Video Project Week 4

Dear Constant Reader,

This week I decided to go with a theme. I’m working on a bathtub act and now that it’s coming along nicely, I decided to look at other bathing acts for encouragement and inspiration.

  • Lili St. Cyr – Salome’s Bath. I had to start with the classic! (h/t to Corinne Southern for suggesting it and thus inspiring this theme)
  • Angie Pontani – Hendrick’s Bathtub Gin (also here and here). This is my tub in its former life!
  • Ixion Burlesque – Wine Bath. A totally different kind of bath.
  • Immodesty Blaize in the bath. Too bad it was so short!
  • Tonya Kay – Bathtub Burlesque. This was billed as a tribute to Lili St. Cyr, but I don’t see it as such.
  • Sugar Blue Burlesque’s Odile Devine – Tribute to Lili St. Cyr. A beautiful “tub”. I’d love to take a closer look at it.
  • Dita von Teese – Le Bain. Bonus: I have fondled that costume.

M2

Published in: on 27 July 2015 at 3:30 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

Just keep going.

If something goes wrong on stage, just keep going as best you can. You may be thinking very fast on your feet, but don’t let the audience see that you are and chances are they’ll never know there was a problem.

M2

Published in: on 24 July 2015 at 1:12 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Video Project Week 3

Dear Constant Reader,

Here’s my third week of videos. A few thoughts:

I’m finding it hard to pick only performers I’ve never seen, but I am sticking to acts I’ve never seen.

I originally planned only to watch contemporary videos, but I stumbled upon a vintage act I’d heard of, but hadn’t known had ever been filmed. I still don’t know what it looked like on stage, since this is full of sooper-high-tech camera trickery.

I’m trying to break out of the classic rut and watch a little neo-burlesque too. I’m unlikely to do a neo-style act, but that doesn’t mean there’s not inspiration there too.

Sometimes I don’t know what the camera person/video editor was thinking!

The biggest thing I’m taking away is that I have got to up my game!

  • Miss Cherry Delight – The Evil Queen
  • Lady Shanime – Bombshell Betty Bump
  • Lili VonSchtupp – Vampire
  • Wham Bam Pam – Pam’s Magic Wand
  • Lili St Cyr – Cinderella’s Love Lesson
  • Medianoche’s winning performance at the New Orleans Burlesque Festival
  • Flora Gattina – Shoe Love

    • M2

    Published in: on 21 July 2015 at 10:40 am  Leave a Comment  
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    Friday Tip!

    Dear Constant Reader,

    Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

    If you frequently cut sticky things, like, say, pastie tape, invest in a pair of scissors with Teflon-coated blades.


    I love these little scissors and always carry them in my makeup kit. On the rare occasions I’ve had to cut my pastie tape with regular scissors, I’m always surprised at how quickly they get gummy.

    M2

    Published in: on 17 July 2015 at 10:33 am  Leave a Comment  
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    Halfway

    Dear Constant Reader,

    My Constant Critic complained yesterday that my post was less than interesting. I confess I was pressed for time and only sent out the list of videos I had watched over the past week.

    So, as it is now half way through the month, what have I learned? Let’s see…

  • Some days it’s hard to find something I want to watch. Suggestions, please!
  • True love of music and concept comes through in the performance.
  • If you are going to have a really big prop, really work it.
  • Simplicity can be mesmerizing.
  • I need to continue to work on my core strength.
  • Cheap magic really does work.
  • Atmospheric lighting doesn’t always film well. (I knew this, but there were some clear reminders)
  • I should do more floor work and stocking removes.

    • Plus some intangible inspiration that I hope colors my upcoming performances.

    M2

    Published in: on 15 July 2015 at 2:43 pm  Leave a Comment  
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    Video Project Week 2

    Dear Constant Reader,

    I’m sticking to my resolution to watch one burlesque video a day for the month of July. Here’s what tickled my fancy over the past week:

  • Imogen Kelly’s Step-Down Performance at BHoF
  • Mr. Gorgeous – Ice Cream
  • Ray Gunn – Morpheus
  • Kalani Kokonuts – The Geisha
  • Catherine D’lish – World’s Largest Feather Fans
  • Vicky Butterfly – The Imperial Faberge Swan’s Egg
  • Inga Ingenue at Viva Las Vegas #14

    • In case you’ve just joined us, the Week 1 videos are here.

    M2

    Published in: on 14 July 2015 at 11:47 am  Leave a Comment  
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    Even More Cherries

    Dear Constant Reader,

    First of all, I’ve been sending out missives for 4 years now (as of yesterday). Thank you for being my constant reader!

    The orchards at Stately Babydoll Manor continue to produce cherries, so I continue to make stuff. There’s a reason I was dubbed The Martha Stewart of Burlesque…

    Cobbler, from a recipe from 1934

    Dried

    Preserves

    Pickled


    Granita

    And then there was this…

    That was roasted pork loin in a Pyrex dish, after pouring in Scratch’s lovely Russian sauce of sour cherries, orange zest, and fine Madeira. There was an earth-shattering kaboom that scared the heck out of me and shrapnel scattered around the stove. Fortunately, no one was hurt, the pork and the unpoured sauce was salvaged, and the oven hasn’t been this clean in years.

    M2

    Published in: on 13 July 2015 at 12:33 pm  Leave a Comment  
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    Friday Tip!

    Dear Constant Reader,

    Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!

    When rehearsing an oft-performed number, do something new to keep it fresh.

    Rather than sleepwalking through the same moves, change things up. A fun way to do this is change your character. If you’re usually sexy, try being goofy. If it’s a light-hearted number, do it with drama. Just something different to shake things up. This doesn’t mean you can be sloppy!

    Once, after the umpteenth rehearsal of “Is You Is“, Scratch told half The Boston Babydolls to do the dance as though we were pirates, the other half were zombies. It was silly fun and the next time we ran it seriously, we were all a little more focused.

    M2

    Published in: on 10 July 2015 at 2:14 pm  Leave a Comment  
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    What Ever Happened to that Evening Gown?

    Dear Constant Reader,

    About a year ago you voted in my Dress Me contest and I selected the 1933 evening gown for me to make.

    And since then, I haven’t done a heck of a lot. There always seemed to be a more urgent piece of sewing. And yet that pile of fabric just wouldn’t go away. It kept taunting my lack of dedication. This past weekend I buckled down to make the mock up.

    Volia!

    The real thing won’t be that hideous green. It will also be floor length. I only cut the skirts long enough to check the fit in the hips. It looks a little askew in the picture because I’ve folded the seam allowance in on one side, but not the other.

    It definitely needs to be fitted under the arms and maybe a tiny bit of ease in the hips. Also, I need to find a bra that will work with that low back. I tried it without a bra and the results were not pretty. Also, I need to get up my courage and dye the silk. And eventually I need to pick a couple of buttons for the back. It could happen before next year…

    M2

    Published in: on 8 July 2015 at 2:59 pm  Comments (1)  
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    Video Project Week 1

    Dear Constant Reader,

    As part of continuing to improve as a performer I decided to watch a burlesque video a day for the month of July. I’m aiming for some inspiration, to break out of my comfort zones, to learn more, and what better way to do that than watch other people’s performances.

    I don’t actually like watching videos on my computer so this is a bit of effort. But there are only so many live performances I can get to and without videos I’m missing out on so much. My rules are that it’s got to be an act I’ve never seen before and I’m trying to watch mostly performers I’ve never seen live.

    This week I watched:

    What are your favorite performances? I’m happy to hear suggestions. I have 24 more days!

    M2

    Published in: on 7 July 2015 at 11:51 am  Leave a Comment  
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