent step away from this last show (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1665022737110756/">Stupid Cupid</a>). Since I am one of Boston's few black burlesque entertainers, shoddy, unprepared acts will not cut it. I felt I really needed to represent up on that stage,"<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_8YtNo0D5c_c_6lJQ1DocJJ9Zz1ayC1IesMc8ZcsRFiJhUkMroztX3sjDQpfdoG-skbKKboJK9xpbUOUuQ12JUPpQDUFiO1s2aR4qXVVkXC_qrNWylyCFgfq-vjeaWUNeOzYaqCINCHr/s1600/12006189_504946429665068_3873230367565759415_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_8YtNo0D5c_c_6lJQ1DocJJ9Zz1ayC1IesMc8ZcsRFiJhUkMroztX3sjDQpfdoG-skbKKboJK9xpbUOUuQ12JUPpQDUFiO1s2aR4qXVVkXC_qrNWylyCFgfq-vjeaWUNeOzYaqCINCHr/s400/12006189_504946429665068_3873230367565759415_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/willie.dumey">Willie Dumey</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>WD (continued); </b>"I'm actually hyper conscious of being an angry person--I don't want anyone to be in fear of me. I'm an older guy surrounded by 20-something year-olds, which means I feel added pressure to maintain my body. I'm an older black guy. Sometimes I'm so into a character, I often can't see what it looks like to a white audience. Remember that Zulu warrior act I did where I did that elaborate dance for the white king and queen?"<br />
<br />
<b>DS; </b>"<i>Yeah, I remember hearing different reactions of the folks around me. Everything from 'such a powerful act' to 'I can't watch this, it's crazy offensive.'"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>WD; </b>"When I talked to Dexter (Dix) after and asked him about that reaction, I remember him telling me 'Dude, you're black, you should know this.' I put that stuff out of my mind because this is my escape."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXpR2xT5-GVcZ5Z-XYgjDzVa_l_8CQTeZ32Tu6mK3gX_1fFW-tK3Ah0hIOZRbpz3ggSfgIhzMXxYVeNjOXGDWRi-HG4JvGCu8VQSBQKdm6OdwxR3c6nrIRc5SHOMOdwXekAiJLZ_DAr_v/s1600/Zulu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXpR2xT5-GVcZ5Z-XYgjDzVa_l_8CQTeZ32Tu6mK3gX_1fFW-tK3Ah0hIOZRbpz3ggSfgIhzMXxYVeNjOXGDWRi-HG4JvGCu8VQSBQKdm6OdwxR3c6nrIRc5SHOMOdwXekAiJLZ_DAr_v/s400/Zulu.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A white audience might assume we talked Willie into doing this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>DS; </b>"<i>One of the nagging feelings I experienced when holding auditions was that I wanted to have a more diverse cast in Sirlesque, but can't really add in more POC if they aren't coming out to perform with our group. Why do you think that might be?"</i><br />
<br />
<b>ST; "</b>I don't think that POC are a minority in the Boston burlesque community intentionally. That's why I love <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Alternatease/?fref=ts">Alterna-Tease</a>. It just brings newness to the scene and such a range of talents, bodies and backgrounds. I think, also, it's going to be a slow burn, and as more POC find out about the scene it will become more diverse. Because I do think it can be intimidating for some people to try and join a community when the majority of that community is not like you (racially or otherwise)."<br />
<br />
<b>DS; </b><i>"Is there anything else you might feel like sharing about POC in the Boston burlesque scene?"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>ST; </b>"I just hope to see more and more POC making their way into the scene, because representation matters. And I think it's really important for our audience to be able to see someone who looks like them on stage. And, selfishly, I'd love to walk into a venue for a show and not be the only nonwhite person in the cast."<br />
<br />
<b>JL; </b>"I must say in my light research I have found that there are many black performers who are wanting to be part of the Boston Burlesque world. Who knew? My upcoming show will be called 'Black Love.' I am still in research phase."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcLlOz_W8HJ_J7B7zNIkPMG1bInIUqSX2NYHtLz1Z6dyUrhgXFeT-fOMFwnZVipl__xJwjRuUl5hA5RTtBtgyR6RyQuvq-nWQsvm-AwdTjvepEv4XxYiQgmkDLYD0hj9E7DLxOI0dugKz/s1600/JL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhcLlOz_W8HJ_J7B7zNIkPMG1bInIUqSX2NYHtLz1Z6dyUrhgXFeT-fOMFwnZVipl__xJwjRuUl5hA5RTtBtgyR6RyQuvq-nWQsvm-AwdTjvepEv4XxYiQgmkDLYD0hj9E7DLxOI0dugKz/s400/JL.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jolie Lavie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Near the end, Willie mentioned something I hadn't even thought about before. The added pressure of being the only one to represent an entire demographic on the burlesque stage in a given area raises the stakes considerably for putting out a good, memorable performance. We all try to distinguish ourselves in a variety of ways, but for non-white performers, race and outward appearance is already a noticeably distinct branding attribute that audiences are more apt to remember (e.g. "remember Willie? He was the only non-white guy in the cast.") If people are more likely to remember the performer, they are certainly more likely to remember that person's act, whether good, bad, polished, mediocre, or phenomenal.<br />
<br />
We humans have a subtle magnetism that draws those of us who are like-minded and similar-looking together. By that same token, if you're one of only a handful of racially diverse performers in a largely white scene, there is a hyper-awareness that can occur. In performance, those differences are highlighted even further, and through many generations of social conditioning, we experience entertainment differently based on the shapes and colors of the people on stage.<br />
<br />
I read a piece recently about the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/aida-manduley/david-bowie-time-to-mourn-or-call-out_b_8969486.html">complexities of mourning celebrities who have committed sexual abuse.</a> After reading this, I'm more certain now than I've ever been that majority white audiences look at black performers differently, and we absolutely don't treat them the same as white performers. In the media, we hear about white celebrities who are innovators, geniuses and extraordinary performers in their fields who are passively excused for sexual abuse (<a href="http://mic.com/articles/132399/the-complicated-sexual-history-of-david-bowie#.AVibBaV9K">David Bowie</a>, <a href="http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/01/peyton-s-manning-s-forgotten-sex-scandal.html">Peyton Manning</a>, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/roman-polanski/story?id=8705958">Roman Polanski</a>, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1261082/The-Kings-troubling-obsession-Elvis-woman-So-able-form-relationships-virginal-girls.html">Elvis Presley</a>) but are protected in career and legacy while black performers and innovators are not (<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/from-icon-to-criminal-suspect/2016/01/01/558fc6aa-affe-11e5-9ab0-884d1cc4b33e_story.html">Bill Cosby</a>, <a href="http://www.spin.com/2013/12/r-kelly-sex-crimes-jim-derogatis/">R. Kelly</a>). While sex abuse is not okay no matter what race the perpetrator is, we are far more likely to hold black entertainers and innovators in contempt and disparage their contributions to their fields of performance and their legacies.<br />
<br />
Willie Dumey closed our conversation with something that gave me pause;<br />
<br />
"I have to be friendlier and more up front because of what I am on the outside."<br />
<br />
It's so easy to be in a room full of other burlesquers who all enjoy the stage, but I know that as a white performer, I am not wondering whether or not my temperament is under a magnifying glass. I wonder if that's not a possible explanation for my original question about people of color in the Boston burlesque scene.<br />
<br />
Creating a welcoming and accepting performance scene is a job for everybody. While it isn't as simple as posting an "all are welcome" sign out front, it is important that we keep an open dialogue with our performers of every color, in an effort understand how to make Boston burlesque a truly representative space. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-77092229844609652122016-01-20T09:54:00.000-08:002016-01-20T10:01:30.515-08:00Male Costuming; The Big DifferencesI used to kind of suck at sewing.<br />
<br />
I suck a little less now, mostly because I learned a few things along the way out of necessity. People like Malice in Wonderland, Ricky Lime, and even Chip Rocks's mom helped to teach me a few things about how to make and assemble passable costuming. If we played "Oregon Trail," I wouldn't volunteer to be the tailor for the party, but I still feel infinitely more capable than I did when I first started burlesquing--and I am fairly confident that I would not die of dysentery. For that I am grateful.<br />
<br />
While dudes typically don't have intricate costuming needs, the most successful burlesquers I know have a working knowledge of how to put outfits and costumes together. Not only that, but the truly great performers like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theluminouspariah">Luminous Pariah</a> know how to make them jump right out at you. Sequins, glitter, rhinestones, and the like aren't often a big part of what makes a dude look masculine on stage, but being under the lights requires you to make yourself more noticeable, and you do that in any way you know how.<br />
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This isn't to say you don't play to your strengths when and where they are. One of my earliest memories of costuming as a performer was driving down to Northampton, MA to be a part of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hors.doeuvres?fref=ts">Hors D'oeuvres's</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bon.appetit.burlesque/">Bon Appetit Burlesque</a>. During the drive down, Jack Silver, Chip Rocks and I were learning how to sew tear-away red, white, and blue boxers for our "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bimUUr8FtQ">Presidential Undress</a>" number. Also, I was sick that day and had to request that we pull over so I could throw up the entire drive down. But we made passable costuming, and we still use those same boxers half a decade later.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGHdOdo_Dz8jKFvixXEPLtsTg20ECs5-gQUsLOiS6pqdUSC_ikNkENwaO_gqszzzMBLxiXq49PFaep-gcOr8ewttgE4xujhh538D9JGwaGfkVsS1JOSZBFaZ1BLQ15elWlowhJHy47pW0/s1600/Boxers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGHdOdo_Dz8jKFvixXEPLtsTg20ECs5-gQUsLOiS6pqdUSC_ikNkENwaO_gqszzzMBLxiXq49PFaep-gcOr8ewttgE4xujhh538D9JGwaGfkVsS1JOSZBFaZ1BLQ15elWlowhJHy47pW0/s400/Boxers.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With some help from our good friend Duct Tape.</td></tr>
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When <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AnjaKeister?fref=ts">Anja Keister</a> came down to Boston to sit on my amateur showcase as a guest judge, she gave a lot of the guys feedback that I didn't think to give out before;<br />
<br />
"The audience shouldn't be able to tell what brand of underwear you're wearing on stage."<br />
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Come to think of it, she was absolutely right--it's distracting as all get out. While not specific to male striptease, it is something men are generally less aware of. And that's only one bit of advice I wholeheartedly agree with.<br />
<br />
So glitter, makeup, and sparkly accents notwithstanding, what are the huge differences in costuming?<br />
<br />
Pasties. or nipple coverings, are a massive point of debate in the grand scheme of male costuming. Not for women, mind you--women are, for one odd reason or another, required to have them in order to perform burlesque (though I have seen a few legal exceptions here and there).<br />
<br />
But a lot of men do consider wearing them, mostly out of principle. And it's important to know why this is an important consideration.<br />
<br />
"Sometimes it just accentuates the character or story I'm portraying (like, of course a leprechaun would have gold nipples). But there are also a few producers in New York who require men to cover their nipples, since the law requires women to, to create an equal playing space" <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LuckyCharmingBoylesk/?fref=ts">Lucky Charming</a> told me.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gRA0eRacKgAMpYLg8AozkRIlaCJr1_g5lYaOOTIKB1uXq0vFF5Rq1dtJz5HU0PiZ4Yirr151wzbeVIT8SEjtURdO1WMIxmpA62cjJiNA-qoX14td8afQxJXmHZDG6QW5SOvK2i5vaZFA/s1600/Lucky+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_gRA0eRacKgAMpYLg8AozkRIlaCJr1_g5lYaOOTIKB1uXq0vFF5Rq1dtJz5HU0PiZ4Yirr151wzbeVIT8SEjtURdO1WMIxmpA62cjJiNA-qoX14td8afQxJXmHZDG6QW5SOvK2i5vaZFA/s400/Lucky+3.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky Charming</td></tr>
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<div>
And since male burlesque is a cornered market here in Boston, I realize that I've enjoyed the privilege of inadvertently setting that standard, having learned about men covering their nipples only just last year. Ergo, it never occurred to me that I could be overlooked for a booking in someone else's show because I don't wear nipple coverings.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's absolutely a critical consideration though. When coming from a place of fairness and solidarity, why should we be asking that women cover their nipples when men don't legally have to?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_8jxoLrLhANZPZgi_GjpeRBJnAW_LdWWsIbKC6Jq8p_q2Pk2cq7YMQ6dSpHJYmjQofUCbVy639T4FFXPU9XEs6qnEMhpWsuMccTdWM-j7BJUbrev_HkQKavUCPX2EvSkByek_7FBkAJ8/s1600/Shirt+Tear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_8jxoLrLhANZPZgi_GjpeRBJnAW_LdWWsIbKC6Jq8p_q2Pk2cq7YMQ6dSpHJYmjQofUCbVy639T4FFXPU9XEs6qnEMhpWsuMccTdWM-j7BJUbrev_HkQKavUCPX2EvSkByek_7FBkAJ8/s400/Shirt+Tear.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"WAIT STOP, I FORGOT TO PUT ON PASTIES!"</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Makeup is another point of distinction that I find interesting. When I [Daytime Dale] worked at a television news station many moons ago, I first got to watch a male news anchor do makeup. The process was fascinating. Anyone experienced in theater knows that this is a requirement when the lights are on you, but stage makeup versus looking natural are two extremely different things. With that said, most men never learn the difference, and I only really became remotely aware that there was one by having the dual experience of working in TV and then moving into stage performance.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But men's makeup isn't super elaborate in burlesque, unless there's a particular character that calls for it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ddKzpwVsMzV_3ANbfy83Ot2XdAsKdqhDhxOYBmijKeAKmApHLKo96-weeLDITx68xdBcG8ptok8rthfqSsWl5kFciWs5ZN7_hkvRgmGouTpLo19UwC96VN84jK_zX2zozufKLeAt0C5-/s1600/Guard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ddKzpwVsMzV_3ANbfy83Ot2XdAsKdqhDhxOYBmijKeAKmApHLKo96-weeLDITx68xdBcG8ptok8rthfqSsWl5kFciWs5ZN7_hkvRgmGouTpLo19UwC96VN84jK_zX2zozufKLeAt0C5-/s400/Guard.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nailed it!</td></tr>
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</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The makeup I tend to do is minimal, which might be more of a natural-looking attempt (as opposed to the loud, flamboyant makeup that lots of burlesquers prefer). Since Luminous walks this line pretty well with his own makeup choices, I asked him to tell me about where his inspirations come from.</div>
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<br /></div>
"Ever since I was nine I've enjoyed playing with eyeliner. My eye was a slow evolution to what my look is now. It's been the same for about 5 years. I dig it for stage shows and change it up a little for photo shoots. It's part of my gender bending agenda," he told me.<br />
<br />
One of the first things I noticed when I met Luminous for the first time was his uncommon use of fake eyelashes, and it's something I've begun to really associate with Lumi's brand--he tends to wear them above and below his eyes, which is a distinct look.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingaHpspjRoAc3lLTXZ89KkjC3DFh9gTyx22Bt8zQLL71u3oGbDUt9FnNOn0XeMgdhP43T7LfBmoONTRJemlr1TN2QOMXo8jahtPzaRSlAMft15nq2KHQ-u0DnazXRHyYgkB0xNe7LeMUx/s1600/Luminous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingaHpspjRoAc3lLTXZ89KkjC3DFh9gTyx22Bt8zQLL71u3oGbDUt9FnNOn0XeMgdhP43T7LfBmoONTRJemlr1TN2QOMXo8jahtPzaRSlAMft15nq2KHQ-u0DnazXRHyYgkB0xNe7LeMUx/s400/Luminous.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luminous Pariah</td></tr>
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</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For most men who want to appear masculine on stage, the general consensus is that some foundation, eyeliner, and a bit of blush is usually sufficient. I once had someone help me do a really elaborate sweeping blue cat's eye tapestry for my Aquaman character, and it was pretty magnificent (as opposed to Jason Momoa's goth undersea prince look). But for me, that's not the norm. More often than not, I find my makeup choices typically find me doing variations on masculine characters. The most extreme makeup I've done is either male old guy or male dead guy.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Truthfully, I don't feel super knowledgeable or capable as far as makeup or costuming, but I do recognize that it's an ongoing process. As with anything, you learn more the more you do it. When I had to have liquid latex done all over my chest in Cirque of the Dead two years ago to simulate an open chest wound, I found out the hard way that I reeeeeeally should have shaved my small tufts of chest hair first. The kind of pain that comes from removing bonded latex solidified with dried fake blood is something you never forget.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBdCeo__cWohACtpS0pY8wNwCJEHq3CpaXgu5vS8mZ9OPOKMAmPR1Y9vk5HonetW1e51LYCOLaPXq4-QvGYmePBXAJ5NYBlsAYrOJkkmuasyntBkkS5OJoEVtEyaN7Xk4rfUBjkypqerE/s1600/Chest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBdCeo__cWohACtpS0pY8wNwCJEHq3CpaXgu5vS8mZ9OPOKMAmPR1Y9vk5HonetW1e51LYCOLaPXq4-QvGYmePBXAJ5NYBlsAYrOJkkmuasyntBkkS5OJoEVtEyaN7Xk4rfUBjkypqerE/s400/Chest.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was feeling good before that, anyway. Photo by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/scottchasteenatyahoo?fref=ts">Scott Chasteen</a>.</td></tr>
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<br />
I will give me and my guys some serious credit for one thing, though. We seem to have come to represent all tear-away clothing in Boston. While I've definitely gravitated away from the all-of-a-sudden-naked reveal of tear-away pants in exchange for a more sensual, ground-grinding pants reveal, it's clear that many of the performers I work with know that Sirlesque has 15-20 pairs of the things, and that we are constantly making more of them for ourselves. I've also hand sewn tear-away shirts that break away in a variety of styles and fashions, and it certainly feels like a skill that I've worked to develop. Add to that, it really does feel like a true point of distinction in costuming, and comes with its own theatrical style that isn't super prevalent.<br />
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And I'm sorta proud of that.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-41034395037527284182015-12-17T13:43:00.000-08:002015-12-17T13:50:50.117-08:00Imposter SyndromeI came by this great article in the NY Times by way of Slate about something that has a ton of relevance for me as a burlesque performer.<br />
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Those of you who are already familiar with "<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/26/your-money/learning-to-deal-with-the-impostor-syndrome.html?_r=0">Imposter Syndrome</a>" will know exactly where I'm going with this.<br />
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To summarize, Imposter Syndrome is a term coined by American psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes which is characterized by feelings of "phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement.โ While these people โare highly motivated to achieve,โ they also โlive in fear of being โfound outโ or exposed as frauds.โ<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKUitB0QV7RzmJRCmzkm_IxssNd8ruoauqkzqnWBfYD-6FNu1vngckWn2uxi_3p-d-loHTXypYZzuXtPtBsgwZVhe5yGYT_qNcHdJ5RNCTVItrVqhVmVvPcFBkqbA2GgQ6wB5R9J1t2DL/s1600/Pilot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPKUitB0QV7RzmJRCmzkm_IxssNd8ruoauqkzqnWBfYD-6FNu1vngckWn2uxi_3p-d-loHTXypYZzuXtPtBsgwZVhe5yGYT_qNcHdJ5RNCTVItrVqhVmVvPcFBkqbA2GgQ6wB5R9J1t2DL/s400/Pilot.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Guys, you should know that I'm not <i>really</i> a pilot, and have no business flying this plane."</td></tr>
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Professionally (as in, when I'm not doing striptease), Imposter Syndrome is heavily rooted in my day-to-day. I sit expectantly at my desk, waiting for a supervisor to come by and tell me that they found out that I'm not actually any good at my job, and that I'm fired. Also, it isn't enough that I can't work there anymore, I have to also sign a form blackballing me from any other gainful employment, and oh yeah, everyone in the company is lining up outside my cubicle to punch me in the face for deceiving them.<br />
<br />
So I need to periodically glance backward in time and remind myself that as an introvert, I've managed to scrape together a decent living introducing myself to and having conversations with people who typically want nothing to do with me. I've met with high-level business folks in New York City, shaken hands and done presentations and demos, and somehow came back with closed deals and signed paperwork. I haven't just gotten by, I've sorta thrived and gotten actually pretty good at something, got myself a nice apartment and a cool car, and one bad day every now and again won't cause those around me to see that I'm just a child in grown-up clothes pressing keys and saying words in meetings to maintain the illusion of productivity before I'm taken into custody and thrown in liar jail for being the giant con artist that I feel like I am deep down in my soul.<br />
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Burlesque is a more intense version of this.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcti70jb20Y5ddYo9Jm7I-Yi-0tZwq3ffMwWMwLV-hWFWo41vOcB0gaTuQc9iLSENvCiZa0VDaLASl4kwnjS-IDb370X2JPc4HgdQvUpiclWMsSwZJPOPOYoWGRICRCywBZIZ6xl1VoHkH/s1600/Knees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcti70jb20Y5ddYo9Jm7I-Yi-0tZwq3ffMwWMwLV-hWFWo41vOcB0gaTuQc9iLSENvCiZa0VDaLASl4kwnjS-IDb370X2JPc4HgdQvUpiclWMsSwZJPOPOYoWGRICRCywBZIZ6xl1VoHkH/s400/Knees.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"ALL YE GAZE UPON ME, FOR I AM A FRAUD!"</td></tr>
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There are a lot of elements that contribute to this state of mind for me, all ingredients in the "doubt stew" that's been simmering on the back burner for as long as I've been performing. For starters, I'm one of a handful of male performers in a city where there isn't a lot of male burlesque. I've gotten a lot of work in the last 6 years based on the fact that I'm one of very few who is willing and able to fill roles as needed--I'm fairly certain that I've gotten gigs simply because I have blonde hair. The fact that burlesque is not predominantly a male artform has given me a lot of privilege towards landing gigs that might be better suited for a more capable performer, if only one was slightly more available.<br />
<br />
Add to that the fact that burlesque is not a kind of performance that has a high level of professional recognition. There aren't all that many burlesque performers that have a self-sustaining career supported by their work in theatrical striptease. I've covered this idea in previous blog posts--while burlesque might be more mainstream than it's been in many decades, it's far from a way to make a comfortable living in the way that a great singer or actor might have the means to do. The point here is that we don't judge our own or each others' performances by any professionally accepted standard, save for feedback from the people we hold in the highest trust. Due to the way the burlesque environment is constructed, "being the best," in a nutshell, might just be low-hanging fruit.<br />
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Somewhat related to that is that the burlesque community tends to want to support its strongest members through blind encouragement rather than through objective criticism. I wrote about <a href="http://dalestones.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-worst-burlesque-act-ive-ever-done.html">the worst act I've ever done</a> a little while back, and while I could point out every reason why it wasn't a good performance, I still had plenty of people lining up to tell me how much they loved it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1U5CNmFlz3ZIgnO3QwM1TmH79bqsMKeZdrofHIUSJbkZdOvsIcXi8fjAiNRC-UomMKKJv6v6y6eD3ARGZJu8Dqs0PvnyiyqUhen8xsBncN4ivbxQ-rFvj2gBVnenlQkNhKllhADvt2-V/s1600/Kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1U5CNmFlz3ZIgnO3QwM1TmH79bqsMKeZdrofHIUSJbkZdOvsIcXi8fjAiNRC-UomMKKJv6v6y6eD3ARGZJu8Dqs0PvnyiyqUhen8xsBncN4ivbxQ-rFvj2gBVnenlQkNhKllhADvt2-V/s400/Kiss.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sooo, what did you think of m--mrrrghhuuuugff..."</td></tr>
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<br />
Mix all these together and introduce the result to a performer with my specific personality type, and it becomes pretty clear why I have a tendency to doubt my creative abilities. A big reason why I write this blog is to carry out the practice of being grateful, as gratitude is an extremely important counterweight against feeling generally undeserving.<br />
<br />
My fellow Sir <a href="https://www.facebook.com/danny.drake.965">Danny Drake</a> reminded me of how important this was earlier in the year. He was telling me that it's easy to feel like you're not doing well and to not recognize when you're making significant progress. And that's why it's important not to dismiss the compliments from others, but to simply acknowledge and say "thank you." Knowing that my instinct in these situations is to be dismissive towards compliments, I can confirm that he's absolutely right.<br />
<br />
As with anything, practicing relentlessly creates the illusion of effortlessness. There have been times where I've performed an act so many times that, "dammit, I'm just going to go up on stage without having practiced and just do the damned thing," and it's turned out well. This happens on occasion despite my best efforts to rehearse thoroughly, and I always envision a scenario like this being the final straw for an audience already on its last nerve, exclaiming "Yep, it looks sloppy and unrehearsed. I knew that Dale Stones was a lackluster performer and now he's gone and ruined my evening. I'm going to hurl a tomato at him to express my dissatisfaction."<br />
<br />
But you know who else feels this way? <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2014/04/03/impostor-syndrome/">Don Cheadle</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2013/12/10/1226779/706096-d40df16a-607c-11e3-be16-1445237cc09f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://resources0.news.com.au/images/2013/12/10/1226779/706096-d40df16a-607c-11e3-be16-1445237cc09f.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured; Imposter Syndrome in a straw hat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For performers, I feel like some of it comes from a place of healthy humility. I realize that what I do is not a serious art form. Burlesque is fun, and it's entertaining, and it's enjoyable for so many people--but it's not life or death. If I mess up a reveal or if my dongle pops out, I probably won't do 15 years in prison.<br />
<br />
But we MUST keep creating new art. While it's true that our art is unimportant in the grand scheme of things (this fact helps us not have an ego so big that we become impossible to be around without everyone hating you and wanting to punch you in the taint), it's equally critical to remember that what you're doing is just as important to somebody else. That burlesque act where you're dressed up as a bar of soap and are doing a partner striptease with someone dressed as a loofa? Someone out there is waiting patiently for you to do that act for them, because they've waited their entire life to see it.<br />
<br />
So give it your best, because you absolutely deserve to be on that stage. If you weren't, you wouldn't be there. So go where you're going, and be where you are.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-72008729703415848572015-11-27T18:45:00.000-08:002015-11-27T19:11:34.081-08:00Performing for Largely Hetero AudiencesFirst of all, Happy Thanksgiving to all!<br />
<br />
I wanted to write a bit about my experience with performing for crowds comprised mostly of straight men, as I've had a lot of unique and strong feels about it. Mostly excitement, but sometimes terror. I'd like to take you through that emotional process and where it all originates.<br />
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Women's burlesque performance is generally more well received for new audiences, due in large part to the socially-reinforced way women's sexuality is available for public consumption. Women are expected to be looked at and appreciated, regardless of the gender makeup of the audience. Both men and women will watch in adoration at female striptease, as it is acceptable to do so. I'm here to write about what happens when a male burlesque performer presents to a crowd of new, straight-ish people, because the reactions are often much, much different than the reactions that naturalized, familiar burlesque audiences display.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9sVovVca27ZvWXLIcprxwKDuiBfNCdE87Js06ik7y1f8Dr1a6TIFzdNohGPQuVBGqGe2PQbcoCDZwQau2pcvCbXHLDCJrL8RmC41yZ38AlzN_vm2UXMYTuwrXejIDsrITgWsABApnhSo/s1600/Alright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9sVovVca27ZvWXLIcprxwKDuiBfNCdE87Js06ik7y1f8Dr1a6TIFzdNohGPQuVBGqGe2PQbcoCDZwQau2pcvCbXHLDCJrL8RmC41yZ38AlzN_vm2UXMYTuwrXejIDsrITgWsABApnhSo/s400/Alright.jpg" width="202" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such as leaning-accented casual indifference.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was a bit on edge for a recent gig with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brandywineburlesque?fref=ts">Brandy Wine</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/polly.surely?fref=ts">Polly Surely</a> of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Rogue-Burlesque-203175956203/">Rogue Burlesque</a>, as it was the type of setting where burlesque didn't quite seem to fit the programming. As I alluded to in a previous post, this was a high-energy party where DJ's from around the country were gathering to drink and dance. We went down into the basement, which was its own party-hearty room, complete with dim lighting, beer spilled on the floor, poor sight lines, and every formality spared. I'd say it was an audience with an 80/20 man-to-woman ratio.<br />
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Needless to say, very few folks in the crowd were acquainted with burlesque. After our host for the night started explaining burlesque etiquette, you could absolutely hear the sarcastic chuckling. While I knew they were probably picturing a club-esque strip show, I doubted they were ready to factor me into their expectations. As I mentioned way back in the second paragraph, the onlookers were pretty amenable to seeing Brandy and Polly perform. When I stepped onto the floor though, there was an audible groan from many of the males in the room. I would estimate that about 1/3 of them immediately turned around and walked out.<br />
<br />
In that moment, I saw a clear picture of what scares straight men about male burlesque. When I teach my class for new male burlesquers, I like to gradually introduce clothing reveals and let people opt out of ones they aren't (yet) comfortable with. To their credit, the guys in the class are usually willing to jump right in and do all of them, which is fantastic. I'm guessing that the mental re-configuring that happens when a group of men who have never met before begin to accept that they're about to be nearly naked in front of one other, they move past the head-space that my audience at this gig was stuck in. In essence, they were frightened.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxk0cAEkd53oNIihzKluPbdjLHx-KE0wnnuzWnj-cOhaPF8XzZBH_DMPTxt27LGoio6eayFs44UuaQJptj8sBLSZMP-VNyAH_Vpx5CKKQ1QLerKHtnFG2iCNDCfMy0hCAS2UPohT7YoVJ7/s1600/Fear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxk0cAEkd53oNIihzKluPbdjLHx-KE0wnnuzWnj-cOhaPF8XzZBH_DMPTxt27LGoio6eayFs44UuaQJptj8sBLSZMP-VNyAH_Vpx5CKKQ1QLerKHtnFG2iCNDCfMy0hCAS2UPohT7YoVJ7/s400/Fear.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Usually, the screaming is <i>in</i>ternal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Since performers tend to draw energy from the audience they go on for, I can tell you that when this happens, it's often demoralizing. To that end, it manifests itself in a few different ways: In struggling to cope with the fact that they might have to watch another man strip, these men will usually show signs of physical discomfort--heads down, arms folded, groaning and audible commentary. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jamesandthegiant.pasty?fref=ts">James and the Giant Pasty</a> of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/boylesqueTO/?fref=ts">Boylesque T.O.</a> (based in Canada) told me that at one show, a group of men in a bar lashed out and called him a faggot, which is the ultimate show of insecurity through aggression.<br />
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There was a point early on in my performance career where a reaction like this would have ruined me. Thankfully, I've had enough practice with the "show must go on" frame of mind that I'm usually able to compensate for situations like this. As a general rule, I focus my broader moves on the people who <i>are</i> having a great time, and I focus my specific audience work on the individuals who look the most uncomfortable.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZxyfs5c6YYMketKVbjLtUvBj8h7v7-SWDSp_-yOnb-DEhx1Ydf-rmvbw2d5oIIxxthNT_rKC6xfDiit4nxUv3LHztt4IgGW0AFL6nu61vaxeCbMUAs-brNo2LawGfxoQ7euaM8gO0CHJ/s1600/Uncomfortable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXZxyfs5c6YYMketKVbjLtUvBj8h7v7-SWDSp_-yOnb-DEhx1Ydf-rmvbw2d5oIIxxthNT_rKC6xfDiit4nxUv3LHztt4IgGW0AFL6nu61vaxeCbMUAs-brNo2LawGfxoQ7euaM8gO0CHJ/s400/Uncomfortable.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or in a pinch, anyone who is currently shrieking in terror. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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During my act, one man in the front of the audience buried his face in one hand in disbelief, as if one errant gaze upon my glittery pecs would turn him to stone (see what I did there?). I walked up to that one guy in the crowd, put my face about half a foot from his, waited for him to notice, and then gave a wave and a curtsy. He laughed just a little bit, and it got such a rise out of the crowd around him. I find that if you go for the hardest nut to crack, your success in getting the audience to join in the fun will have a ripple effect, and can often noticeably change the mood of the room.<br />
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Following from that, I'd like to talk to you about what happens <i>after</i> a performance like this. Due in large part to fragile masculinity (<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/masculinitysofragile">#masculinitysofragile</a> if you're so inclined), straight men tend to conflate male burlesque performance with homosexuality or flirting. While it's not always a negative thing that some men will give feedback after watching a male burlesque performance, it can absolutely be derived from a place of awkwardness or insecurity. Picture any of these after a performance;<br />
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"I'm not gay, but....that was a good show/you were funny/I've thought about kissing a man/etc."<br />
"Do you get a lot of gays/women/men hitting on you after you perform?"<br />
"I saw more of you than I wanted to see, but you were pretty cool to watch."<br />
"You were good, but you should work out more." (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LuckyCharmingBoylesk/?fref=ts">Lucky</a>, thanks for sharing that last one)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_N2CJuK_QluY5_gUTtsYkd_9f5N2p4TMCCPC-HP4Y361r0UIAhsGATQgP4mI-XYIjessPABARZq38rTOppdRjmihHMe2Gdi2n2OOvORe5PfqYhTb8BJW_aq2DXoSfwLLXyaroUIysqMrL/s1600/Bro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_N2CJuK_QluY5_gUTtsYkd_9f5N2p4TMCCPC-HP4Y361r0UIAhsGATQgP4mI-XYIjessPABARZq38rTOppdRjmihHMe2Gdi2n2OOvORe5PfqYhTb8BJW_aq2DXoSfwLLXyaroUIysqMrL/s400/Bro.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Look bro, I'm not gay or nuthin', but, uh....<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">good</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> job, there....dawg. Did I mention that I</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> reeeeealy like the ladies?"</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some of you reading this will recognize these experiences as your own. But while icky on the surface, they can be a good starting point for having a strong, valuable discussion with a new fan about burlesque, body norms, and expectations around performers from the same/opposite sex.<br />
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I've learned that for every 20 dudes in an audience I perform for, one or two will come chat with me afterwards and will be completely awesome to talk with. After this gig, there were 3 guys that came to talk to Polly, Brandy, and myself, and wanted to reiterate that they had the best time at the show. While they were each initially confused about how to react, all of them individually had the wherewithal to figure out what they appreciated about the performance, what questions they wanted to ask, and the enthusiasm about discovering us and our scene afterwards. It was awesome.<br />
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For me, having just a couple people telling me what a great time they had makes it 1000% worth it. Bringing new people to future shows helps bring burlesque more and more into the mainstream, which benefits us all. I also love when other men feel inspired enough from burlesque to want to try performing themselves, as it's a major disruption to the power structures that influence masculine negativity (and bolsters our solidarity with our female counterparts).<br />
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And that's pretty rad.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-47482535572727387462015-11-07T17:51:00.006-08:002015-11-07T19:44:59.187-08:00Get Those Dollars OutSince I came into burlesque in the Boston, I'd noticed that there was a very distinct performance culture here. Boston burlesque performers tend to be more theatrical, tend to bring the strange into the mainstream, and are generally group-oriented in how they advertise. It wasn't until I started performing outside of Boston that I began to realize that we had a very interesting stance on tipping, which is hardly reflected elsewhere.<br />
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I had been performing about 3 1/2 years before I was a part of a show where the patrons were asked to tip the performers.<br />
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I was definitely a little confused when I'd first heard the host setting that expectation with the audience. I wasn't against it per se; I did have a rudimentary understanding that making any kind of money as a performer was and always would be a hustle. I had worked restaurant gigs since I was 16, so I full well understood how tipping worked. I just had never been party to a producer linking that to performance.<br />
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As an integrated part of burlesque performing, the concept makes perfect sense. If the performer really blows your socks off, you throw them a bit of extra money to show your appreciation. Ergo, your performance can have an influence on how well you do that night. That's capitalism, baby!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CX8Bm3zdUrGh3JhHREOhTlmSfUwdCq6XscLRdE22j5vDCtFtu9GR1AHaPmOY59V-lloyuQzb09KgWe7CVkNdQ04VxnHeYxYn9KHn2RUfu1WxzyvEExqamFT6TRZvrdH5sOkx8_9hqZx3/s1600/Capitalism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_CX8Bm3zdUrGh3JhHREOhTlmSfUwdCq6XscLRdE22j5vDCtFtu9GR1AHaPmOY59V-lloyuQzb09KgWe7CVkNdQ04VxnHeYxYn9KHn2RUfu1WxzyvEExqamFT6TRZvrdH5sOkx8_9hqZx3/s400/Capitalism.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I mean, I <i>thought</i> that's how we were supposed to fix the economy."</td></tr>
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It reminded me of the one time I accompanied a friend of mine who was about to be married to a strip club. The biggest thing that stuck out to me about the way the strip club's economy worked was that every part of our visit was commodified. There was a cover charge when you entered, you were expected to have smaller bills to tip the dancers, buying drinks had its own set of permissions and rates, and individual women were soliciting separate engagements from the patrons.<br />
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In this setting, it seemed to me that the actions of the performers were directly tied to whether or not a patron was luring them over with money. Initially, this seems like a different thing from burlesque performance entirely--you're expected to have a set of specific choreography with movements that comprise a routine. In order to have the right punch, your act has to be rehearsed and well timed. If you're collecting dollar bills every couple of seconds, it's hard to imagine that you can execute a planned set of dance moves. It would have to be more improvisational.<br />
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I performed at a gig recently with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brandywineburlesque?fref=ts">Brandy Wine</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/polly.surely?fref=ts">Polly Surely</a> of Rogue Burlesque, and it was a paid event where tipping was encouraged. Although the crowd was a room full of drunk DJ's who were mostly dudes (I'll talk about performing for hetero males who are only experiencing their first burlesque show in a later post), there was a strong element of loud-crowd dollar-chucking appreciation, which has a slightly different feel than the whole "pass the basket in church" sort of tipping I had been acclimated with in other burlesque shows. It felt kind of like that scene in Magic Mike where Matthew McConaughey rolls around in dollars wearing a cowboy hat and a thong. It was a gritty kind of party atmosphere--which I kind of loved, not gonna lie.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH_DeOWcaLyguiZ2SM4yRtwd5ogVqqHB7cs3uvSXqTRl8VosIrZ-Zmk1VT614gwZ6qChGQ3VKx_Rx-riWyr1fm0Qw3fcXDTAv2mxGjJkk00kCxKcobmFRDEgN_LeklDpCnrjMLYW2ViaU/s1600/Matthew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH_DeOWcaLyguiZ2SM4yRtwd5ogVqqHB7cs3uvSXqTRl8VosIrZ-Zmk1VT614gwZ6qChGQ3VKx_Rx-riWyr1fm0Qw3fcXDTAv2mxGjJkk00kCxKcobmFRDEgN_LeklDpCnrjMLYW2ViaU/s400/Matthew.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't pretend you haven't seen it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Because I was doing a routine that I had done about 40 times before, I felt like I had the ability to change things up when needed and accommodate the dollar bills being thrown around near me. I knew that I could skip one of my flourishes with my hat and instead bend over all sexy-like while scooping dollars up and stuffing them into my waistband. You know, the kinds of things that the layman associates with striptease.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECz0iTNpEQA-pgBTDMyOERHzpW7DgrviM-mt9QT7ob91NVY50FV6Q2jqVOTNYkDf4blomDWHLLGcgvrWb_UpIxJp3D2ymS80PUwlCmi69ehRqgAGBpwCCXjAqks5Y-UdCMC4lACOxJy-g/s1600/Glitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECz0iTNpEQA-pgBTDMyOERHzpW7DgrviM-mt9QT7ob91NVY50FV6Q2jqVOTNYkDf4blomDWHLLGcgvrWb_UpIxJp3D2ymS80PUwlCmi69ehRqgAGBpwCCXjAqks5Y-UdCMC4lACOxJy-g/s400/Glitter.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like glitter!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I was chatting with my friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/honeypie0326">Honey Pie</a>, who I had performed with at a show a year or two ago where tipping was encouraged. The show itself was more of a "buy a $20 ticket, drink a ton to help us hit our bar minimum" sort of theatrical experience which was hosted by a character contributing to the performance, and so it wouldn't have made a ton of sense for people to leave their seats, approach the stage, and fling dollars at the performers.<br />
<br />
"I feel like there is a time and a place for it. I have done shows with tipping but it has always been more of a Go-Go set in a night club than a show done in a theater where most of the patrons are sitting down watching a show," Honey told me.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
"And I think that's where I don't feel like tipping should happen in Burlesque shows. Most of these shows patrons are paying more money to sit down and take in the beauty of the theater and performers. I myself don't want someone throwing money in crumpled up balls at me or walking up to the stage handing me money while I am up there working my ass of on the hours of choreography I have practiced and the time I put into making that costume look good for you. Sit back, drink and take in the show! I also don't like to see it while I'm taking in the sights of a performance on stage. It's distracting and takes away from the performance art," she said.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0IqhvNs3fStIahJtY4ge2rZ5eMRKz1-Y-eLoJ_igZeFfuykAprXMvYCyrFdR31nVj_JlOTdsZ5MVCWN0_eGsslsbcvIgnKOxosTvdl9jrtMddd10W0J8cogHJ9ZWcknpwgQJ2-FsJXfe/s1600/Pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0IqhvNs3fStIahJtY4ge2rZ5eMRKz1-Y-eLoJ_igZeFfuykAprXMvYCyrFdR31nVj_JlOTdsZ5MVCWN0_eGsslsbcvIgnKOxosTvdl9jrtMddd10W0J8cogHJ9ZWcknpwgQJ2-FsJXfe/s400/Pie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Honey Pie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
Honey made a great point about gogo dancing, which, as I've learned from doing shows outside of Boston (most prominently<a href="https://www.facebook.com/D20BurlyQ/?fref=ts"> D20 Burlesque</a> in NYC with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AnjaKeisterBurlesque/?fref=ts">Anja Keister</a> and friends, plug plug!), is pretty much the standard in-between and intro activity for burlesque shows. A dancer can make a good amount of tips doing largely improvisational choreography as a component of a burlesque show's program. But I would hesitate to call go-go dancing a burlesque performance. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Burlesque, like any other artform, needs support from the patrons to continue. Burlesque fans and show-goers should have extra opportunities to support the performers they enjoy (aside from ticket revenue), and I think that having a gogo set or two and having a basket at every show is a great way for performers to continue to fund their costume, travel, and meal costs.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's the "stuffing dollars into my underwear" aesthetic that makes me feel a little heeby-jeebly about performing certain engagements. It's a different implication entirely, which stems from what the average person might picture in club-based striptease--I've seen audience members get tossed from burlesque shows because their actions were clearly influenced by strip-club culture. Taking it a bit further, tipping mechanics have a great impact on proper boundaries, which are an inseparable component of burlesque striptease. Generally, most burlesque performers don't want you stuffing money into their clothing pieces, and won't hesitate to let you know it.</div>
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Tipping performers is a great thing, although I don't particularly like having to work it into my performance piece. Deciding what kinds of tipping mechanics work best for you in your own performances is a good thing, and I'd encourage you to share your own best practices with me.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-69494452764906211932015-10-10T18:53:00.000-07:002015-10-11T11:01:02.885-07:00Pop & Pasties: The Placement of Pop Culture in Burlesque<i>I'd like to do something a little differently tonight. Usually, I write my own material, but I thought I'd be lazy and outsource my originality for this post. In all seriousness though, I'm always curious to know what other performers are thinking, and I had been bugging my good friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LuckyCharmingBoylesk?fref=ts">Lucky Charming</a> to write something for me on the topic of pop culture in burlesque performance.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHPdNJWJHORdX-rCnP_n4ftFbQ-NOUKReyMwta6JF8Rc-8DLaAvU47E5N_48Tb_Ax0egIpOsUDjW_YJK9J2mkb4MBiz_UscKDLLlxgbEB-u6AfYQKICfg1mY2b0ztnfcXvmHZlf9bRHSq/s1600/Lucky+Lucky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHPdNJWJHORdX-rCnP_n4ftFbQ-NOUKReyMwta6JF8Rc-8DLaAvU47E5N_48Tb_Ax0egIpOsUDjW_YJK9J2mkb4MBiz_UscKDLLlxgbEB-u6AfYQKICfg1mY2b0ztnfcXvmHZlf9bRHSq/s400/Lucky+Lucky.jpg" width="266" /></i></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lucky Charming</i></td></tr>
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<i>To preface the discussion, I'd like to talk about the kind of relationship me and Lucky have. I had met him shortly after he attended <a href="http://www.alternatease.com/">Alternatease </a>in Boston a few years back. <a href="http://www.sirlesque.com/">Sirlesque </a>had invited him back to do a show with us, and although I didn't get the chance to see him at Alternatease, his reputation did precede him in my mind. When he did end up coming back to Boston, he absolutely blew me away with what he brought to the stage ("Party in the TSA," if you're curious). Since then, we've had him back to visit and he and I have become fast friends.</i><br />
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<i>As a 4-time GLAM Awards nominee and the creator of "Cootie Catcher," a one-man show which he's brought to Fringe festivals both in the United States and Canada, he's got plenty of credibility and mileage as a performer. Plus, I really appreciate his viewpoints on many topics, and wanted to highlight this one in particular. So without further ado, Lucky;</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj1NfwPxG_Dg7KD75nzln5YzgV9RD5mTDjaSfz2SRz5cTJkOPpS-SymgqEz3gXKZzpWS1DGXx25YWzm8K-VkygAuck_SMVW4HxpSgZuh7NI-n5WP3BU3EHdR4ZiV_Usr5asChVyxva8O9/s1600/Cap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWj1NfwPxG_Dg7KD75nzln5YzgV9RD5mTDjaSfz2SRz5cTJkOPpS-SymgqEz3gXKZzpWS1DGXx25YWzm8K-VkygAuck_SMVW4HxpSgZuh7NI-n5WP3BU3EHdR4ZiV_Usr5asChVyxva8O9/s400/Cap.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over to you, hotshot!</td></tr>
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Merriam-Webster defines burlesque as โa literary or dramatic work that seeks to ridicule by means of grotesque exaggeration or comic imitation. : mockery usually by caricature.โ In the 19th century, these parodies typically targeted the theatre, opera, and other popular pastimes for the upper class. However, in the era of burlesque that we find ourselves in now, the caricatures that we see are more likely to depict figures that are more broadly consumed by the masses.</div>
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Iโve only been a member of the burlesque community for three-and-a-half years, and in that time Iโve seen hundreds of routines that portray superheroes, super villains, video games, and cartoons, and delivered in a way that is more of a tribute than a travesty. I see this as merely an indication of how our society has evolved; patrons are more interested in paying for performances that bring them to their happy place than those that are going to challenge them and remind them how chaotic the state of the world is. And I canโt say I blame them. </div>
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That said, Iโm a firm believer that burlesque is meant to challenge, as well as titillate. In itโs time of origin, being naked was enough to spark the senses. Now, a simple strip is nothing special. Naked people are everywhereโฆmovies, magazines, you name it. I firmly believe that burlesque in general needs more than just nudity. If you simply dress up as a popular character and strip to make people squeal, youโre doing a disservice to your audience, your character, and your talent.</div>
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YeahโฆI went there. (UNPOPULAR OPINIONS, ACTIVATE!)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESxpim8LoxmM0-AN76i815t2H0iwJwitzz_dhuZSlc_P4G9Gb8XP1J49Gumg9-oFUqBlozxHj3qy0s1wF_g1CJccDrs7JhWhNv4o9hnRwyM5Dxchr9yXJsrFJCQNr8hUv5kltGjUvziEt/s1600/Lucky+-+Golden+Gun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESxpim8LoxmM0-AN76i815t2H0iwJwitzz_dhuZSlc_P4G9Gb8XP1J49Gumg9-oFUqBlozxHj3qy0s1wF_g1CJccDrs7JhWhNv4o9hnRwyM5Dxchr9yXJsrFJCQNr8hUv5kltGjUvziEt/s400/Lucky+-+Golden+Gun.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and stylishly, I might add. Photo credit; Christopher Gagliardi</td></tr>
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By making any pop culture reference in your performance, youโre taking a risk in alienating your audience. Unless, of course, the entire show is a reference to a certain piece of pop culture. If someone purposefully attends a โBobโs Burgersโ tribute show, itโs reasonable to assume theyโve watched at least half of the existing episodes. But if you stick a โBobโs Burgersโ act into any old burlesque show, you can bet that a large percentage of the people arenโt going to get it. And they might be pissed. And the have every right to be. </div>
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The audience wants to be in on your jokes. They want to laugh and cheer for you and with you. Donโt block them out by being too specific. To make such a move is naive at best, and arrogant at worst.</div>
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There are plenty of ways to pay tribute to the pieces of pop culture that bring you joy that donโt leave too many audience members behind. The first person to come to mind is Franki Markstone, whom I shared the stage with this summer in Orlando. She performed a delightful number inspired by โHarry Potterโ. Aside from her use of the movieโs theme song (with segued, appropriately, into Heartโs โMagic Manโ), a dress in the colors that fanโs would recognize as Gryffindorโs, and a strategically placed Golden Snitch, there was nothing super specifically Potter-ish about it. Most humans will recognize โHarry Potterโ in this day and age, but on the off-chance they didnโt, it was still a beautiful, well-performed striptease that the whole family can enjoy.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxNjoF_3hQxVBDbde3I55SQr7V1H68lMk62mhPO2mYFXiEJBaLT_LtgBrUdz3z83KQFDv1uHUHPjI5DbrirDIhavVu5hyphenhyphen4GM0sFP-TA8o58b5iy0VZZ7YSBrE4-pUyT1-9zaNBgOI9z9o/s1600/10306610.87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxNjoF_3hQxVBDbde3I55SQr7V1H68lMk62mhPO2mYFXiEJBaLT_LtgBrUdz3z83KQFDv1uHUHPjI5DbrirDIhavVu5hyphenhyphen4GM0sFP-TA8o58b5iy0VZZ7YSBrE4-pUyT1-9zaNBgOI9z9o/s400/10306610.87.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured; wholesome, family-friendly entertainment. Photo credit; Jenna Cumbo, Village Voice</td></tr>
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This pleased me on so many levels. There was enough of a wink to the Potter fans to keep them happy, but enough dazzle that if you didnโt get it, it didnโt matter.</div>
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Oh, there be players that I have seen, and heard others praise and that highly**, who brought an act as a particular sci-fi character to a general burlesque showโฆa character I was very familiar with, I might addโฆand through referencing the most minute details of this characterโs storyline, completely lost 90% of their audience within the first ten seconds. They cheered anyway, but I was infuriated on their behalf.</div>
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[**Shakespeare reference. Hamlet. Didnโt get it? Now you know how it feels to be alienated. Not so fun, huh?]</div>
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On the other hand, say you are performing in a show that pays tribute to a popular entity. It is safe to assume that the members of the audience are serious fanatics, and are anticipating a plentitude of inside jokes that only their fandom would get. In this case, by all means, go niche or go home.</div>
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But wait! Before you get down to businessโฆdo me a little favor. Iโve seen a lot of characters from film and television portrayed on the burlesque stage, and I notice that many of them have fallen into a formula: </div>
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1. Dress up as the character</div>
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2. Pick a song that makes some joke about the character</div>
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3. Strip</div>
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4. End in a reveal that consists of some other joke about the character as depicted in a crotch piece.</div>
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Perhaps I only find this tedious because I, too, am a participant in this art form, but even if you have the most stunning costume imaginable for an act like this, it still has great capacity to feelโฆdare I say it? Lazy. Most pop culture acts Iโve seen are severely lacking in context. I love that this character is stripping, but I want to know why this character is stripping. Iโm game to see Darth Vader naked, but likeโฆwhy is he taking his clothes off in the first place? And even more importantlyโฆwhy is he still breathing and functioning after he takes that breast plate off? Doesnโt that help keep him alive or something?</div>
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Please excuse me: Iโm going to use myself as an example here, because I am fully aware of my own arrogance and not too proud to admit it.</div>
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After my first couple of years in burlesque, I decided to cut back on the nerdy shows. I appreciate them so much, and love being in the audience for them, but with the way my own career has progressed, they often cost me a pretty penny and I get minimal mileage out of them.</div>
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That said, when someone is producing a โDoctor Whoโ show and they ask you personally to play Captain Jack Harknessโฆyou canโt really say no, and you definitely canโt fuck it up.</div>
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Jack Harkness, for those who arenโt familiar, has plenty of reasons to take his clothes off. Heโs hot. Heโs charming. Heโll unzip his pants for pretty much anyone, regardless of gender or species. Heโs the slutty pansexual dreamboat that Iโve always wanted to see on the screen. But I didnโt want to build my act around that alone. Again: context. </div>
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There is an episode called โBad Wolfโ where Jack gets teleported into a futuristic reboot of โExtreme Makeoverโ, and two droid stylists zap his clothes off with a defabricator ray. Jackpot. I had a character. I had a motivation. I had an arc. The pieces practically pulled themselves together, and I quickly had (what I believe to be) one of my strongest acts to date. I wish I had more opportunities to take it out, but I donโt want to shove obscure sci-fi references in anyoneโs face without their clear consent. Do you understand what Iโm saying?</div>
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The arc is something that I think gets dangerously neglected with popular characters in burlesque, often because we feel it is implied. But just as an audience needs to see a character change between the beginning and the end of a movie or play, they should see how your character develops in a burlesque routine, whether itโs a recognizable character or not. Otherwise, itโs just pretty. And while most of us do burlesque partially to publicly claim our own beauty, many of us also want our audiences to have boners for our brains. Letโs keep those brain-boners coming, kids!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-51327609636756260052015-09-15T07:37:00.003-07:002016-06-29T10:17:26.027-07:00The Workout ParadoxOne of the topics that I find goes rather unfortunately arm-in-arm with the topic of striptease performance is the issue of "working out" or "being in shape." It's the ever-present, borderline shameful, basement-level accompaniment that lurks around the corner and just out of sight when discussing an artform that glorifies near-nakedness. As my second installment of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1622229038033869/">Dale's All-Male Yardsale Amateur Showcase</a> approaches and I scour the landscape for new willing participants to perform, I am continually hearing the same reasons for apprehension that used follow me around, and I think it's high time to discuss those fears. Although I've alluded to the compulsion to work out in previous blogs, I think there's enough here to stimulate a thorough discussion in its own place.<br />
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I'd like to acknowledge that as a male-bodied performer, I have the privilege of not necessarily being judged by my appearance first and foremost. I also want to make sure I draw a clear delineation between being "physically fit" and "healthy," as I want to focus on the former for the purposes of this article. Also, those are not the same things.<br />
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The first thing I want to say to you if you're new to burlesque and thinking about performing at some point; <b>YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE IN PHENOMENAL SHAPE TO PERFORM BURLESQUE.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Period.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSb4ZaUBH0fn6XVYO8QwJpOn-c2KVX9slxMJ22amVErg_IAfWFiGogS-b3aMrY-5YuXFtarOJF129hyphenhyphenprCFyOY0CMsE4V-L1tHPXjnXZEbYtgrTPxGvVZMhVEiFqBa6OBI2BFThp5If-B/s1600/Workout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSb4ZaUBH0fn6XVYO8QwJpOn-c2KVX9slxMJ22amVErg_IAfWFiGogS-b3aMrY-5YuXFtarOJF129hyphenhyphenprCFyOY0CMsE4V-L1tHPXjnXZEbYtgrTPxGvVZMhVEiFqBa6OBI2BFThp5If-B/s400/Workout.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...no matter WHAT the VHS boxed set says.</td></tr>
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Every time I meet a burlesque newcomer who has only just seen a performance for the first time recently, I always encourage them to try out burlesque performance if they want to. Regardless of gender, I always get some version of the following comment in response to my suggestion;<br />
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"Oh, I have to go hit the gym for at least a few months before I would even think about trying it."<br />
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It makes me a sad to hear, mainly because despite the way we present our varied body types and abilities to the general public, their individual response is to counter with self-shame. Despite the fact that there's no fitness standard to burlesque performance (because it's not the Marines), people are still very intimidated by the mere concept of people judging their physical form. And they do--we ALL do that involuntarily, to some degree. What you're effectively doing is showing your body to a room full of strangers. Once you make peace with that, you can really do anything you want, and moving past that initial insecurity is what makes burlesque performance a truly liberating experience--NOT the state of the physical vessel you present.<br />
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I've been fortunate enough to have my own thoughts and feelings on that change over the 6 years I've been doing burlesque. While I've always been somewhat athletic, I was never in peak physical form. For some perspective, here's how I started out;<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcGsI3b-MkrUnzDhxyzi8WgVK5Yw5I-2yv8cDjyZPlHmN5moqyjinMfvXmvdPZv5vq5TeCZx91MhtpAQpUxMtyO_QBvXmmoSOUsGrHtPY3uNG2Y4pPXfAE3clsZkLnb4J4VxL9f5Dr5Z9/s1600/Fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcGsI3b-MkrUnzDhxyzi8WgVK5Yw5I-2yv8cDjyZPlHmN5moqyjinMfvXmvdPZv5vq5TeCZx91MhtpAQpUxMtyO_QBvXmmoSOUsGrHtPY3uNG2Y4pPXfAE3clsZkLnb4J4VxL9f5Dr5Z9/s400/Fit.jpg" width="266" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpFOndGwqT-vFy6Q86FADx31XMgm15lpoRAVrZHV4EbSxojXzhrjjJKJeEndxiQ7k_TaKIP57r93jwWj2Hwpt9WlgMXF5LTikXmi9YWVkdxKNtOnpLT93c7_W0WJCnCWip4wulanKLZLn/s1600/Hat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLpFOndGwqT-vFy6Q86FADx31XMgm15lpoRAVrZHV4EbSxojXzhrjjJKJeEndxiQ7k_TaKIP57r93jwWj2Hwpt9WlgMXF5LTikXmi9YWVkdxKNtOnpLT93c7_W0WJCnCWip4wulanKLZLn/s400/Hat.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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When it was just myself and two other guys several years ago, I kind of resented the idea of having to maintain a physical appearance in order to perform striptease. While the other guys looked at it as a logical progression and began to encourage me to participate in group weight lifting sessions, I grew frustrated and withdrawn.<br />
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What it really came down to was that I resented being told that I had to fit an arbitrary standard in a medium where we were, in theory, encouraged to accept each other as is, in whatever physical form we presented. I found it upsetting that before I worked on any other skills that might have helped me transcend as a performer such as dance training or flexibility, I was being told I had to make sure I was desirable enough to look at. It pissed me off.<br />
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The weird thing is, guys put a ton of pressure on each other to be physically strong and capable. Society tells men that they don't necessarily have to be pretty, but they do have to be able to fight another dude if the situation arises. Your worth as a provider and someone to be desired might have roots in how much physical labor you can perform, which is a decidedly different standard than what my female-bodied friends are expected to fit. In fact, most male burlesque that celebrates the masculine form relies on those tropes to power the acts.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ejA3lIPkq1-fOlGSfIUDiIdCLOjt6ynRPrJ_NTz1Qf8lHBAaXAvMQE3mg7Q12gfj1qlRy8IUJUYDl2Vvw0sMagfW5AhcfpMFgAmx3HpG9xVJlHCDMh870ptQNyZ5_YnPyKZpHOqmSUFF/s1600/Top+Gun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ejA3lIPkq1-fOlGSfIUDiIdCLOjt6ynRPrJ_NTz1Qf8lHBAaXAvMQE3mg7Q12gfj1qlRy8IUJUYDl2Vvw0sMagfW5AhcfpMFgAmx3HpG9xVJlHCDMh870ptQNyZ5_YnPyKZpHOqmSUFF/s400/Top+Gun.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">....unless it's a Top Gun act, in which case all bets are off. Photo by Jon Beckley.</td></tr>
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As it pertains to burlesque, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008830006242&fref=ufi">Nina La Voix</a> told me that being physically fit makes her a better performer on stage. "I feel like my body moves better and my self confidence levels are boosted when I'm on my regular fitness routine."<br />
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"Physical fitness can prevent injuries on stage. Taking care of your body... conditioning... knowing it's limits.. building strength... and overall body awareness in general, makes for a better performance. Your body is your tool, and you only get one." Nina said.<br />
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I would agree that training one's self physically is a great way to feel more capable about what you present to your audience, though isn't something that should ever be attached as a necessity to burlesque performance. Treating your physical self in the best way you know how is necessary for living a long life, but isn't even reomtely a stage requirement.<br />
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"Do what makes you feel like your best version of you. That's what body positivity is all about. But when the importance of being physically fit and fitting a specific body type is placed on you from others (specifically producers) that's when it is dangerous," said Philadelphia-based <a href="https://www.facebook.com/taylorsweet.burlyque?fref=ufi">Taylor Sweet</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEP1-Yw5xbpWFFqKWRS3_SZAP2Sk1au4YH6esbmCOHdhTNmgBzyPyTyhwXWcDOODqoNxWcYznMCq3YJaKrbwuHXnVfAKN9JMFlS4OwYFkErOCfwP43lXTtNMDStdnd7tsLEhGwXvnUVn7/s1600/Taylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYEP1-Yw5xbpWFFqKWRS3_SZAP2Sk1au4YH6esbmCOHdhTNmgBzyPyTyhwXWcDOODqoNxWcYznMCq3YJaKrbwuHXnVfAKN9JMFlS4OwYFkErOCfwP43lXTtNMDStdnd7tsLEhGwXvnUVn7/s400/Taylor.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taylor Sweet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And that's a great point, though it does help me identify some privilege I have as a male burlesque performer: I've never had to confront a producer or venue that placed an unfair standard on my body, though I do know many female performers who have. <a href="http://dalestones.blogspot.com/2015_02_01_archive.html">The demands that the management at Lucky Pierre's placed on Ruby Rage</a> come immediately to mind, and it's an ugly reality to have to consider when deciding what your personal brand should be.<br />
<br />
I'm in a male-bodied burlesque group which has a decidedly masculine aesthetic. While none of us went into the discipline thinking we were Chippendale's dancers (I even parody the rigorous Chippendale's standards in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=455550021320409&set=a.111838435691571.1073741829.100005962449182&type=1&theater">an act I perform with Butch Sassidy</a>), we somehow incidentally each took on an ostensibly fit phenotype, and whether it's reflective of the demand that society has for our niche or a side effect of the confidence we've gained as we've leveled up our performance chops is unclear.<br />
<br />
All this is to say that <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sirlesque">Sirlesque</a> has a specific "brand" that we're pushing, and we each take on skills and train in certain disciplines that advance us professionally. If you're a dude who is not looking to build up a beefcake aesthetic, it really doesn't serve your purposes to head to the gym with your fellow bros 5 times a week. But if you want to learn how to do a aerial silks striptease, you might consider following in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jack.silver.7773?fref=ts">Jack Silver's</a> footsteps and spend some time in a circus gym.<br />
<br />
Therein lies the eponymous paradox. While I can't deny that my stage presence and confidence overall has improved due in some part to the attention I've been giving my physical form in the last couple years, I would never consider "working out" a necessary component of burlesque performance.<br />
<br />
Similarly, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AnjaKeister">Anja Keister</a> and I had a lengthy discussion about that; "In burlesque we often say that our "bodies are our instruments" or "our tools for expression."</div>
<div>
So it only makes sense to "customize" our product to fit the brand we provide. There are many ways to do this.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
"Maybe you dress it up in fancy costumes. Maybe you paint it (makeup) and dye it to look a certain way. Maybe you get physical enhancements like breast implants or other cosmetic surgery. Maybe you take acting classes to be better at expression on stage. Maybe you take dance classes for choreography. Maybe you work out to tone, lose weight, or strengthen the body. These are all ways to customize your "burlesque product" to better sell it to an audience," said Anja.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLt9m7mpu-J2sMnsAxcn9EuorJkcW_Akzm1ndHS005CD60i9tfLbotOHSpYkEJ73rSmoi0wjgBqJIvgAzzGPsqWGfgWBw3r0Hsq9niV-vCapo8G3duxPR1_lr9vpvYmu37fPcLYufjPtMY/s1600/11927438_1029248413786723_1023372886_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLt9m7mpu-J2sMnsAxcn9EuorJkcW_Akzm1ndHS005CD60i9tfLbotOHSpYkEJ73rSmoi0wjgBqJIvgAzzGPsqWGfgWBw3r0Hsq9niV-vCapo8G3duxPR1_lr9vpvYmu37fPcLYufjPtMY/s400/11927438_1029248413786723_1023372886_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anja Keister, photo by Adrian Buckmaster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<div>
Anja mentioned that what resonates with her audience and fanbase is more important than hitting a specific physical characterization.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
"Like if I want to sell a 'mainstream classic burlesque product,' sure, physical fitness is important. If I was doing aerial or lyra, it would be important. But, not for who I am currently selling to. I am a weird, nerdy burlesque clown. It's not a customization I "need." Sure, I want it, but want to have a product my audiences respond to," Anja said.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In looking at how I was brought into burlesque performance, I learned the importance of punchline comedy and immersive storytelling, which largely shaped what I consider important. Learning to do erotic striptease was something that I hadn't considered important at the time, but began to work into my repertoire as I honed that skill, and the physical aspect of performance was a late add in the game, as I decided I wanted the physical ability to perform acrobatic and strength-based feats as one part of my performance catalog. What I want to show on stage is a direct reflection of what I work on when I'm off stage, and only recently has physical ability been a relevant part of that.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It certainly isn't a blanket necessity for the discipline of burlesque, and I would never tell a newcomer that it's even remotely important. Now, we just need to make sure our audiences understand that, which isn't exactly a short order. This is all a part of the incipient discussion when distinguishing "burlesque" from "stripping," and a conversation we're all constantly having with the people we're seeking to educate.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-84413922450429392302015-08-27T08:55:00.000-07:002015-08-27T08:56:38.224-07:00Trolling Cold-Email Marketing SolicitorsI've discovered a new passion of mine, and it is glorious.<br />
<br />
Recently, I've been getting a slew of cold emails from marketing people who think I'm some important business executive, usually soliciting me for advertising and/or website optimization. If the cold email is patently baseless (e.g. wrong website, wrong employer, thinks my name is something it's not), I've been rebutting them in a supportive but critical way.<br />
<br />
Let me explain.<br />
<br />
Dale Stones' alter-ego in real life works in sales, and understands what goes into the cold-sales process. On a daily basis, he sends out emails himself in order to secure future business. When I receive emails from people in the same position, I always give them the attention they deserve, especially since I may find some usefulness regarding the content within. But sometimes, a rep sends me an email and gets it so dreadfully wrong that I can't help but respond in a comically critical way. Here's a recent one I got;<br />
<br />
<a href="https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t31.0-8/11895066_869263719822727_753162584589903404_o.jpg">Email #1</a><br />
<br />
I sent along a photo, too;<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_WgIotWGN1hpkJsilEFbhkgIKdGVcjHEeMMszwzjcygsz8ZPehoTIo_LCIWapW5FYEnJsnqonn7rvH-GJ3ASTXHeNQjGPhacOVMKoywKBr42KeJPCU9LOVUhYgXwXupN-LyH5l6ZudqP/s1600/Guys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_WgIotWGN1hpkJsilEFbhkgIKdGVcjHEeMMszwzjcygsz8ZPehoTIo_LCIWapW5FYEnJsnqonn7rvH-GJ3ASTXHeNQjGPhacOVMKoywKBr42KeJPCU9LOVUhYgXwXupN-LyH5l6ZudqP/s400/Guys.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd be psyched to get this in my inbox.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In the email, the guy got my company wrong, didn't know my name, and had a complete misunderstanding of what I do. Frankly, I'm not sure how he made the connection to me from the bistro he wanted to sell to. Truly mind-boggling.<br />
<br />
Here's another one;<br />
<br />
<a href="https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/t31.0-8/11850721_869967983085634_3880280045421084927_o.jpg">Email #2</a><br />
<br />
I've also attached the photos I sent back;<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XEdF_H_iY5pmIrA2xyLmLOTlJc2shoibjCHgKDfb17l1hvgA706qnaFV2joUwFAuh1vMdCvCkjod2BlxOFBHhl6o_ILbjoY8WHbg2EhJZAL526gGtS7ufbguRQU3985DZT6rY56SUSXw/s1600/guys+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4XEdF_H_iY5pmIrA2xyLmLOTlJc2shoibjCHgKDfb17l1hvgA706qnaFV2joUwFAuh1vMdCvCkjod2BlxOFBHhl6o_ILbjoY8WHbg2EhJZAL526gGtS7ufbguRQU3985DZT6rY56SUSXw/s400/guys+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtSdaHMTVbU6HJAuKe0wgmOHXVqBPdVeS7FpdNFydX3oZCCLBppMxXaLlJYqp40SCdxHe4i4HDORSCcveUWQCkhKUlnfUtndZEgMR8433JwUfZ7KKwqHsZTs-ysc3W3zt5XuPEHE6R1XS/s1600/wrench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtSdaHMTVbU6HJAuKe0wgmOHXVqBPdVeS7FpdNFydX3oZCCLBppMxXaLlJYqp40SCdxHe4i4HDORSCcveUWQCkhKUlnfUtndZEgMR8433JwUfZ7KKwqHsZTs-ysc3W3zt5XuPEHE6R1XS/s400/wrench.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the photo that features a tool prominently.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What I found fascinating about this email was that the guy sent me an email asking about a site that wasn't even close to the website I actually curate. That's truly bizarre, if for no other reason than because misspelling a website on the internet is dangerous. Almost everything re-directs to porn. Since I am not porn, I thought it might be a good idea to give this guy in particular a very loose correlation to what he thought he was searching for.<br />
<br />
Also, he obviously did not do a google search for my website, as Sirlesque's search results are damned specific. He would've seen a bunch of mostly-naked dudes and said "yeah, these guys definitely know a lot about search engine functionality. And also butts. They know a lot about butts."<br />
<br />
Instead, he did a search for a website that sells transmissions. These things only mildly overlap.<br />
<br />
I believe there will be more emails, if the past is any indication. Stay tuned for additional coverage--this is my new favorite sport.<br />
<br />
Also of importance; I have not received any responses to my follow ups.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-78969501296573596542015-08-16T17:50:00.002-07:002015-08-16T19:44:29.645-07:00Burlesque as a Business<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Alternatease?fref=ts">Alternatease, Boston's Annual Neo-Burlesque Festival</a> just wrapped for the weekend, and what a weekend it was. I love getting the chance to celebrate neo-burlesque with like-minded performers, and ALL of them brought the weird. There were too many good ones to name, but the ones that stuck out the most for me were <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cherie.nuit?fref=ts">Cherie Nuit's</a> fanny-pack-ridden travelogue strip, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bustee.keaton.1?fref=ts">Bustee Keaton's</a> Ayn Rand masterpiece, and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lipstickcriminals?fref=ts">Lipstick Criminals</a>, who won Top Banana with their finger-light mega-art extravagance.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/t31.0-8/11885737_878942758850314_2763899072464270078_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/t31.0-8/11885737_878942758850314_2763899072464270078_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alternatease Ta Ta's Competition - Photo by Hans Wedland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It all got me thinking about what goes into the production aspect of burlesque. For a weekend festival to have gone so smoothly, so many things had to go just so. There was precision in the way that it was handled, and I wanted to discuss the inner workings of production in the burlesque world with one of my own burlesque idols, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/janedoe.cabaret?fref=ts">Jane Doe</a>. Not only is Jane Doe one of the three producers on the team responsible for making Alternatease happen for three years running, but she's one of the fiercest, most committed performers I've ever met across any discipline.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/11227574_1081180695244961_3758874692222255059_n.jpg?oh=403ca6b9a8c0d99592eef7ee12423e0a&oe=5637AFC6" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/11227574_1081180695244961_3758874692222255059_n.jpg?oh=403ca6b9a8c0d99592eef7ee12423e0a&oe=5637AFC6" width="278" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane Doe - Photo by Roger Gordy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Dale Stones - </b>"So what makes a good producer? What are your unconditional beliefs or guarantees?"<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Jane Doe - </b>"Communication (clear and frequent, but not excessive) โ I think itโs important to let the people you book know whatโs going on, when theyโre expected to be where, that they know about anything thatโs different than usual, etc. But you also donโt want them to have to read a different book-length email every day. Bullet points are your friend. Be available and responsible. Make sure your cast and crew have your phone number AND your email so they can get you if they need you. <br />
<br />
Flexibility โ Shit can and will go wrong. Ticket sales may suck. People will get sick, props will change, acts that you didnโt think would be messy end up trashing the stage. Just try and roll with it. Once itโs done, all you can do is figure out how to move forward. <br />
<br />
Honesty โ Everything works better if everyone is honest. Across the board. <br />
<br />
Kindness & manners โ Full disclosure: rudeness is my pet peeve. Manners are free, and kindness goes a loooong way. Your cast, crew, and audience are everything. They should feel welcome, and wanted, and special. If you have all the hallmarks of a good producer but youโre an asshole, no one is going to want to work with you.<br />
<br />
<b>DS - </b>"And what do you feel are your responsibilities versus those of the contracted performers, and the venue?"<br />
<br />
<b>JD - </b>"You should be the point of contact with the venue. Itโs one thing to ask the performers for help with logistical/tech-related questions on their acts (obviously they know their own work the best), but if youโre getting pushback on something, you should be the one dealing with that, and communicating anything necessary to the performer yourself."<br />
<br />
<b>DS -</b> "Could you go into detail about a situation where your terms weren't honored, what happened, and what you learned from that?"<br />
<br />
<b>JD - </b>"I was booked for a private party at a local night club, and had in fact given up another paying gig on the same night. After confirming multiple times both in person and via email, I found out during a casual conversation with another performer that they were cancelling the burlesque portion of the evening. I texted the booker directly to ask him what was going on, since he hadnโt even contacted me, and I absolutely wouldโve just showed up at my agreed-upon and confirmed call time. He responded with what essentially amounted to โOops. Things have changed.โ <br />
<br />
Even though we had confirmed multiple times via email, I realized after the fact that we had never put the rate in writing. As a result, I didnโt have many options in the way of recourse, and ended up just losing money on the evening. So now, if I donโt know a producer, Iโm super adamant about making sure that I have absolutely everything in writing."<br />
<br />
<b>DS - </b>"All good stuff! Thank you."<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>JD - </b>"Thanks Dale!"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11902373_444645622410849_8667051212407150922_n.jpg?oh=83661056dc6498df14008f291ff2d4db&oe=567CF834" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11902373_444645622410849_8667051212407150922_n.jpg?oh=83661056dc6498df14008f291ff2d4db&oe=567CF834" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jane Doe, front right, organizing outings like a boss.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I didn't have time to cover every topic with Jane Doe, as she was in elbows-deep making sure Alternatease went off without a hitch.<br />
<br />
I did want to discuss the issue of money specifically (in the production circuit specifically, not including festivals), as it is one that often times gets glossed over when discussing the details of an upcoming show or production involving artists. On the producer's side, the reasons could range from initial costs which exceed expectation to personal financial instability, to even lack of confidence in being able to market a show to a large enough crowd, just to list a couple of examples. I think it's important to take a stand on a few key topics about money in performance, and here are mine;<br />
<br />
<b>I believe that every contract performer I pay should be given a guarantee.</b> Often, a performer has to gauge his or her willingness to perform in your show based on their own budget. If someone has to incur more expenses than the producer is willing to compensate for, the performer suffers if they decide to book the gig. If the performer you want to book has a close budget, this often means losing you that performer for your show. Add to that, if you're counting on a well-known performer being a highlight in your lineup, not offering a confident guarantee means that those performer's fans might not decide to attend, losing you money.<br />
<br />
On top of that, giving a confident guarantee means that you're now motivated to make sure your show does well. The thing that makes credit so menacing is that you're expected to pay it back. Investing in producing a good show is no exception, and people give you a good show when they know their efforts are being valued--and confidence in who you're booking makes all the difference.<br />
<br />
<b>I won't keep secrets about what I pay people. </b>If people know what you're paying and you keep your rates and promises consistent, people will treat you as a professional. If nobody knows when or even IF you're paying them, they'll be hesitant to work with you in the future, or even trust you. Plus, I used to work in the restaurant business. People talk to each other about what they make all the time. So you don't want to seem dodgy for paying two people doing the same job wildly different rates. Or, if you do--you'd better be able to justify why.<br />
<br />
You should also be able to document what you pay people and when, because getting a full-arm ham-fisting from Uncle Sam may be a great burlesque act concept, but it's a sobering problem off-stage; you don't want to be unable to prove that you paid people or that you didn't earn income from performing and producing ever in your life. The IRS doesn't like that.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/11043194_10152758188328004_6204148738775864804_n.jpg?oh=50d3fb1c79f42374d3595399252518b4&oe=5637152B" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/11043194_10152758188328004_6204148738775864804_n.jpg?oh=50d3fb1c79f42374d3595399252518b4&oe=5637152B" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*Actual footage of an IRS audit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Going back 5 years, I wish I'd been more organized and up-to-date on my tax stuff, because the amount I've had to pay in penalties and previous-years' taxes has cost me <i>thousands upon thousands of dollars.</i> And I'm not sure I'm even done paying yet. That shit sucks.<br />
<br />
<b>I will pay more than the guarantee if the show does well, never less. </b>I was speaking to a musician friend of mine recently, and he told me the story of how he showed up to a gig, played a 3-hour set, and was given a check for less than half of what was agreed upon. When that happens after you've been given a guarantee, you know you're dealing with a criminal with no remorse.<br />
<br />
The fact is, the performer's options in this unfortunate scenario are limited. With written agreements, you can sue for the amount, but the time and resources involved in legal recourse may not be worth the effort. I've known people who will openly trash the booking agent's reputation on social media or warn other performers about working with that person, but the only real outcome is that someone gets screwed.<br />
<br />
But if ticket sales happen to do really well? Share some extra wealth with your performers so that they feel rewarded for the amount of hard work and promoting they did. Cirque of the Dead was a great example of this in action, and I was very gracious that the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BostonCircusGuild?fref=nf">Boston Circus Guild</a> decided to do this. Consequently, I absolutely want to perform for them at the next Cirque.<br />
<br />
If my show does poorly, too bad; I will pay what I promised. My show? My risk.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10462440_717711261644641_8263670805094870241_n.jpg?oh=337a8ecd3593fd358bac0c09e38bd0d2&oe=5653807E" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10462440_717711261644641_8263670805094870241_n.jpg?oh=337a8ecd3593fd358bac0c09e38bd0d2&oe=5653807E" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More money will convince you to do photo ops like this one.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While different people have different ideas of how to run their own shows, I believe transparency is the one thing every producer should have. In a performance community where word travels especially quickly, one can't be too careful about what they promise to people they work with. Above all, that reputation will precede you, and people will hear about what went well--doubly so for what went poorly.<br />
<br />
Above all, I think Jane Doe had it perfectly when she said "manners are free, and kindness goes a long way." Respect is everything, and I do respect her a great deal. And I understand that kindness and manners are not on everybody's list. I think these are the people we should look out for, and warn each other against.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYkVfpXmoUAXAjMbhVthtv-jJFggyfkJ-ZKBQRfAMvZX6FhNPSb0cJSjDxQ9yH1EhSSrCOS95Nu1OIoUoN70RsGxahfa5DRpfNw8YOasdKdED6Hx0DWkL0-qO7c6UT1xO43C1grZJX_Ow/s1600/Hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYkVfpXmoUAXAjMbhVthtv-jJFggyfkJ-ZKBQRfAMvZX6FhNPSb0cJSjDxQ9yH1EhSSrCOS95Nu1OIoUoN70RsGxahfa5DRpfNw8YOasdKdED6Hx0DWkL0-qO7c6UT1xO43C1grZJX_Ow/s400/Hand.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and also this creepy character.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-40593019224296132292015-08-03T14:23:00.000-07:002015-08-03T16:35:13.674-07:00Why I hate the term "Boylesque""So...what do you guys do?"<br />
<br />
"Boylesque."<br />
<br />
"What is that exactly?"<br />
<br />
"It's like burlesque, but with men."<br />
<br />
"What's burlesque?"<br />
<br />
"You know what? Fuck it, we're strippers."<br />
<br />
It's always a conversation like this that happens with a distant friend, a great aunt, or that one time with the general manager of Uno's that makes me a little bit frustrated. It's not that it's at all problematic to own what you do at a very base level ("I'm a stripper. What of it?"), but it's annoying that the name which the community has unilaterally selected to represent our discipline does nothing to convey what it is I do.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7BucmbmnI9uBeE6COpfGNbB4QKJYRGhmFOaSP58xDKVCOIH-Tyvkiy2GjszNdIlaSWhxm5ALuQ_bxMa64ffW6nbwn0398HdLz7UARwGs7Scy8vSChiNvwhtsEwjyD7dTiBu6C5B4xT_D/s1600/SNL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN7BucmbmnI9uBeE6COpfGNbB4QKJYRGhmFOaSP58xDKVCOIH-Tyvkiy2GjszNdIlaSWhxm5ALuQ_bxMa64ffW6nbwn0398HdLz7UARwGs7Scy8vSChiNvwhtsEwjyD7dTiBu6C5B4xT_D/s400/SNL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Do you know what we do? No? Me neither."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So why do I hate the term "Boylesque?"<br />
<br />
Initially, it makes me feel uncomfortable to hear the word. When a medieval-looking character on HGO's Contest of Chair Sitting ends a quip with "And don't you threaten me, <i>boy!</i>" It's always meant as condescending. The very fact that the NYC Boylesque Festival uses the name of the discipline in the title sounds almost to me like it's an activity at a carnival, or a male version of whatever it is that Honey Boo Boo does.<br />
<br />
Building on that, it makes it sound like the participants are juvenile, or possibly actual children. It has a playfulness to it that goes beyond the burlesque prerequisite of not taking one's self too seriously--it makes the participants sound almost vulnerable in some way. "Boylesque" feels like a hobby that you might share with the one cool uncle who understands, but not your parents, and definitely not with your crush because they might laugh at you when they walk by you in the lunch line.<br />
<br />
It also does nothing to circumvent or advance the awareness of non-traditional gender roles. You don't have to be "a boy" to do male burlesque, and you shouldn't ever have to be in a position where your discipline decides an aspect of your identity. I might be called a painter because I paint, but I'd be wary of calling myself or anyone else "a boy" because we perform a discipline commonly referred to as "boylesque." In a world where we would all ideally be respectful of gender pronouns and self-identity, the word "boylesque" pigeonholes the performers within and blurs the lines between "sex" and "gender."<br />
<br />
Savannah-based <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-N-Thacox/696466280436544?__mref=message_bubble">Jack N' Thacox</a> appreciates the distinction. "Male burlesque performers must maintain and embellish a socially constructed gender role. Otherwise you are doing drag or genderfuck. I like to be put in a box. I am a man, I am a stripper, and this is my fringe."<br />
<br />
He continued with; "My main concern is if this topic is left unattended, the category of boylesque lends itself open to drag performances, when boylesque is an undermined form of entertainment whereas drag is ubiquitous."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClq-oURCTH8xsdDPXu6cspU2RfN1p9KRO7V3x3HPkmDQDPuQkO4ZTK1z8T6fcc7TwzrE4obXeYyPESiB56yM-onGdhqBuPT6Puin5lgUzALhyphenhyphen38VrvmJ4yfIwe1cqHD7qR-EavloxdCdz/s1600/10922745_813556082060896_4566111809969033827_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClq-oURCTH8xsdDPXu6cspU2RfN1p9KRO7V3x3HPkmDQDPuQkO4ZTK1z8T6fcc7TwzrE4obXeYyPESiB56yM-onGdhqBuPT6Puin5lgUzALhyphenhyphen38VrvmJ4yfIwe1cqHD7qR-EavloxdCdz/s400/10922745_813556082060896_4566111809969033827_n.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack N' Thacox</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While male-bodied burlesque comes in many styles of execution, I often perform the sub-genre of masculine, comedic performance, and frequently do masculine straight strips as a way to balance out my repertoire. I would hesitate to describe any of these as "boylesque." I often prefer to identify what I perform as simply "burlesque," and allow any follow up questions to proceed down that avenue.<br />
<br />
"Oh, I've heard of burlesque. Is what you do different than female burlesque?"<br />
<br />
Now this is a good conversation. The answer I often give to the above question is "no, not really," and here's why; while I was taught the basics of burlesque by a female-bodied troupe, the fundamental principles of what it is are identical. There's a required element of striptease, there's often a story, a character, a comedic element, and various amounts of clothing reveal and nudity. and frequently some amount of dance or showmanship. I could be wearing a dress, though I'm usually not, and I may forgo the occasional postures and movements that you'd call "feminine," or I may include them as a specific part of my performance narrative.<br />
<br />
I spoke with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/vdez83">Mr. Valdez</a>, a performer from The Brotherhood of Burlesque as well as Peaks and Pasties in Colorado Springs, CO. "I feel it promotes Segregation in a community that is supposed to be all inclusive. Tigger put it best at BHOF [Burlesque Hall of Fame]....he had said something to the effect of....why do we have to categorize burlesque, boylesque, queerlesque, draglesque. Why can't we all just realize that we all roll with the same gang?"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KTAtv4cWTMSSNpY2d9H_6yPviEiAoOM67QrI5Ne7fEeWLPbGMe8_KDQ23kIoMHSqphhB9WyCAqRbswrFgcl0ixK2Giv62ZnVmRxWrYX2SwEC4ib_2fTAOKAj38UD-f0SNW_YPLQYrQTQ/s1600/11846027_10205061875006417_1915634198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0KTAtv4cWTMSSNpY2d9H_6yPviEiAoOM67QrI5Ne7fEeWLPbGMe8_KDQ23kIoMHSqphhB9WyCAqRbswrFgcl0ixK2Giv62ZnVmRxWrYX2SwEC4ib_2fTAOKAj38UD-f0SNW_YPLQYrQTQ/s400/11846027_10205061875006417_1915634198_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mr. Valdez from The Brotherhood of Burlesque and Peaks and Pasties in Colorado Springs, CO</span></div>
</td></tr>
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<br />
In essence, there's no difference at all, and I take umbrage with the fact that so many people feel the need to categorize what we do by painting the nursery baby blue with their gender-restrictive taxonomy.<br />
<br />
On top of that, the word "boylesque" just isn't sexy. There isn't anything that makes me feel attractive when I'm identified as a "boylesquer." Striptease can certainly be dorky and naive, but it's such a cockblock (to use the pejorative objectively) to ensure that anything you do on stage can't be powerful, sexy, and commanding. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheWhyteNinja?fref=ts">Kevin Harrington</a>, one of the graduates of my burlesque amateur showcase, said that to him, the term "boylesque" represents "dudes licking lollipops, taking off their school uniforms, and acting like jail-bait."<br />
<br />
If I had the option, I'd rather be referred to by an emcee as an "attractive man" instead of as an "attractive boy." One of those is empowering, and the other one might cause Chris Hansen to show up on your doorstep.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILu0A2PNWFnWKBmD_iKdzG4i8gGVp7vMCsZEB_Ay8kIVFVaUfTrREgXfFXVT6O7pV-vzRme1_o-_Z0uFMZ94j7OYcknbmFbcOXnaUR9MVpPdkalwnoJmgb2KB8WI8_d8SMuwWZE23vF6r/s1600/Hansen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILu0A2PNWFnWKBmD_iKdzG4i8gGVp7vMCsZEB_Ay8kIVFVaUfTrREgXfFXVT6O7pV-vzRme1_o-_Z0uFMZ94j7OYcknbmFbcOXnaUR9MVpPdkalwnoJmgb2KB8WI8_d8SMuwWZE23vF6r/s400/Hansen.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hi there, why don't you have a seat. So, you came to a show to see boys?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I resent the fact that I have to type in "Boylesque" as a label on Blogger to increase the amount of clicks this entry might get. I resent the fact that "King of Boylesque" is a BHOF title that gets awarded to the best male-identifying performer every year, and is the verbal personification of a dollar-store tiara on the head of a seasoned, accomplished performer. I especially resent that the term "boylesque" seems to indicate a special kind of vulnerability when used in marketing. Truthfully, the word just kinda creeps me out.<br />
<br />
NYC-based producer and performer <a href="https://www.facebook.com/viktorburlesque?fref=ufi">Viktor Devonne</a> told me that he agrees<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;"> </span>"that intrinsically there's not a lot of difference between dude burlesque and lady burlesque but I don't see a lot of lot of folks who use it negatively." Viktor doesn't mind that people use the term freely, and a bonus is that it "looks good on a poster."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjUi4zZTCaMtPjtbEhyi2Lfi3N11dkFLLDa7As4QTRq6Ij-5UsoI56tUtTsl0J0Ta3XTIxE6V3CLmE7z-1ppAFF2MhwDAK9XqL_FQRRRcc1DN3Xr0Ku1lViJ3aAZzfjP0uhEULq4Lrh1Y/s1600/11041211_294683767368597_4903720024242980203_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjUi4zZTCaMtPjtbEhyi2Lfi3N11dkFLLDa7As4QTRq6Ij-5UsoI56tUtTsl0J0Ta3XTIxE6V3CLmE7z-1ppAFF2MhwDAK9XqL_FQRRRcc1DN3Xr0Ku1lViJ3aAZzfjP0uhEULq4Lrh1Y/s400/11041211_294683767368597_4903720024242980203_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viktor Devonne, Director of the White Elephant Burlesque Society.</td></tr>
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<br />
He also told me that he "dislikes 'boylesque' being used to indicate any requirement for society's decision as to what "masculinity" is." Indeed, the word presents a classic "point-counterpoint."<br />
Outside of Boston, I've heard the word "boylesque" used as a catch-all for genderfuck-y performance. While I won't presume to champion nor disparage the term on anyone else's behalf, I also don't quite identify with it. To put it on a spectrum, I feel a lot closer to "male striptease" than "boylesque," and "being a stripper" is usually the plain-speak categorization I defend myself against when speaking with the uninitiated. I also don't speak for others who claim that style of performance for themselves, but the general feeling behind the word feels the same to those whom I've asked.<br />
<br />
So despite the fact that the term "Boylesque" is an oft-critiqued, unstable categorization for an otherwise all-inclusive performance medium, it doesn't seem like a word that's going away. It's marketable and it's novel, not to mention unique-sounding, but I do believe that without the restrictions that come arm-in-arm with what the word implies, we can only become a more inclusive and expressive community.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-36878296363838572162015-07-29T10:31:00.000-07:002015-07-30T13:29:15.673-07:00Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?!The news story <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brandywineburlesque?fref=nf">Brandy Wine</a> shared recently on social media about a <a href="http://wtvr.com/2015/07/27/parents-say-hopewell-teacher-should-lose-her-job-after-burlesque-videos-surface/">Hopewell teacher who had a burlesque performance video surface</a> left me with quite a few thoughts. The gist of it is that a Hopeville, Virginia teacher (and burlesque performer, which is now apparent) had a performance video that got around to several people in the community. Many parents of students in her classes are now calling for this teacher's resignation.<br />
<br />
The first thing that came to mind when considering this story is that this is the type of story that would immediately make any burlesque performer defensive. And why not? Whenever someone who practices an oft-misrepresented discipline and sees someone take offense to what they're doing, the easiest and most natural reaction is "Hey, what's wrong with I do?"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fxRgb027az4iuJEpn4_2aNHqaHYm7c-urQ2tPWt83fWG-eFSeT8YCfsK0zjHdQYF0JzffHiRuOpyU4M54j4Yx8yqf9EiuyIVqfq94X2LFrO3iirUE0GM-i8st2tPvE2Co2iEykFjoHny/s1600/Wrong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fxRgb027az4iuJEpn4_2aNHqaHYm7c-urQ2tPWt83fWG-eFSeT8YCfsK0zjHdQYF0JzffHiRuOpyU4M54j4Yx8yqf9EiuyIVqfq94X2LFrO3iirUE0GM-i8st2tPvE2Co2iEykFjoHny/s400/Wrong.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"...you want all the complaints, or just the top five?"</td></tr>
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<br />
While the temptation certainly exists for me to jump to the performer's defense, I instead took a minute to empathize with the parents of the children at that school. Note that I didn't say I agreed with them. Should she be forced to resign? No, not at all. From a legal standpoint, she probably won't have to. So that may not even be an issue worth discussing.<br />
<br />
My empathy for the parents is the same thing I feel towards most people who are new to burlesque. I see in those parents people like my aunt, who is aware that I do some kind of striptease, but doesn't quite approve of what she thinks it is I'm doing, and is too afraid to ask about. I feel for them in the same way I feel for my partner's mother, who doesn't know quite how she feels about her daughter dating someone who is "in the sex trade." I'm armed with the same understanding that I have whenever other men tell me "I could never do that" when referring to my burlesque performances.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4k_YfpBTqfCIWM9mFhYRwBaYbGurxrhXu-HCrdlaeniOtIicu2y38_Rk0Axqp-APLqs5Kj8ZjMBtsyz34nUKeomdHYZ_XXOkn7-gUh7vJxmimsRoZuUPMKuUvBAqYpHdHoWD_5lyEbX7d/s1600/HapDan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4k_YfpBTqfCIWM9mFhYRwBaYbGurxrhXu-HCrdlaeniOtIicu2y38_Rk0Axqp-APLqs5Kj8ZjMBtsyz34nUKeomdHYZ_XXOkn7-gUh7vJxmimsRoZuUPMKuUvBAqYpHdHoWD_5lyEbX7d/s400/HapDan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes, even I have trouble justifying what I'm doing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And is burlesque performance appropriate for kids? Absolutely not. The reason why most burlesque shows take place at venues that are either 18+ or 21+ is because striptease is something that is not child-friendly. So in many ways, I understand the hair-trigger outrage.<br />
<br />
If the performer in question had nothing to do with the YouTube distribution of that performance video, then my heart goes out to her. When someone publishes something (especially without permission), it has the potential to be damaging. The fact that students and members of the Hopewell community were able to link this person to her burlesque persona would only have been an expedited consequence if she had released the video herself. And YouTube doesn't do a whole lot to keep people who are under 18 from seeing things that they shouldn't see.<br />
<br />
So if she didn't authorize the release of that video, then it's truly unfortunate what's happened, and I don't believe she deserves any of the backlash she's getting. If she did? Then I believe that with social media being the way it is, she had to have some idea that it would come back to her--and to have prepared for any fallout in advance from the parents of her students, who we can only expect to be less-then-understanding. Does that make her avenue of expression wrong or immoral? Of course not. But since when is challenging perceptions and pushing envelopes ever met with complete acceptance and understanding?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe47uDKp8-XAh7X5BIod_4lpna0KO2LyAPBVm1mG-jBSmulP8gnN0-eu760eVtj9peWl9ELLVADATUHLS9w-xhZaw5-7pFs0g8cedl9nCiqlmyZimwV6NfntB0otqMLUvhwSGkTT2nJs1/s1600/gunpoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe47uDKp8-XAh7X5BIod_4lpna0KO2LyAPBVm1mG-jBSmulP8gnN0-eu760eVtj9peWl9ELLVADATUHLS9w-xhZaw5-7pFs0g8cedl9nCiqlmyZimwV6NfntB0otqMLUvhwSGkTT2nJs1/s400/gunpoint.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's far more likely to be met with hostility.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I have accepted the consequences for being a part of the burlesque world in tandem with the life I live above-ground. My own risk is fairly minimal, as I'm not a public servant or authority figure. But if I was, and this situation was my own, I'd dig my heels in. I'd use it as an opportunity to educate, and I would certainly apologize for the fact that students of mine had seen this video. I would make sure the URL was removed and/or made private, and I would offer to meet up with parents individually to discuss concerns and answer questions. I wouldn't minimize their objections, nor would I admit wrongdoing.<br />
<br />
After all, every burlesque performer is an educator by default, and we are each challenged with what the public thinks of us every day. Why is this any different?<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-27164112372557736222015-07-27T19:00:00.001-07:002015-07-28T07:40:25.857-07:00The Decision to Crowdfund A Burlesque Show<br />
Everyone has to decide their own standards. You have to decide what your art is worth, who you're willing and unwilling to work with, and what subject matter you won't touch. I'm generally pretty fluid about what I'll allow and do, but there's something in particular that I've seen a lot of in the last year in the burlesque community in particular, and I feel very strongly about my stance on it.<br />
<br />
<b>I will never ask people to crowdfund my burlesque.</b><br />
<br />
I know this is going to be a divisive point, so I'm going to be dramatic and start a new paragraph. The cornerstone of my argument is that I don't feel that my audience or society in general owes me anything to see what I'll create next. Self-promotion is one thing, and fans can certainly chose to follow you if they are a fan of yours. I don't object to that, as it's voluntary and doesn't cost anything. You can certainly argue that contributing to an artist's GoFundMe or Kickstarter is voluntary, but the principles differ; Once you take their money, you have a responsibility to give them a good art/performance/product, and I firmly believe that people should only pay <b>once </b>to have to do that.<br />
<br />
Of course, many people disagree with me.<br />
<br />
I can understand the need reach out to financial supporters. If artists didn't do that, we wouldn't have had <a href="http://history-world.org/renaissance.htm">The Renaissance</a>. When I say that I wouldn't ask for anything I produce to be crowdfunded, you might interpret that as "his opinion of his own work isn't strong." You would be right, to an extent. As far as burlesque goes, I see it as a low-cost, low-risk art form. Much like my journalism degree, I don't feel that expanding on my burlesque performance via an influx of dubiously-sourced cash is something that will yield any appreciable outcome. Besides, I feel that the gritty, approachable, sometimes rude demeanor that typifies many of my favorite burlesque performances is so far removed from high-budget spectacle that a budget boost would only serve to alienate my audience.<br />
<br />
Still, I wanted to know where the other side sits. I spoke with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jadesylvan?fref=ts&ref=br_tf">Jade Sylvan</a>, who is one of the producers of "Spider Cult: The Musical," slated to launch in 2016. This show is a spin-off of one of the shows I enjoyed being a part of for three years, "Revenge of the Robot Battle Nuns." They recently did a Kickstarter to get funding for Spider Cult, so Jade's perspective is local to the issue.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10986856_10153103641349419_3840979925901793016_n.jpg?oh=1fc4a69e2e0df133b3daa1a19da92164&oe=5658059A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://scontent-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/10986856_10153103641349419_3840979925901793016_n.jpg?oh=1fc4a69e2e0df133b3daa1a19da92164&oe=5658059A" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Caleb Cole</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i style="background-color: #741b47;">Dale Stones: "Okay. How do you feel about crowd funding in general?"</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>Jade Sylvan: </b>"</i></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>It used to gross me out when I was younger, but honestly I wouldn't have been able to do many of the projects I've done over the last five years without it. I had to get over my ego of thinking I was "too good" for crowdfunding and put the project first."</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>DS: "</i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">What changed your mind? </span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anything specific?"</span></i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><b><i><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></i></b>
<i><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>JS: </b>"</span></i><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Literally, not having the money to bring what I loved into creation. For instance, with Spider Cult, we knew we wanted to bring it up to the next level production-wise from what people in our community are used to doing. To do that, we needed money that we literally didn't have, because shows performed at a certain level will only generate income to sustain that level, even if they're very successful. You need a boost to grow. Businesses have bank loans. We have crowdfunding."</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>DS:</i> <i>"</i></b></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>So how do you justify what projects should ask for prefunding?"</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-style: italic;">JS: </b><i>"</i></span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>It's sort of an intersection of (1.) how much I (and others) believe in the project, and (2.) necessity. If there is any other way other than crowdfunding, I will generally take that route to get something made. On the other side, if it's a project that is strictly a vanity project that I don't expect or see others having any interest in, I will not crowdfund for that. That's where the responsibility comes in. When you involve others, you are responsible to them to some degree."</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #741b47;"><b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>DS:</i> <i>"</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Do you feel that the effort is sullied a bit by other artist or people who ask for money who maybe don't have the same discretion or standards you had? Like the potato salad fund guy?"</i></b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>JS: </b>"</i></span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>With Spider Cult it was part of the discussion from the beginning, when we realized how big we wanted this to be. Basically, we decided we could do it on a shoe string and have a shoe string show, or we could see if enough people cared about it to bring it up a level and get involved."</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span>
<b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>DS: </i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>"What's the goal, once you have the money? I mean, having funding is all well and good, but what's the expectation that people should have for what they purchased?"</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>JS: </b>"</i></span><i><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this case, it's a show that looks and feels like it had a budget. {</span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;">wink emoticon} </span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;">More than that, though, a big goal is to give the members of our community a chance to showcase their abilities at the production level I think they deserve."</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></i>
<b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>DS: "</i></b><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Like, more marketing, vocal coaching, paying them more, what are the interim goals? If that's not classified information, of course."</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<i style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>JS: </b>"</i><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>All of the above. More budget to spend on training, costumes, special effects, original music, payment for actors, marketing etc"</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span>
<b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>DS: "Maybe even a bigger venue?"</i></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></b>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>JS: </b>"</i></span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Possibly in the future, but we wrote the play for Oberon."</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: white;"><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.9400005340576px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><b>DS: "Thank you!"</b></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;">I believe that Spider Cult: The Musical has only the noblest of intentions. I loved being a part of the original production that this project has spun off of, and I enjoy supporting the arts as an attendee when I'm not the one performing. Community support is incredibly valuable, after all. For many people, acquiring the funding to put on a show is the most humbling part of the process, and is something that is made easier through anonymity, or at the very least, from behind the internet curtain.</span><br />
<br />
But I also believe that a big part of being a burlesque artist is taking risks, especially financial ones. If a faceless crowd is assuming that initial risk for you, your performance-based risk-taking and creativity aren't going to be at their highest. You're safe, after all. If people pay for your venture (which is different than an investment, because that money is owed back) and have to settle for whatever you decide to provide them to tide them over before (or indeed, IF) the show is produced, you are inevitably going to interpret that as "free money" on some level, as the debt has already been settled in your mind. And since the audiences in the burlesque scene are often overwhelmingly supporting, the whole situation might appear lavish and superfluous.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u4hYOCuJr4VkJqo7AmnNzPB_2imj8dg5KhjRMAVN0sIDV0NfObbYo7boBZoXlEG6xjV_34DNuC89W_u0GGama_9E6UK7M7I600r9h6a32BTZnWwChbQIj7188fC6V73_PM6Q_c2Ia01f/s1600/Lavish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9u4hYOCuJr4VkJqo7AmnNzPB_2imj8dg5KhjRMAVN0sIDV0NfObbYo7boBZoXlEG6xjV_34DNuC89W_u0GGama_9E6UK7M7I600r9h6a32BTZnWwChbQIj7188fC6V73_PM6Q_c2Ia01f/s400/Lavish.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing lavish nor superfluous to see here.</td></tr>
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<br />
That, in turn, creates another set of problems. In this list of "<a href="http://www.entrepreneurial-insights.com/14-potential-issues-with-crowdfunding-how-solve-them/">14 Potential Issues with Corwdfunding,</a>" item #11 on the list cites what I think is the most important issue; Accountability. Crowdfunding simply doesn't allow visibility into how that money is spent. You could theoretically pocket every dollar once you hit your goal and churn something out with the same rate of spend as "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185937/business?ref_=tt_dt_bus">The Blair Witch Project</a>" and you've essentially defrauded your backers. I say "defrauded" because if you did create a low-cost show relative to what you asked for, then you didn't need to ask for the money in the first place.<br />
<br />
If I'm going to create a show, I want to assume the financial risk involved in that show's failure. Asking people to pay twice to see something is unfair, unless they're actually seeing it twice. If they contribute more than the cost of admission, they may even be paying three, four, or five times to see a show with no guaranteed standard of quality. I believe that decision should only be made one time, and it's when you're telling people what the price of the ticket is.<br />
<br />
Although there isn't time to get into the issue of who should be producing a show and why, I feel that a series of shows should be able to snowball cash as a way of building up the coffers within a business. In Sirlesque, we budget based on what we can pay and save up money so that we can afford to put on bigger and better shows in the future, and that's also a way to insure ourselves in case we have a bad turnout and still need to pay people. On top of that, if people are going to see a show that you've put on repeatedly, you can use that to gauge whether or not a similarly-themed, larger-budget show would be palatable for your audience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdF-LJw_NBznuJBWroRqoCnBR17oDpocwIQF1wMi-KCQ1W5EtOesb6jxJTcOA6GkuyM1N8fcpfHTCwewvyuGnNKQWQZlALiKpZmyOZ5OmiAkdQBl_7uNVpyNKmm_w9i_apn1CnZU4O5Sz/s1600/Webcam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdF-LJw_NBznuJBWroRqoCnBR17oDpocwIQF1wMi-KCQ1W5EtOesb6jxJTcOA6GkuyM1N8fcpfHTCwewvyuGnNKQWQZlALiKpZmyOZ5OmiAkdQBl_7uNVpyNKmm_w9i_apn1CnZU4O5Sz/s400/Webcam.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes, the tech required to look at your own butt on a screen is expensive.</td></tr>
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A great example of a show that did this is the <a href="http://www.theslutcracker.com/">Slutcracker</a>. Over 7 years ago, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sugardishfairy?fref=ts">Sugar Dish</a> put together a show that is now a mainstream Boston institution. She has a lot of pride when she talks about how the first run of the show used found costuming, and that now the Slutcracker sells out over a dozen shows a year. It's the classic bootstraps story, and it shows us that anything can be produced to greatness with enough patience and perseverance.<br />
<br />
I believe that being transparent with every transaction surrounding burlesque performance is not only important, but <i>crucial</i> if burlesque is to succeed. Sure, if people are willing to give you advance money over and over again, you and those people may feel comfortable with what is essentially an enabling relationship. But such is the plight of the artist--getting rich doing art is nigh impossible. The audience needs to be entertained, and the full time artists needs to not starve.<br />
<br />
So I suppose the only difference is the variance of each artist's guidelines.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-72595210766006698712015-07-01T08:37:00.002-07:002015-07-01T12:13:36.316-07:00Sirlesque: The Sexy Origin Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Since I often refer to Sirlesque's beginnings and occasionally get asked about how my merry band formed, I thought I'd do a blog just about Sirlesque's origin story. It's also my own origin story, and my first real crack at performance since leaving college. I'll give you some background on who <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dale.stones.12">Dale Stones</a> was before burlesque, as it's all very much a part of the picture.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJDl4PYmhRFyiaVAtdREE0Ws10uacWNs5iYB3pPHw2utpKoK6T0dy28UlFg75KTwhqZQNCAYbxByA4C-GJhfLJ_Pa7C6J0i_qhLvu27eHI8Praz7nUmj3M58HV9_e5V0qfDwDYrGg18wF/s1600/acid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJDl4PYmhRFyiaVAtdREE0Ws10uacWNs5iYB3pPHw2utpKoK6T0dy28UlFg75KTwhqZQNCAYbxByA4C-GJhfLJ_Pa7C6J0i_qhLvu27eHI8Praz7nUmj3M58HV9_e5V0qfDwDYrGg18wF/s400/acid.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hint - I was a very different person with very different habits.</td></tr>
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<br />
Father Stones frequently encouraged me to become a rock musician. He was a die-hard Beatles fan, and occasionally listened to odd, eclectic music like Billy Idol, Kate Bush, and The Birthday Massacre. Since I had an aptitude for music which I discovered around middle school-age, I picked up guitar and learned songs that played in my home by hearing and repetition. As many astute fans have pointed out, these kinds of songs frequent my burlesque repertoire.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/79/590x/519300_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/79/590x/519300_1.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For placeholding purposes, let's assume this is my dad.</td></tr>
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<br />
My dad frequently encouraged me to start a rock band, spend time with other musicians, and to do anything I could to use my evident musical talents to perform. I had a few opportunities to play and sing in front of crowds (most uniquely in co-founding my university's Irish Student Union and mc'ing two Irish Heritage social nights. I played and sang Irish folk songs between sets for other performers, told Irish jokes and proverbs, and generally attempted to make the events fun for attendees). I didn't really know where or how to attack my performance compulsions aside from opportunistically, and frequently let my introversion get the best of me.<br />
<br />
While I decided not to pursue music as a career, I did go to a school with an active theater guild, and ended up landing the lead guitar part in "Tommy" in my sophomore year, which ended up being awarded to me when the original guitarist quit the production with one week until show time. Despite the obvious time crunch of learning a 30-song musical score in 7 days, I still remember how exhilarating that whole show felt. I knew that if I got the chance, I'd do the next possible thing I could to replicate that feeling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/list/abded84bf935f33ea2d12616a55caaf6c00eaf78.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/list/abded84bf935f33ea2d12616a55caaf6c00eaf78.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For place holding purposes, let's pretend I actually got to be Pete Townshend that one time.</td></tr>
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<br />
A great friend of mine and an equally talented performer extended me a helping hand two years after college. He was about to move to a place in Watertown (a suburb of Boston) and was looking for roommates. I was first on his list of people to ask, and without considering other options, I immediately said yes. As <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rickylime?fref=ts&ref=br_tf">Ricky Lime</a> would come to find out, this haphazard approach to large life decisions would ultimately contribute to Sirlesque's formation.<br />
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Shortly after getting my first job in Boston as a waiter, I met Jenny Jewels. She was a fellow server, and often showed up at the terrace bar we both worked at after performing, usually wearing fun-colored wigs and outrageous outfits. She always encouraged her coworkers (me included) to come out and see her perform, and one Thursday, I made the firm decision to go.<br />
<br />
I was a bit terrified of what I might discover, so I invited the man who would become Ricky Lime to come with me. Neither of us had performed or even seen burlesque before, but I needed someone to come with me to help keep my shy little self on the level. While I continued to be nervously observant, he fit right in and was eager to participate in the role of an active burlesque patron. After the show, he wanted to meet all the performers. He wanted to get involved in a show. So they let him--he debuted as an extra in Rogue Burlesque's show "The Quest for the Golden Pasties." He was a litigator in a courtroom scene, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rogueburlesque?fref=ts">Dixie Douya</a> suffocated him between her breasts. I was in the crowd, and I was impressed at what a good show the whole thing was. I was proud of him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNMwV7oTK4GFvp6azwU_BqtFJ0_n63mYZYW2tEiWO4gLIxKkeSBoCBhF3cakGaSSAdIjhEsXSvDj5DiFNkj76xB_vztW4Y3C0wPWxVL7B8ecj1or6Jrqft-8VZ32WyA2gvlaH9tyPPJp3/s1600/Lime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNMwV7oTK4GFvp6azwU_BqtFJ0_n63mYZYW2tEiWO4gLIxKkeSBoCBhF3cakGaSSAdIjhEsXSvDj5DiFNkj76xB_vztW4Y3C0wPWxVL7B8ecj1or6Jrqft-8VZ32WyA2gvlaH9tyPPJp3/s400/Lime.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terribly, terribly proud. Way to run a stage, buddy.</td></tr>
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<br />
After the show, Ricky asked the ladies if he could be in their next theatrical production. He was eager and ready to take any role they had. Instead, the resounding response was that he should start his own burlesque troop and have it be just dudes. It could even be a brother troop! Naturally, he burst from the back of the Oberon, came up to me immediately and said;<br />
<br />
"Hey dude. Do you want to start an all-male burlesque troop?"<br />
<br />
As was and always had been customary, I gave it the typical amount of thought and pragmatism.<br />
<br />
"Sure! When do we start?" I responded immediately.<br />
<br />
Now, we never had to endure a formal tryout process, as we were the forerunners of our niche in the community. Everyone makes rookie mistakes, and ours were on full display in front of crowds who had never seen male burlesque before--it's probably why we flew under the radar for a couple years. We certainly didn't have that experiential edge granted by dutifully assisting and volunteering before we took the stage ourselves--though we all brought a variety of performance experience to the medium from a variety of places.<br />
<br />
But we got to enjoy a quick month of preparations involving a two-hour-long burlesque fundamentals class taught by the Rogues, which resulted in Ricky, myself, and fellow co-founder <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dexter.dix.1?fref=ts">Dexter Dix</a> attaining some degree of stage-readiness. We set up a photo shoot with "Stuff" magazine, and got a full-page write-up complete with a glorious photo of <a href="http://www.sirlesque.com/gallery.html">all three of us in our matching boyshorts</a>. At the end of March, we had our debut as a part of the Rogue's "Winter Sextacular" and each did our first solo act on stage.<br />
<br />
There was no turning back.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGfqRA6uNvvT5cI-tscpH6e8oBPHP0SqLhG0IsSXT-6BUbRjhabX-HZXK9mWXvN0qB_8axv0tSbjnd9VJXouO_E7KJPwb-Czq3-oysxpbSCu55hi9GafVaAFd_C7U3e6-RY2XLoLDxSoI/s1600/Backjs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGfqRA6uNvvT5cI-tscpH6e8oBPHP0SqLhG0IsSXT-6BUbRjhabX-HZXK9mWXvN0qB_8axv0tSbjnd9VJXouO_E7KJPwb-Czq3-oysxpbSCu55hi9GafVaAFd_C7U3e6-RY2XLoLDxSoI/s400/Backjs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...unless the choreography told us to, that is.</td></tr>
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<br />
Although we had done a professional photo shoot in a studio prior to this, the resulting photos remained the property of Stuff Magazine, and we weren't allowed to use them for our own professional promotion. Not having any alternative at this point, we all set up a self-run group photo shoot in a borrowed hotel room and spent a lot of time learning about posing, camera-appropriate faces, and the nuances of the iPhone's camera countdown timer. While the photos were serviceable on a base level, Ricky did have to Photoshop out the occasional awkwardly-placed electrical outlet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sirlesque.com/uploads/2/3/9/3/23937371/490581_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sirlesque.com/uploads/2/3/9/3/23937371/490581_orig.jpg" height="297" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You'll notice this photo is suspiciously devoid of wall outlets, among other things.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sirlesque.com/uploads/2/3/9/3/23937371/389077_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sirlesque.com/uploads/2/3/9/3/23937371/389077_orig.jpg" height="328" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's one in this photo that didn't get the treatment. Man, these photos....</td></tr>
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<br />
<br />
Our name was an unexpected happenstance. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/polly.surely?fref=ts">Polly Surely</a>'s husband had mentioned to Ricky Lime at a party that we should have a pun-based name, and thought that "Sir" was a good spin to put on the word "Burlesque." Further than that, individual members could call themselves "Sirs." The idea was so good that we incorporated it into every aspect of our business, from our email addresses (I'm <a href="mailto:sir.dale.stones@gmail.com">sir.dale.stones@gmail.com, in case you wanted to send me electronic mail</a>), to our welcoming of new members (knighting them as "Sirs"), and even our meeting-appropriate pronouns.<br />
<br />
For the longest time, the only work we had was given to us by Rogue Burlesque, who continued to help us workshop our dancing and presentation. We even based our production process and business practices off of theirs. I'll never forget two notable quotes from about the 3-year mark of us performing in Boston, the first being from Fem Bones of the Slaughterhouse Sweethearts.<br />
<br />
Fem had been brought in to Rogue's "Film Strip" show to do an act where all of the ladies dressed as popcorn kernels, a chance meeting that I had talked about on the blog before. After working with her for a few shows, she told me; "For years you guys were Boston's best-kept secret, like toys that only the Rogues got to play with."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LillyBordeauxBurlesque?fref=ts">Lilly Bordeaux</a> told me while preparing for a show at Club Cafe that we "used to be the adorable little brothers that were always around, but at some point, [we] suddenly became...hot."<br />
<br />
These were quotes that stuck in my mind about how Sirlesque has leveled up over the years. I firmly believe that Fem was referring to us as an undiscovered group because until that point, we weren't quite show-ready. I'm certainly a far cry from who I used to be, even from only 2 years ago, and the confidence and body changes that resulted from that self-reflection and the hours of performing experience were principally what changed me and my guys from "dorky" to "smoldering." I'm happy with my progress and the progress of my group--and I like that we keep learning and improving.<br />
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I can't wait to see what's next.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6425020131957331814.post-52785872427956075252015-06-23T10:56:00.001-07:002015-07-01T12:15:07.971-07:00The Group DynamicOne of the things I noticed that Boston does differently with burlesque than most other cities is the way it presents its performers. With the exception of two other groups at NYC Boylesque Fest, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Sirlesque?fref=ts">Sirlesque</a> was represented as a group as opposed to its individual participants. This is an issue that comes up time and again, with a few schools of thought on what is more effective as a marketing device, and who stands to gain the most.<br />
<br />
While I believe this was to my own benefit (and the benefit of <a href="http://www.sirlesque.com/">Sirlesque</a>), I can't help but wonder how effectively a group's individuals retain their own performer identities in these scenarios. While in NYC with Sirlesque, it was simply easier to identify myself as "one of the Sirs" or "a Sirlesque member" because my individual performer identity wasn't on the radar of people outside of my four-hour performance radius.<br />
<br />
It doesn't bother me at all, considering Boston is pretty unique in that way. Most of the burlesque and circus performers here are unionized in a sense, and are typically booked within their group's respective productions (e.g. all of <a href="http://www.sirlesque.com/">Sirlesque's </a>members perform in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/455684774607320/">Masculinitease </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/360432687454019/">Geek Peek</a>, all of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/theslaughterhousesweethearts?fref=ts">Slaughterhouse Sweethearts</a> perform in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/adarkknightintheasylum?source=feed_text&story_id=1585684208380544">A Dark Knight</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1589436171304561/">Revenge of the Robot Battle Nuns</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfpUs4XuLCyK1T31wqhX457GWjmz8COWMsnT-SNdBh0J3ld8yz3ZmEISNco7MQzIQ1W6TPIgR6PNamURGxG1d5wVhfRUkXaOENNlJCBS3jRC6Gaj0YQkx63YCJEXYh4kEA2SFvDBoOun0/s1600/Brawl+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfpUs4XuLCyK1T31wqhX457GWjmz8COWMsnT-SNdBh0J3ld8yz3ZmEISNco7MQzIQ1W6TPIgR6PNamURGxG1d5wVhfRUkXaOENNlJCBS3jRC6Gaj0YQkx63YCJEXYh4kEA2SFvDBoOun0/s400/Brawl+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And sometimes, everyone you've ever performed with happens to be in the same show.</td></tr>
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<br />
Other groups in Boston are the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lipstickcriminals?fref=ts">Lipstick Criminals</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sparkletown?fref=ts">Sparkletown Productions</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheBloodstains?fref=ts">The Bloodstains</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/alltherestburlesque?fref=ts">All the Rest Burlesque</a>, The Boston Babydolls, and of course, our sister troop <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rogue-Burlesque/203175956203?fref=ts">Rogue Burlesque</a>. Sure, there are individual performers going at it their way, but most of the performers within the city limits are a part of one or more of these individual groups. In Boston, there are rarely exceptions to this.<br />
<br />
So in the interests of how to burlesque better going forward, should I pursue more individual bookings, or do I focus more on the Sirlesque brand and building more quality productions?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8bljVtf3coHZlbPtQrNas5cAsp90WWbSrD1Hkm3fFiY3dHQcgk6VideOrPc5HoXjqxuVDdiKSX2s2Wq817fBZkVaXivpL6UVQjKezhZ6aZntH9XG80GEmjkLEeyqwqnUE7uHdcpSjcDZ/s1600/Drag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8bljVtf3coHZlbPtQrNas5cAsp90WWbSrD1Hkm3fFiY3dHQcgk6VideOrPc5HoXjqxuVDdiKSX2s2Wq817fBZkVaXivpL6UVQjKezhZ6aZntH9XG80GEmjkLEeyqwqnUE7uHdcpSjcDZ/s400/Drag.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some folks will try to drag you away from your group to be in other things. Trust me.</td></tr>
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<br />
While each group has enough pull to draw its own crowd by simply being listed on a flyer, there are consequences to involving other troops and individual performers from outside the group. If I'm listed as a guest performer, does that mean my fans will come to a show that they might not have been to otherwise? If Sirlesque is given credit and billing on someone else's show, does that mean that all six of us should assume we have a degree of creative say on the content that gets produced?<br />
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If I were to really roll up my sleeves and get into it, I'd tell you that groups can quickly become petri dishes of unkempt drama. Once you get on stage enough times and begin to see the kind of attention you can get fairly regularly, you tend to think more highly of yourself. Where this gets problematic is when the sliding scale moves away from gratitude and more towards entitlement. You might recognize this as the "I should have at least 3 straight strips in our upcoming show" type, or the "I'm going to cast myself in every role" kind of attitude, with a rapid estrangement from "guys, I still can't believe that people pay to come see me take my clothes off in public."<br />
<br />
Inevitably, egos will clash. It may not resemble a spectacle like Oasis or The Who getting into an on-stage fistfight, but it can easily devolve into passive-aggressive bullshit behind the scenes. Casting snubs, over-heading someone else on an issue, performers refusing to work specifically with other performers, people blowing off rehearsals or commitments, dissent on act plot points, over-sensitivity to criticism, being overly critical towards others, and gossiping are all things I've played host to both inside and outside of my group. Because of my own tendency to be self-sacrificing and introspective as a person, I've often had to moderate these issues. I've had some success and learned a few things about drama management. But then, I've also failed miserably.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE6_hn0d75nJS4efTk2yKPHESXvwqzN7pX0H6B6mL_-keaB-cWOt1VFci8HORECF0s_yrx7CgHqVl9HsWiE-_uFXaHsLGtjso6tl_WzC8T3M6rCkpSJM9mrbDBM64_qv4aPhip5RcqbNt/s1600/Brawl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqE6_hn0d75nJS4efTk2yKPHESXvwqzN7pX0H6B6mL_-keaB-cWOt1VFci8HORECF0s_yrx7CgHqVl9HsWiE-_uFXaHsLGtjso6tl_WzC8T3M6rCkpSJM9mrbDBM64_qv4aPhip5RcqbNt/s400/Brawl.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...which often results in the sexiest argument you can imagine being a part of.</td></tr>
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In different cities and countries (and NYC especially), it seems like individual performers are the most successful in cultivating their own recurring business. With over 500 individual contractors who are burlesque performers in that area (thanks to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AnjaKeister?fref=ts">Anja Keister</a> for providing that stat), there seems to be plenty of work to bounce around to. Since Sirlesque is an LLC, the finances have to be regarded as a group endeavor, with those of us who book more than the others ultimately contributing more to the fund that keeps the group going. With that said, Sirlesque is a brand name and a powerful enough one that people come out in droves to see a show with our name on it--we're pretty fortunate in that regard, and are financial self-sustaining through two major shows every year. A question I often ask myself is "If I were to produce a show with just my name on it, would it still get that kind of attention?"<br />
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Would the kind of drama that might be involved in that undertaking be worth the effort?<br />
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What I've found is that group-produced shows give performers a chance to show their expertise and performance ability, and eventually get them bookings on an individual basis. Looking back at my own history, this is something that used to only happen sporadically, but is now happening often enough that <a href="http://dalestones.blogspot.com/2015/04/overbooking-vs-full-schedule.html">scheduling skills have become a necessity</a>. While it's a great benefit to both my ego and my performance resume, I have to constantly remind myself that people book other people who they like working with, and not necessarily the best performer.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqoHD0D6zradQfihV2NUnby14pe2atwv0ep0aCxc6Pj2LDtrYbq_EjV1vSLhQwAKF19vBBvwZ0JcUUTcw9jJz2QohJ-NJs1RCHhB9z57EQa-8dLSVLj_6WjiVIIUSpdCCJ54B6ek-1ylf/s1600/Jerk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeqoHD0D6zradQfihV2NUnby14pe2atwv0ep0aCxc6Pj2LDtrYbq_EjV1vSLhQwAKF19vBBvwZ0JcUUTcw9jJz2QohJ-NJs1RCHhB9z57EQa-8dLSVLj_6WjiVIIUSpdCCJ54B6ek-1ylf/s400/Jerk.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">"I'm great, and you're a nerd! Ha ha! Seriously, can I be in your show?"</td></tr>
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One of my best friends in the world recently told me he didn't want to do burlesque performance anymore, and the primary reason was because it's not something he still has fun doing. Sadly, the drama that comes from other people taking themselves too seriously, from engaging in relationships with other people in the same performance circle, and frequently butting heads with other performers who end up becoming creative rivals are all things that muddy the waters in the pool. Sometimes, the only way to take control of your life in any meaningful way is to decide where to draw the line and then disengage completely. While I'm sad to see him leave, I respect his decision.<br />
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I have to thank <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rickylime?fref=ts">Ricky Lime</a> for helping me to get myself on stage in a burlesque capacity five years ago. It led to all of this nonsense you see under the Dale Stones umbrella, and being minus one on the Sirlesque roster (especially being one of the most creative and talented performers I've ever met) is going to mean a tough road ahead. This all keeps me thinking about what the future of Sirlesque has in store.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So I think that at some point, we'll be having open auditions. I'd like to have a couple extra dancers and a full-time MC, so keep your ears to the ground about that. Of course, there are a couple other concerns I have about filling a group lineup with more staff(s), but I would be curious as to what you see the advantages and disadvantages are. Is it "The more the merrier" with group numbers, or is it just an additional risk of added drama and schedule synchronization? Is it best to have guest performers on a permanent basis and not give insider responsibilities to solo performers?</div>
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Leave me a comment and help me make that decision. Group wisdom, activate!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18431619197861383435noreply@blogger.com0