Dear Constant Reader,
I’m home from The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2013, exhausted but glowing! It was a fabulous event and I promise I will tell you all about it: the shows, the classes, the shopping, and the parties.
But right now, I need to get back to the real world and take care of everything I ignored during 3 days of sparkles and fun (and one day of lifting & toting).
Dear Constant Reader,
I know it’s Wednesday and no, I don’t have a book review for you. I’ve been so busy getting ready for the Expo. More on which in a moment.
You have until midnight today to leave a question on this post for a chance to win a copy of Great Philosophers Who Failed at Love. It’s funny, entertaining, and best of all, free!
The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2013 is just a couple of days away! I’ve been working, working away. Let’s see:
* Putting the finishing touches on costumes for The Boston Babydolls new act in The Rhinestone Revue.
* Making a batch of glamour bars for The Last Chance Speakeasy. They’re solid lotion that melts into luxurious moisturizer with a touch (that means, store them in a cool place!) and have just a hint of glitter (from Atomic Cosmetics, of course). The Babydolls like to use them as a base for more glitter.
* Packing up The Diva’s Coat for The Wrathskellar costume exhibit.
* Hemming panels to use in Toni Elling’s class.
* Preparing the B.A.B.E. sponsored drop-in classes.
* Creating ballots for the judges for The Main Event.
* Preparing materials for my class on Homemade Beauty. Come make bath products from simple and wholesome ingredients!
* Sewing adorable aprons for Brigitte and Mimi to wear as hostesses at the Tea Party.
* Planning to host the Newcomer’s Showcase.
* Agonizing over what to wear for every event!
And just to set the record straight, I am not involved in the least with organizing the Expo. I just do a lot.
Hope to see you this weekend!
Dear Constant Reader,
Please vote for The Boston Babydolls once a day every day! Voting closes tomorrow!
One of my favorite parts of The Great Burlesque Exposition is the Costume Exhibit. BettySioux Tailor has been curating it for the past 4 years and always does a beautiful job. It showcases both historic and contemporary costumes and accessories (which includes the Wall O’ Pasties).
In the past visitors have seen costumes worn by:
Costume Exhibit 2010
Costume Exhibit 2012
… and probably a few more that I’ve forgotten.
This year, besides the hand selected costumes from some of the finest collections, The Expo is inviting performers from the greater burlesque community to submit their costumes for consideration. If you have a costume that fits with the theme of luck, gambling, money, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Monte Carlo, &c., fill out this form, and maybe your costume will be selected for display!
Costumer or no, you should definitely come see the exhibit and a fan admission, which gets you into the exhibit hall on both days, is only $15.
Dear Constant Reader,
Please vote for The Boston Babydolls once a day every day! We only have a few days left!
I think I mentioned before that all the costumes for our Expo performance are brand new. I volunteered to be in charge of the pasties. Usually when working in such large quantities, we use a lower grade of rhinestone. In my research, the best price I found was for actual Swarovskis! Buying in quantity has its advantages. And the shipping was super-fast. They arrived on Friday afternoon.
I spent Friday evening making a dozen pastie forms, covered in silver lame. They looked like wee UFOs. Despite my desire to jump on in, I waited until Saturday to start the rhinestoning. I restrained myself after one pair. I know some of the Babydolls want to do some of the work join the fun.
And here is the result (and probably the only peek at the costume until the Rhinestone Revue):
Tada! (or perhaps “ta-ta”)
Dear Constant Reader,
Please vote for The Boston Babydolls every day! We’re down to the last days! Rally the troops! Tell your friends! Victory party if we win!
Every year The Boston Babydolls perform at The Great Burlesque Exposition. Sometimes we present a group number that we’ve done in our most recent show. Occasionally we create a brand new act just for The Expo, like last year. And like this year.
Scratch came up with the concept and the music, then Betty created a choreography. We’ve been learning it while we were performing in The Bod of Avon (usually we suspend rehearsals during a show). Last night Betty finished teaching it. Now we have 3 weeks to beat the hell out of it.
Our costumer is busily working away. Everything is being made brand-new for this act — nothing from our extensive closet. Rhinestones are on their way and I’m just itching to start making pasties. We’re all very excited!
If you want to see this thing of beauty, come to The Rhinestone Revue on Friday, March 29th. And that’s all I’m going to tell you about it.
And because voting is almost over, here’s a last little treat from our 2011 Victory Party. (Photo by Time Out Boston) That’s me, at the climax of my performance. The band held that final note for about as long as they could get away with…
Dear Constant Reader,
I’ve mentioned before my great love of tea. Let’s talk a little about that favorite topic today, particularly some on the items one needs to make tea.
These are both tea. On the left is tea from a Lipton tea bag — I don’t drink it, I merely keep it on hand for tea-dying. It’s basically dust. On the left is some good quality loose tea. In this case, Earl Grey from MEM Teas (sponsor of my tea party last year at The Expo). Look at those lovely large leaves. That’s the one I want in my pot.
This is a tea kettle. It’s used for boiling water. And the water should be boiling for black tea. There are different guidelines for green teas and for herbal infusions (they’re not tea, but that’s an epistle for another time). This particular kettle whistles, which is nice & cheery.
This is a tea pot. It’s where the tea is brewed. This pot is ceramic, which I prefer over metal. I do have a silver tea service, but that may be a story for another time. Warm the pot first by swishing a little hot water around it and then pouring it out. Add your tea. Pour the boiling water on top of the tea and let steep for a few minutes (how long depends on the type of tea). Some say to use one spoonful of tea per cup and one for the pot. I find this makes a very strong brew and prefer less tea in my pot.
This is a tea pot wearing a tea cozy to keep the contents warm. My mother knit the cozy for me. Isn’t it charming? This is called a bachelor tea cozy, because one does not have to remove the cozy to pour. Apparently Victorian bachelors were lazy. Other tea cozies look like quilted hats and cover the entire pot. There are some mighty whimsical tea cozies out there too.
These are all ways of getting the tea in the pot, while keeping the leaves out of your teeth. From left to right:
A tea filter or sachet. It’s like making your own teapot-sized tea bag. Scoop the loose tea into the bag and seal it shut. Easy!
A tea spoon. Excellent for making a single cup. Fill with tea, close and stir into a cup of hot (and by hot, I mean boiling) water. There are also tea balls. Similar to the tea spoon, only it holds more tea. Use a little tea for one cup or a lot for a pot. Mine appears to be camera shy.
A tea strainer. I love this one. Put the tea loose in the pot. Set the strainer across the mouth of a cup and pour through it. It will catch the leaves, leaving you with a clear cup with just enough tea leaves to read later. And the tea left in the pot doesn’t get bitter sitting on the leaves.
Tea can be drunk with sugar and milk (never cream) or lemon. Never milk and lemon or you get a nasty curdled mess in your cup. Personally, I like just lemon, no sugar, which is why I prefer a lighter brew.
I’ll be throwing a tea party again Sunday afternoon at The Expo. We’re still finalizing the details, but it looks like Jacqueline Hyde will be sponsoring the party and providing the tea!
Dear Constant Reader,
The Wednesday book review should return soon. I broke down and bought some new (well, actually used) books. Perhaps as early as next week, I’ll have a new review for you. If there are any books you’re dying for me to review, please let me know.
21st Century Burlesque Magazine has an annual list of the Top 50 Burlesque Industry Figures and voting is now open. You can nominate up to 10 people that you think have made an impact on the burlesque world in 2012. These don’t have to be dancers. You can nominate producers, costumers, MCs, stage kittens, photographers, musicians, &c. Personally, I’ve nominated Scratch, among others.
These are the fabulous judges (and myself) for the Main Event at The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2010. Why are they here? To announce that applications to perform at The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2013 are now open! Hope to see you there!
The Boston Babydolls are in rehearsal for our new show The Bod of Avon. Expect to hear more about it here (and maybe there will even be pictures).
Dear Constant Reader,
One of the really fun things to do at the Expo is shop! I swear the vendors just wait, rubbing their hands in anticipation, for Betty to make the rounds…
I got a couple of treasures this year including
these vintage gloves from Carmen and Ginger. They’re over the elbow black suede with tulle-lined cut outs surrounded by rhinestones. Forgive the quality of the photo, but it’s hard to take a picture of your own arm. You’ll just have to see them in person.
There’s a particular shade of blue that looks just amazing on me. When I first held up a swatch, Scratch said “never wear any other blue”. If you’ve seen my “Blue Angel” act, that’s the one. Scratch found a pair of earrings in my shade at Sparkle! Sparkle! Boston and I just had to get them.
All the Babydolls told me I just had to visit Pink Elephant and look at their hair flowers. I was particularly taken with this purple number and wore it for the judging at the Main Event that very night.
I also picked up some stockings with lovely lace accents (sorry no picture) and a piece of art for B.A.B.E. There were lots more wonderful things, but I showed marvelous restraint.
Dear Constant Reader,
One for my favorite things about the Expo is The Conference. I love to learn and to teach too. Scandal from Bohemia, the class coordinator, did a bang-up job bring in extremely talented teachers from all over.
I started off bright and early Saturday morning with Betty Blaize’s “Booty Bustin’ Bootcamp” — a high intensity hour of dance workout. When we run warmups at rehearsal, Betty picks one of 3 “shimmy songs” for the killer last part. In this class she used ALL THREE. That’s ten solid minutes of superfast layered shimmies. Whew!
Next up was “Showgirl Tips & Tricks” with Burgundy Brixx. She’s a fantastic teacher and I learned so much. Now I can bevel and tip and I know a surefire trick for being appealing on stage. If you have the chance to take a class with her, jump on it.
There was no way I was going to miss an opportunity to take a class with Joe Paul Williams, the Delsarte master. In “Putting it all on the Line” we played with motion — direction and shapes in space — always knowing how and why you are moving. As always, I feel like my mind has expanded. Everything is so simple, yet profound. If you are any kind of performer, you must take a class with him. It will change your life.
I was sorry I couldn’t make it to Super Dave D’aranjo‘s class on “Not Quite Music Theory”. He sent me his presentation afterwards and I was completely blown away by his explanations of music forms in a way dancers could understand.
On Sunday the theme was clearly “be more naked”. I made Barely There Pasties under the direction of Beau Blush of the Wortown Bombshells and learned the ins and outs of G-strings and merkins from The Shanghai Pearl.
I also taught a few classes, but that may be a separate note.
Dear Constant Reader,
The past weekend was The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2012. It’s awfully hard to come back to reality after such an amazing weekend, so I’m going to try to prolong the delight by telling you all about it in little bites.
Todays bite is about parties! Every day of the Expo there’s a special event (besides the shows, classes, and exhibit hall). It’s hard being a glamour girl all day and night — we need a chance to unwind!
Friday night is Naked Girls Reading where we get Naked Girls from all different chapters — this year we represented Boston, New York, and Toronto. You can read all about it at the NGR Boston blog.
Saturday night there was a pool party with fabulous surf music from The Waveriders. Everyone was dancing or swimming or dancing while swimming (hi Babydolls!). We loved the surf version of “Bad Romance”!
Sunday afternoon I hosted a tea party and got to wear my Easter bonnet and frilly apron. Big, big thank you to MEM Teas for providing the delightful Golden Green, Blue Flower Earl Grey, and Decorated Rooibos teas! (it’s really hard for me not to type “tease”)
More about the Expo to come!
Oh, The Glamourous Life! 