Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday!

Yesterday I shared with you the story of my first burlesque performance. While I was writing it I was remembering how awful and awkward I was. Then I went back to my journal to find the date in question and read how I experienced it at the time. Past-me was much more forgiving of the performance and excited about having had the opportunity. Present-me needed to be a bit less harsh on myself. I was comparing myself today to myself of 10 years ago. Both I and the burlesque scene have changed a lot in a decade.

This brings me to today’s tip:

Keep a journal.

It could be traditional pen and paper or on-line or a video diary or whatever method works for you to record your thoughts and experiences. You could keep a
general diary or just focus on just your burlesque (or whatever your passion is).

If you don’t know where you came from, how will you now how far you’ve come? Memory gets hazy and has a habit of shifting on you.

You’re keeping this journal for you and you alone, so be completely honest with yourself.

I also treat my journals a little like scrap books and add ticket stubs, photos, cards, &c. Those of a more artistic bent might add sketches. I always write the starting and end dates on the front page and keep the books in order on a shelf, so it’s not hard to flip through and find a particular entry. If you keep an electronic diary, it’s easy to search for a specific entry or topic.

Periodically go back and see what past-you was doing once upon a time. It may help present-you see things in a different light!

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip.

One thing at a time.

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed when you have too much to do. Just pick one thing from that mountainous to-do list. And do it. Start with something you know you can accomplish. Don’t let yourself get distracted or try to do something else as well. Just work on it until the task is done. Then smile, breathe, pat yourself on the back, and pick the next item. Repeat.

Yes, you may find that you can’t complete a project for one reason or another, but don’t get frustrated or, worse, give up entirely. Just stop, breathe, pick something else, and get back to work. And take a break from time to time to clear your head and regain perspective.

This is me trying to take my own advice.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

There’s a difference between an introduction and a biography.

An introduction is what the host says on stage before you begin your number. It should be on the short side and include the most important thing about yourself. That thing can change from show to show and act to act. It’s your chance to set audience expectations and make them want to see you perform. Be entertaining, informative, and concise.

Scratch reminds me that it’s also good to include notes to the host, like how your name is pronounced and if there’s any thing you don’t want said, because it might give away a surprise in your act. Also, be prepared for the host to shorten your intro*, especially a festival or other long show.

A biography is something that’s going to be printed in a program or listed on a website. This is where you present your skills, qualifications, awards, &c., as appropriate to the occasion. That is, have a performance bio, a teaching bio, a producing bio, &c. and use the one that suits best. Again, be relatively concise and present the most important information.

Neither of these is a resume, which is a listing of your accomplishments, accolades, skills, publications, shows, classes, &c. If you’ve been doing this for a long time, you might restrict it to “notable appearances” and similar.

Sailor St. Claire teaches a lovely class called “The Art of the Performer Bio”. Take it if you get the chance.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.
*I was once at a festival where the hosts were reading the intros verbatim off paper. The last act of that very long night, had provided as the introduction (no exaggeration) a two-page list of everything that performer had ever done. The hosts just kept reading, trading off paragraphs as I recall. Exhausting for everyone. Don’t be that person.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

When your back is to the audience, you must continue to engage with them.

Turning your back on the audience can be a powerful tease and build some tension, but only when you stay focused and give the audience the same energy you would if you were facing them. Even though you can’t see them, they see you. An effective performer remains aware of the audience and gives them attention, even without eye contact.

You may be taking care of a tricky remove out of sight of the audience, but dropping your head and your character to do so can make them lose interest in you. Project your character in every aspect of your physicality and you’ll remain intriguing.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

Photo by Chuck Jones.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday!

Just a reminder that The Thalia‘s Kickstarter ends tomorrow.

And now your tip! This piece of wisdom comes from Mr. Scratch:

Know your roots, folks. You may not like where you came from, but they made you who you are today. For better or worse.

Nobody springs fully formed from the brow of Zeus. All your experiences and relationships, good and bad, made you the performer you are. Ignoring any of them is being untruthful with yourself.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Just a reminder that The Thalia could use your support. The zoning hearing, which decides if the theatre can actually open, is this Thursday. Please sign the petition, back the Kickstarter (just over a week left!), or spread the word!

Here’s your tip!

Choreography notes are good, but a reference video is even better.

After you have a number in the shape you like it, film it. This doesn’t mean pro-quality, festival-worthy, bells-and-whistles, performance video. Just grab a friend and your phone. This is for your future use, to jog your memory. When you start warming the act up again, you don’t wonder “what went here?” or “what did I mean by ‘tricky little step’?”. You can see exactly what you did.

The BeauTease are rehearsing an act we created almost four years ago and never performed. Betty created the choreography and has extensive notes, but we also took a video right before we shelved it. Being able to see what we did is so valuable, especially those little things that never made it into the notes.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Before I get to your tip, I just wanted to remind you all that The Thalia has 2 weeks left to raise $8,500 on their Kickstarter campaign. Please support them. If you can’t financially, then by spreading the word!

Here’s your tip!

Every once in a while, take a risk.

You may fail, but then again, you may not. You’ll never know unless you do it.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Support the arts!

Joyce Kulhawik gave a great speech last night at The Thalia fundraiser on the importance and power of the arts. She’s so right. And yet something so vital to thought and creativity and community is perpetually underfunded. I mean, we naturally assume “starving” precedes “artist”. Here in Massachusetts the governor recently announced that he’s going to slash the arts funding budget by more than half, back to where it was 20 years ago.

So, please support your local arts scene, especially the smaller and fringe artists. Donate, go to shows, buy artworks, &c. If you can’t support artist with your dollars, do so with your voice. Spread the word about events, tell your friends about your favorite artists’ projects, actively seek out new artists, &c.

Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.