Thread: Do You Remember the First Time?

As I'm relatively new to the site and everyone seems to have such vastly different experiences, was just wondering how folk got involved in burlesque in the first place, and in what ways they are involved?

As for me, I've always been into the aesthetic of burlesque but started getting heavily into it a couple of years back when I first attended Dr Sketchy's. Met Gypsy Charms there and signed up for her Burlesque Beginners classes, which I have continud to do for the last year, whilst getting gradually more involved in the community through my accessories business, Gypsy and Viva's classes and my friendship with them, and friendships with other performers. No plans to perform (aside from a possibility of getting involved with one group piece) but I love designing for burlesquers and supporting the scene. Recently I organised my first event in the form of a farewell cabaret evening for Gypsy Charms. Along with my partner in crime Harlequin Kiss, I am taking over the running of a showcase night for new performers and am also administrator of a fund to support performers at non-profit shows in Scotland and generally scheming on ways to get further involved, future events, etc.

How about you?

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Hi Queen Bea,

I got into burleque through my friend who co-runs a monthly night in Brighton. I've only been to her night 3 times but I've always loved getting dressed up & everyones cotumes are fab! I haven't ever performed but its something I might consider if I was more polished. Been doing various dance classes for 4 years now and recently started burlesque too.

Would love to do a burlesque photo shoot or something. I've always been a fan of pin-up and 20s, 30s, 40s style too.

I'd been working in musicals, theatre, circus and cabaret for several years when the burlesque scene exploded. I actually avoided it for a while because it just seemed to be goth girls with their tits out (which I'm all for! but it didn't seem like real burlesque to me - still doesn't).

After a couple of years, a large club event in Glasgow (guess which one) asked me to put together a routine for them for a carnival themed night as they knew that I also have a background in circus performance. My partner, Lucille and I threw together one of my old fire routines and we did it for them to great acclaim!

We were then asked back the following month to do a sword fighting act (I do that too!) and the month after that to do some more fire-breathing. We then had a bit of a falling out with that club as they felt that we shouldn't be allowed to perform anywhere else and I thought this was a bloody stupid request on their part (I had, after all, been performing for several years before they came along!) So we parted company with that club.

Rhymes with Purple (my theatre company) then continued to produce the same good quality cabaret and theatre that we always had but found that a number of burlesque performers found their way on to our books so we ended up doing a little more cabaret than theatre!

Just over a year ago we were asked to take over the running of Dr Sketchy Glasgow and have spent the last 12 months turning it into the largest and most successful Dr Sketchy in the world. We now view that as our main "burlesque" outlet and are concentrating on writing new plays, producing quality cabaret events and corporate entertainment for clients all over the UK.

I did it all for the nookie........

I actually can't remember what it was that prompted me to start doing burlesque. It feels like one day i just realised -i should be doing burlesque opera! It was something i'd been interested in for ages, and well, i just can't stand straight opera, i knew i needed something to make it interesting for a wider audience, and myself! It sounds a bit strange, but i'd recently been to see alice cooper, and decided that my stage show should have a bit of the coop about it...

At that time i was in australia and i'd decided that i was going to come back to the UK and become a singer. I've been having lessons for 12 years, but was a bit shy about it, being a confirmed metaller! But I'd had a go at singing opera in weird places, in front of the sydney opera house, and in Byron Bay, at my campsites talent show, and everyone seemed to really go for it. For the first time in my life i'd had a really shit job and i'd decided that enough was enough and i needed to get my arse in gear with my singing.

Not really knowing where to start, i began in what i believe is the fairly standard practice of bullshitting...

I live in a squat and there was a big squat party/art gallery coming up in brighton and they wanted cabaret acts. So i called and told them that i had the most wonderful, incredible burlesque opera show. Two weeks beforehand I still hadn't written my show, and was beginning to freak out about it. But somehow it all came together. I roped in my man, Heavy Metal Pete, to do some fire juggling and kinfe wielding, I somehow made some kind of narrative out of unconnected opera arias, and then I did it.

I was absolutely freaking out about it-what had possessed me to try and do opera to a squat party crowd? It turned out to be one of the best gigs i'd ever done, you could hear a pin drop. That was when I knew, if I can perform opera to a bunch of squatters and get that kind of reaction, then I can perform to anyone, and there's been no stopping me since. Haha!

Thank god for call centre jobs, if they can teach you anything, its that you never,ever want to work in a call centre again.

I'm just giving this thread a wee bump because I found people's responses very interesting and would love to hear a few more!

Great thread Bea!!
I was introduced to burlesque by some friends who had been at a night before and wanted to go again.
It started out as an excuse to get dressed up and go out in a completely different atmosphere. Fast forward a few years and I've now learnt so much more about burlesque and wouldn't step foot in the club I started going to as to me its not really burleque its more look and me and my lovely outfit and oh look i'm naked NEXT!
I've been to a whole variety of shows going on in Scotland and seen some fantastic performers. I've taken classes with Gypsy and Viva and have now worked up to performing myself but not at a profesional level I still have a full time job!
I just love it all!!

Originally Posted by Calliope Cootch

Great thread Bea!!

Just wish more folk would post, I have found people's responses so interesting and would love to read more.

Which club would that be, Miss Cootch?

I'm not 'involved' with burlesque, I'm just a fan. I became interested, as I think a lot of people did, when I saw Scarlet Fever on 'Faking It', but I only saw my first show in may this year (well, it was Anna Fur Laxis at the GoGo Cage, so not a full on burlesque show, I've still only seen one of those, mostly because of ever decreasing funds!)

I love story time!
I can't say but I have a slight hunch it may be the same club Rufus was talking about hmmmmmmmmmmm I wonder....
see ya at bellydance!