Thread: Savvy Attitudes and Brave New Leaps?

I’ve recently been impressed with the sudden expression of fortitude (balls) shown by members in being savvy and discerning regarding work, opportunities and the like.

It has been a long time for us, observing and bemoaning over and over again as experienced advice and hints are overlooked in favour of the fantastic promises and ego massaging from strangers.

A few of you will have seen the same evolution of the scene and some of you will also have noticed that the general attitude has suddenly ‘grown up’ – it seems that perhaps a critical amount of collective experience has been reached across the scene and so a more savvy voice is being heard as representative, rather than the naïve eagerness of before.

I want to commend those of you who have stood up and said ‘Excuse me, but…’ when the need has risen – it is to your credit that you are looking-out, not only for yourself but for others too, by asking publicly.

My hope is, that in turn this more savvy voice will be less inviting to the numerous chancers who have disappointed, ripped off, lied and cheated their way in and out of the growing scene leaving the wreckage of vulnerable people’s dreams and self confidence behind. I know that too many of us have seen this. It will also encourage those with entrepreneurial ideas to think things through carefully and plan - rather than launch on a whim.

So what’s next?

Well, I think that we can all handle a to-the-point discussion about another related and difficult subject which requires a certain amount of bravery of expression.

It’s about time we quite seriously addressed the topic of the reality of criticism...

O wad some Power the gift tae gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An foolish notion:
What airs in dress an gait wad lea'e us,
An ev'n devotion!

To A Louse, Robert Burns.

How many of you have had that horribly awkward experience of seeing someone get up on stage only to make a fool of themselves (perhaps having made grandiose claims then failed to live up to them) all because they have readily swallowed insincere praise and flattery and/or followed irresponsible advice? (Not just performers - it's equally those getting up in front of a class or leading an event or promotion who also blunder)

When you see this kind of scenario unfolding, are you happy with how burlesque is being represented? What can you do about it? It’s probably too late to rescue your potential clients’ opinions on this occasion but perhaps prevention is better than a cure.

So how do we improve and achieve our own expectations? In my experience, it's by listening to genuine well intentioned Criticism and Reality Checking.

In my opinion (IMO), if we want our genre to be taken seriously and to grow, we (that's all of us) need to be it's harshest critics. So, let's ask ourselves...

• How critical are we?
  (IMO: too selectively)

• How critical should we be – of ourselves and each other?
  (IMO: equally)
  

Being critical does not equate to being unkind. In fact, to encourage a delusion can be cruel. Critique sought should always be from genuine, well intentioned and knowledgeable sources. And I often wonder..

• Why do people give insincere praise and flattery?
  (IMO: Perhaps is simply easier than being honest. Perhaps there is a fear of not being liked. Perhaps some people genuinely have no yardstick of ability. Other times there is something to be gained by exploiting a person’s vulnerability to flattery/naivety.

Naivety is of course one of the biggest stumbling blocks to get over - and it’s a bit like jumping a series of hurdles whilst blind. Naivety inherently means that there is an inability to see the bigger picture, so the first hurdle is in realizing one is naïve in the first place. It’s tricky, but it's essential to accept that just maybe you might be naive (rather than everyone else is wrong) before moving forward with something blindly.

This is why it is so important to ask questions and be discerning - both ways. Ask about other people's ventures and ask for critique of your own. If a person cannot stand up to scrutiny or even engage in a series of honest Q&A about how it works, what the intention is etc, then perhaps they are not in the position they thought they were. Back to the drawing board. Better this than a blundering public fall.

It has been noted before on here that there often seems to be some unwritten rule on the scene that we must keep up the delusion that everything and everyone is fabulous and excellent at burlesque in every way. It often seems that no-one dares to burst a bubble - even if that bubble is swelling to the point of suffocating everyone in the room.

• Why? What good can come of insincerity?

Is there a fear of bursting a bigger bubble that we are all trapped in? Thus breaking the spell? Is there a fear of being seen as ‘unsupportive’ and therefore not ‘in the spirit of burlesque’?

I really don't think there is merit to these assertions. The reality is that being supportive in any part of life starts with being honest. Building someone up for a fall is anything but kind or supportive.

By all means, we should be encouraging and focus on a person's strengths, if we want to give their confidence a boost - that's what friends do. Give critique (if it is asked for) with sensitivity and positivity. There is never any need to be rude about a person’s shortcomings – we all have them. But we must collectively, get over this avoidance of reality checking and I suspect that the duty falls to the experienced performers to spear head this attitude of realism (with sensitivity).

We (all of us together) are in need of developing an increasing professional presence for burlesque as a genre - and so the bigger picture cannot be minimised to social convenience, ego massaging and poodle-faking.

Do we all want to really achieve? I know that I do - and I want to see amazing acts who inspire each other. Not average acts that bicker and carp over their position in local mediocrity.

To me, achievement is dependent on aspiration. In order to aspire we must first be aware of our own shortcomings – and this perception although not fun and often grueling is actually a secret strength. Self examination and perspective gaining is not the easy route, but it opens up the route which has a real achievable goal, defined by our own strengths.

So, as well as being savvy and discerning about where to perform, which teachers, bookers are credible etc - we must also learn to take the criticism ourselves. Of course, in order to do be able to do this and benefit from it we are actually reliant on hearing it from each other.

Otherwise, it’s one big precipice ahead…

So, my question for the day is… are we really open to the necessary criticism for progress? If so, then let’s test that theory and invite it.

Be considerate, kind and positive to each other – it’s critique not condemnation. It's about progression and improvement.

(oh, and please, for the love of G*d do not go publicly posting opinions on someone’s act unless they have asked you to!)

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Anyone who is able to critique me can do it any time they like. I need to know what I'm doing wrong, because it seems I can't work it out for myself ...

I'm open to critique all the time, no one seems to tell me what I'm doing wrong anytime. Well apart from Cherry Loco, but I don't think I can work with "Just shut up and look pretty, there's a good boy".

I think you have to be so careful on this one as people do ask but I think timing is important. I think we all can't help but know when we have come off stage and had a bad one. To be honest that is not when I want to hear criticism off someone as I am giving myself a hard enough time. Saying that I also do not want to be told it was good. I just feel like the person either was not watching or they are just trying to be nice neither helps.
I recently went to a gig with a friend who has only ever been to one other gig. Her advice at the end of the night over a drink was great as she came at it from a different standing point.
As i come from an art background we had meetings every Monday were you would show work and then everyone would give there views on it. Sometimes it stung but it worked and we grew as artists. Maybe as we don't have such a formal foundation in burlesque we don't feel we have the right.
I think what Kittie said is right about how you give criticism is important. I mentored as an artists as well for younger artists and the thing I learnt was to keep my mouth shut. Don't tell the person how they should do the act but ask them how they could do it better let their ideas grow. With the odd nudge and comment, its their act in the end of the day.
I constantly review and tweak my acts sometimes for the better or worse. I have been working on my Black swan and I think I have made it worse in some ways and better in others it still needs work. I am hoping my mermaid act with its new tweaks will run better I will let you know about that one once I have performed again on Thursday.
I agree I really do want to see this art form grow and look forward to seeing it happen.
hugs
Diva xxx

Kittie I'm one step ahead of you - I attended LBW closing party this year with a press pass! I promised a review for 21:CP as I feel it's high time burlesque shows started to be reviewed.

It was an exhilerating tightrope to walk - being honest (credit where credit's due and silumtaneously addressing weak spots), whilst doing all I can to safeguard against the usual rebukes at the points where I injected something that wasn't gushing with adoration:

- you're just jealous
- you're being elitist
- what do you know?
- you've got a problem with PERSON X and are taking that out against an event as a whole

...if/when it gets published, we'll see what the response is...

I look forward to that Bea - it will be interesting to see how well it is taken (how the critique is critiqued )

I assume all those who were critiqued were in the know and willing to have it published as is? That's a really brave step.

Kudos - an important move in the right direction.

i tend to agree with kittie on this are as although very very new to the while scene i havbe seen some performances that have left me cold...i dont however feel well enough versed in burlesque to be able to critique an act...if i hadnt liked it then it may just not have been to my taste for whatever reason.
i think that with experience, knowledgeand professionalism there comes an ability to look an act over and say what is right/wrong with it with a removed and professional rather than personal standpoint. and i amnowhere near this yet or am ever likely to be. i just know what i like.

that said anyone who has seen any of my acts then i would really appreciate some constructive criticism, this is a steep learningcurve for me and every little bit helps. xxxx

Originally Posted by Kittie

I assume all those who were critiqued were in the know and willing to have it published as is? That's a really brave step.

Yep, wherever possible I informed performers that I was there to review the show... I don't think I quite got around to everyone, but I did try. I also sent out a couple of status updates on Facebook and Twitter to try and pre-warn people. As it was all last-minute, I didn't have a chance for a full pre-show briefing to all participants.

There's a fine line.

From observation in the fashion / modelling community that also reflects in other areas....it's about money.

Those at the top of their game can say what they like without fear of retribution however those who are starting out or want to move up choose their words carefully driven by the fame they hope to get.

My Laura calls it people being fickle. I call it fake. There have been so many times where people say nice things about performers out of fear as they want them to say nice things about them in return etc.
Ok it's false but it appears that's how it works....until they bump into someone who does critique them properly and their world falls down around their ears.

I'm a member of model mayhem. You can post images you've taken of models etc on their picture of the day competition. There have been two occassions where models have emailed me asking me to vote for them and often enough you see what I would call a mediocre image win despite other shining examples only getting one vote.

Thing is, the models are aware they are rigging the votes.
Are performers as a consequence also aware of the illusion?
Do they fall apart because they internalise the lie?

Are we to blame because of their naivety? There are more of them than us.
The same worry applies to me, I have to pay the bills this month, I'd rather not have someone bitching about me when there are a lot of photographers in my area.

It depends on when someone asks me. I'll be more inclined to speak my mind in private. If there are a load of people standing around them or they are at the venue I wouldn't slap them with a fish that way. It's just wrong and can do more harm than good.

I ALWAYS welcome critique but I give myself a hard time anyway, I pull apart photos and it keeps me grounded, also stops me from being cocky and closed off from new ideas.

If someone's critical about my work I will still be defensive of it due to having an ego to protect. Doesn't stop me from taking it onboard though.

Edit: Another fine example is Flickr , I see people put pictures up only to be followed with comments of 'Nice composure, that's amazzzing' or even 'This is my all time fav pic'

For: A dead leaf on a pavement. Very rarely do I see criticism, if at all.

One of my suggestions to James re MOB Radio was a review of burlesque shows....