Busy Week

Dear Constant Reader,

Last night we had our usual Sunday rehearsal, which was devoted to dress rehearsal for our show on Saturday and then I looked at my calendar for the week ahead…

Monday: Rehearsal with the band for Thursday’s show

Tuesday: Teach the first session of Introduction to Burlesque (on-line)

Wednesday: Rehearsal

Thursday: Burlesque with a Band at Flying Embers Taproom

Friday: Night off!

Saturday: Dinner show at Premier on Broadway

Sunday: Rehearsal

Whew! What a start to February!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 31 January 2022 at 11:44 am  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! If you’re on the East Coast I hope you’re ready for the big snow storm! I’ve got some costume pieces to rhinestone, acts to rehearse, baking to do, hot chocolate bombs, and of course, Albert A. Cat to snuggle.

Here’s your tip, suggested by Mr. Scratch:

If one item in a pair needs repair, do it on both pieces.

So, if the heel is going on one of your dance shoes, even if the other one seems okay, replace it anyway. You’re eventually going to need to fix it as well, maybe just a little later. Save time by doing both at once. You’ll also be secure in knowing the other one isn’t going to suddenly fail.

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 28 January 2022 at 1:33 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Burlesque with a Band 1/20/22

Dear Constant Reader,

This past Thursday was our first live music show at Flying Embers and I think it was pretty successful! We had a pretty good crowd, especially for a Thursday, who seemed to be enjoying themselves. The bartenders were happy with everything, the band was terrific and I felt my performances went well.

Poor Scratch was run ragged, however. His assistant tested positive for Covid that day and our photographers bailed, so he ended up having to do pretty much everything himself — set up the lighting, work the door (checking reservations and vaccination cards), host the show, take photos, clean up some of the costumes, and run the FaceBook livestream.

The band played two sets — about an hour and a half total. Betty and I each did an act in each set. I went first with “Mina in Furs” and Betty closed out the set with “Lament”. She opened the second set with “Night Train” and I closed it out with a fan dance to “Harlem Nocturne”. 

I was so into my fan dance and enjoying it so much that I ended with a big sweep of my fans and dipped my head, forgetting that I hadn’t yet sewn a comb into my headdress and the whole thing fell right off! It hung around my neck and I was able to sweep in back into place. Oh the glamourous life of a showgirl!

The show has a couple of challenges which keep things spicy. The first is, of course, live music. The band is terrific, but as with any live performance, you never know what might happen. As it turned out, everything was fine. The other is that there’s no real stage. We decided to perform in the center of the room, which means people were seated at tables around the taproom as well as at the bar. Performing in the round is hard.  You are going to be seen from every angle and you need to make sure everyone has a good view most of the time. And don’t forget to make as much eye contact as possible. My fan dance is very directional, with either my front or back uncovered depending on which way I’m turned. I opted to perform directly in front of the band for most of it and come out into the center when I was covered front and back or entirely uncovered.

There should eventually be some photos and the whole thing was on FB Live (skip the first couple of minutes — it’s Scratch setting things up and there’s no way to edit a Live).

I’ll be back on February 3rd with Ava Fox and again on February 17th. I won’t be performing that night — I’ll be celebrating my birthday! I hear there will be cake.

Tickets are free, but reservations are suggested.

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

 

Published in: on 26 January 2022 at 2:57 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! For this week’s tip, I’m drawing on something Betty taught us during Wednesday’s rehearsal.

Have a go-to move or combination you can draw upon if you get lost in the music or forget your choreography.

Confidently go forward with that bit of dance which you know so well while you figure out where you are and then jump back on track again. The audience will never know anything was amiss.

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 21 January 2022 at 1:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Practicing Improvisation

Dear Constant Reader,

Tonight we have our first show with a jazz quartet at Flying Embers!

When working with live music, you have to be prepared for anything to happen and may need to improvise. Betty happens to be a master of improvisational dance. But being able to improvise takes practice. I know that sounds a little contradictory, but it’s true. I was part of a commedia dell’arte troupe and we improvised entire plays from a mere tissue of an outline. We also rehearsed a lot. So that when we really needed to create an entire play out of nothing on no notice (someday I’ll tell you my September 11th story — it’s long, but worth it) we could do it and it would be one of the best thing we ever did. But back to the burlesque.

Last night Betty gave us a lesson on improvisation in burlesque. She discussed some of the situations one might end up in, like finding your place in the music when the arrangement isn’t exactly what you expected. She ran some exercises and we all contributed some ideas. The key, of course, is that the audience should never know anything is amiss. I think three out of the four of us at rehearsal last night have some experience with live music, but the practice was welcome, especially right before a show.

Want to see how we do? Join Betty and me tonight! Can’t make it? We’ll be livestreaming through FaceBook.

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 20 January 2022 at 11:46 am  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! How does this keep happening? Here’s your tip!

Clean your iron.

The sole plate can get caked with starch and other residues and the steam vents might be clogged with mineral deposits. A dirty iron can transfer schmutz to your beautiful fabric or garments.

First clean the tank by filling it and then turning the iron on. Hit the steam until all the water is gone.  Ironing an old towel helps catch any deposits that are flushed out. Turn the iron off, let it cool, and empty any remaining water. If there’s any crud in the steam vents, use a cotton swab to get it out.

Then clean the sole plate. I recommend checking the manufacturer’s directions here.  You might need to  use a commercial iron cleaner — just follow the directions. Otherwise, dampen a soft cloth with distilled white vinegar and wipe off the sole plate. Rub with a clean cloth. More persistent stains can be removed by gently rubbing with a paste of baking soda and water. Wipe off with a damp cloth and then rub with a clean one. The important thing is never to use anything that might scratch the sole plate.

I’ve always been told that you should clean your iron once a month. Like that’s going to happen…

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 14 January 2022 at 4:08 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Burlesque with a Band

Dear Constant Reader,

As you might recall, last month we performed at Flying Embers Taproom and Social Club. (If you don’t recall, here’s a reminder).

We’re coming back, every other Thursday, starting next week, and we’re going to have live music!

It’s going to be a relaxed evening. Listen to the fabulous jazz quartet, have some delicious beverages (how about some hard kombucha?), and watch a couple of burlesque acts over the course of the night. And it’s free! (tipping is always welcome!) Don’t forget to bring proof of vaccination! This is per the City of Boston, so please don’t give the staff a hard time about it.

The first night, January 20, will feature Betty Blaize and me! We’ll be mixing it up every show, so you’ll get a different pair of dancers each time.

This past Monday we got to rehearse in the space with the band for the first time. Big thanks to Ashley who gave up her night off to let us do so! The chance to work with a band for a series of shows is wonderful. We can play off one another, especially when we get to know each other’s style a bit more.

Betty is the best of us for this. She’s a skilled improvisational dancer and, as a musician herself, knows how to communicate what she wants to the band. It’s a joy to watch her. As it turned out, she brought two costumes (we’ll each be doing two acts per night), but the band had three songs ready. This did not perplex her at all and she did a costume mash-up for the last song.

We’re also performing in the center of the floor, so there’s potential audience all around the room. We’ve got to make sure everyone gets a good view. It was so helpful that Ashley and her friends sat at some of the tables to give us some practice.

I’m really excited for these shows! Please join us on the 20th and every other week thereafter!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 12 January 2022 at 12:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! It’s snowing like crazy here in Boston! I hope you’re snug and warm where ever you are today. Here’s your tip!

There are no mistakes, only happy accidents. — Bob Ross

Sometimes something we think is a bug turns out to be a feature.

For example, the other day Betty was rehearsing a new number. She mentioned she had forgotten her gloves and would pantomime removing them. However, she got so wrapped up in her dance that she completely forgot about the gloves until she realized had extra music at the end. So, she threw in the glove remove at the end.

It looked really good and Scratch told her to keep it in. She reworked the number to have the gloves come off last and it’s a stronger act now.

Don’t discount mistakes — they may be opportunities for creativity and improvement!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 7 January 2022 at 2:00 pm  Leave a Comment  
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New Project!

Dear Constant Reader,

I’ve embarked on a new crazy project for 2022! Last summer Scratch gave me a complete set of daily menu cards from 1914. I’ve set up a new site, 365 Kitchen Cabinet, where I’m posting a menu a day. But it’s not just what’s printed on the card! I’m also posting every recipe that I have been able to find in one of Fannie Farmer’s cookbooks from the same era plus some commentary.

It’s a huge task, but I’m having so much fun and learning a lot. I hope to have the time and resources to do some supplemental essays about some of the cooking techniques, products, and equipment of the time. I’m also hoping to acquire some of the more unusual ingredients and cooking implements for even more historically accuracy. I’m sure beating egg whites with a Dover egg beater is an entirely different experience than using my hand mixer.

The first entry has a video of me making Pineapple Cream — the featured recipe for that day. My plan is to cook and film at least one recipe a month. Wish me luck!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

 

Published in: on 5 January 2022 at 11:55 am  Leave a Comment  
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Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

At last we have reached the end of the year! Today I have more of a wish than a tip for you.

May 2022 be a better year for us all.

Happy New Year to each and everyone of you. Thank you for continuing to be here!

M2These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Published in: on 31 December 2021 at 4:25 pm  Leave a Comment  
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