I didn't realize just how much I had missed burlesque season. I didn't realize just how much Burlesque means to me. But man, have I missed it!
Sure, I spent some time this summer taking workshops and being surrounded by some of my burlesque family, but going to the shows and seeing our audience, and feeling that energy is the most incredible thing. There is such a beautiful exchange of energy at a Burlesque show.
I know there are some people that think, "You just get up on a stage and take off your clothes. You are just a stripper." But it is so much more than that. It starts with this spark of an idea. Whether its a song or a story or a costume piece, and then it builds from there. It's performance art from the onset.
Tonight, I performed a brand new piece. It is one that I started while working on a workshop with Frankly Frankie. The inspiration for this piece came while I was on a burlesque trip to Colorado with Mimi and Frankie. The original idea was to take the story "Teddy Bear's Picnic" (that I used to tell on stage) and mix it with music. But then I decided I didn't want to record the storytelling part of it, and I would just use the Jerry Garcia version of the song Teddy Bear Picnic and part of the original Bear Necessities from Jungle Book. Thanks to Dan Costello, we mashed the two songs together and the art started flowing from there. The costume creation was some of the most challenging I have done to this date. It started with the idea of creating fur cage panties and a fur covered bra. Then it just kinda took on a life of its own. I created the cage panties. I created a little bear tail sewn onto a thong that went on under the cage panties. I covered a bra with fur; that was an experience all on its own! Then the idea of creating honeycomb shaped pasties happened. I never could get the honey comb right, so it ended up being a plain circle. However, the honey dipper tassels dipped in gold glitter worked out fantastic (once I figured out the mechanics of it all). Once I had that figured out, I looked through my belly dance costumes to find the right skirt and top to cover all of that up to go from "little girl" to "teddy bear" (as the song implies). Then it was figuring out how to get the ants (raisins), in the act and when to strip and when to be playful and when to dance and what other props I need. There is so much that goes into an act. It truly is an art. And in Idaho, our art is being stifled by archaic liquor laws that say women (not men) have to have from the top of the areola and down completely covered. That is so difficult (without wearing a complete bra..which are not so pretty). (For the record, men can go completely topless in a bar.. stupid sexist laws.) But I digress....
Once I had all of the costuming done and the choreo figured out, I had another brilliant idea. "What if I created a bee hive and filled it with gold glitter and then dumped it on my head like a bear digging his paw into a hive to get to the honey?" It took some thinking and looking around my house for how I could do this, but I did indeed make the most amazing beehive filled with gold glitter! I also had little gold bees sewn into my little bear ears and onto my gold bra between my breasts. I made a huge bee necklace. It was beautiful and perfect. The whole costume was so damned cute!
And when the music started, and I came sneaking out wrapped up in a cloak so no one could see my bear ears or my bear costume, I could feel the little girl come to life on that stage. I saw my audience smile. I heard them laugh. I saw them get taken in by the cute little girl on stage who transformed into a playful teddy bear right before their eyes. When the teddy bear played on the big red yoga ball, they all laughed and played along. And when I chased my little bear tail around in circles, they giggled. And with my back to the audience as the fur bra came off and I picked up the beehive to shake it around over my head while I looked over my shoulder and flirted and teased them, I could feel their anticipation...... Then, it happened. I punched a hole in the bottom of the hive, turned around to face the audience and dumped the "honey" (glitter) all over my body body and they all cheered as I spun my honey dipper tassels. Success!!!!!!!
Those moments on stage are pure magic. The give and take with the audience is pure bliss! I adore the crowd of regulars. Having the season start back up is like a huge family reunion, and I am so grateful for them!!!! I am grateful to Frankly Frankie for providing us with such amazing opportunities. I love the people I share the stage with. I love the hugs the kisses the laughter that happens back stage. I love the family that we create.
And this season, 2 things happened that make me feel so special! First, I have been struggling with finding a "tag line". In Roller Derby, many times your derby name is given to you. It is like a right of passage. And I read somewhere that a tag line for burlesque is often given to you by a mentor. Well that is what happened this week. Frankly Frankie came up with the perfect tag line for me based on an act that I do (screw it) as well as my silly quirky acts that I keep coming up with... "Leazetta Rose, the screw ball of the Boise Burlesque Scene." Yes.... that fits me perfectly!!!! I spend so much of my time being serious.. but on stage, I love being silly and making people laugh! It's perfect, and I love it! The other thing that happened tonight, someone asked me for my autograph. He is a regular to the shows. He attended the Marvel vs DC show (where I performed in the opening..pre show act) and he asked me to autograph the poster. Wowzers. I have never had to sign my stage name for an audience member before. That felt amazing! In the last couple of months, people have started recognizing me as a burlesque performer (while I am in street clothes). That is so crazy to me!
My heart is over flowing tonight! The amount of love I feel from my burlesque family is amazing. They truly are my chosen family and I love spending time with them!
My only "complaint" (if I can call it that)... no video was taken tonight of my performance and I didn't get any pictures of me in my bear costume or with my beautiful behive before I punched a whole in the bottom of it.... however, I did get some fun pictures from back stage and with one of my beautiful sisters who did not perform tonight.
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