The hard truth about burlesque performer pay It is infuriating to learn that burlesque performers are stripping for free. The truth about burlesque performer pay is that someone is making money, and it isn’t you. Sometimes it makes sense to work/perform for free or little pay, as in ballet apprenticeships or any apprenticeship, for that […]
Are you undervaluing yourself as a performer? Read More »
Don’t encrust costumes in rhinestones In the summer of 2017, Dita Von Teese came to Denver on tour. I had never seen her perform and was dying to go, but was short on funds. My love got me tickets for my birthday to see her. It was quite the treat. One thing that everyone notices
Why rhinestone encrusted costumes aren’t always a good idea Read More »
Top 5 fishnet mistakes This is part 2 of a 2 part series The secrets of fishnets: how to wear fishnets and how to fix fishnet mistakes. (If you missed the first part, read it first, then come back!) One thing I have noticed a lot as I watch burlesque performers is that they don’t
Top 5 mistakes when wearing fishnets (are you making them?) Read More »
Do you know how to wear fishnets? One of the first things I learned as a dancer in Jubilee! is the secret of how to wear fishnets. This is a two part series that I will be sharing those secrets with you. The standards of performers and their appearance were very high in Jubilee! Our
Are you making this mistake? Hide Those Tights! Read More »
How to cut burlesque act expenses If you saw my post about creating new acts, I am sure it brought up a lot of questions about how I can possibly reuse a costume and have a whole new act. Reusing costumes is actually one of my favorite ways to save time and money when I
Five Little Known Ways to Reduce Your Burlesque Act Expenses Read More »
Why you shouldn’t create another act You know that feeling you get when inspiration strikes and you just HAVE TO create another act? Read on to learn more about quelling that desire to add another act just because you have to create. I liken it to an addiction, and the focus is on the achievement,
Growing Your Repertoire: Should You Really Create Another Act? Read More »
How to add value to get paid more There has been a little bit of an uproar in the burlesque community due to a show pay poll and subsequent release of a detailed infographic recently. While I try to keep up with all the things going on, it’s difficult to allow myself to be sucked
Adding Value: How to get more bookings Read More »
Showgirl shortcut: Keep your wig on Please don’t fall off, please don’t fall off, please don’t fall off! Ever had those pleading thoughts running through your head onstage or while cosplaying? Not me. I was taught by the best in the biz how to secure my headpieces and hair so that the illusion of my
How to NOT Lose a Wig Onstage Read More »
Prep your brand new heels to last Well you did it, you just blew $100 on a pair of shoes for an act. And that’s just the shoes. You haven’t even started to bedazzle yet! Read more to learn how to prep your new high heels to last longer. If you want to make this
How to make high heels last Read More »
Prevent slipping onstage in heels There is a video out there in the world, probably several, of a long-legged burlesque artist gracefully walking across a parquet floor and then suddenly wiping out in the middle of her act, full on Bambi-on-ice style. I wish I would have prepped my shoes as they used to in
How to NOT Face Plant Onstage Read More »
Improving High Kicks I’ve always been a pretty flexible dancer—not one that needs to improve high kicks.I was always the one doing splits on chairs and practicing over stretching techniques in order to get the most out of my extensions in class. Unfortunately, I wasn’t working the muscles and all of the stretching was only
High Kicks and Kick Lines Read More »
Burlesque Costume Malfunctions How terrifying is it as a strip tease artist when you get stuck in that dress or that corset and you are running out of bars til that final reveal? We have all been there. Running to the side of the stage to get the help of a kitten to release us
Top 7 Costume Malfunctions that Can Be Avoided Read More »
There’s an art to walking Showgirls walk. A lot. In my experience as a Las Vegas Showgirl, half my time spent on the Jubilee Theatre stage was spent walking across and around it. And it’s no tiny stage—it is the size of half a football field! Because of the size, we
What you need to master the art of walking Read More »
Connect with the Audience As a performer, you’ve probably heard of the “X Factor.” No, I’m not talking about the TV show. I’m talking about the essence of a performer that cannot be explained or quantified. The “It” or “je ne se quoi” quality of that one performer that you cannot take your eyes off
What is the X Factor? Read More »
How much does a burlesque act cost to produce, really? My first big burlesque purchase was a pair of feather fans. They are gorgeous,huge and have a real wow factor when I use them. Figuring out if the expense was worth the cost made me wonder, how much a burlesque act costs. They cost me
How Much Does a Burlesque act really cost? Read More »
What’s the difference between dancer and artist? This has only recently become a “thing” for me. After performing on stages over the past 25 years and redefining myself within various dance forms, I have begun to ask myself: What is the difference between a dancer and a performer? Is there a difference? Or do they
Are you a Dancer or an Artist? How to distinguish the two Read More »
It all started with the Island Life Read on to learn why I decided to create a DIY facial cleanser followed by the recipe! Several years ago, I lived in Hawaii. The Big Island, Kona side, to be exact. It was pretty much a dream come true. I was a new SAHM with a one
How to make your own facial cleanser and save money! Read More »
How did the ballerina become a Showgirl? I wasn’t always a showgirl. While I became obsessed with Showgirls when I read Josephine Baker’s autobiography in the 7th grade, it wasn’t ever a life goal of mine to become one. I had no idea that this baby ballerina would become a Showgirl one day. I wanted
Going from classical ballerina to Las Vegas Showgirl Read More »
What the heck is the fourth wall anyway? Fourth WallNounThe space which separates the performer or performance from the audience. It took me years to understand what the heck it meant to break the fourth wall. It was a new concept to me when I reached professional status. I had never heard of “breaking through
The Real Magic of Being a Performer Read More »
Learn how to care for ostrich feathers to extend the life of your ostrich boas and ostrich feather fans. Tips below! My favorite part of being a showgirl is the feathers. The world of burlesque is covered in glitter, rhinestones and feathers. Every type—ostrich, turkey, rooster, vulture, etc. And if you invest in these glorious
How to protect your feathered investments! Read More »
Where my authenticity as a performer began I remember being a little girl, in my mint green unitard, black knee pads and lyrical sandals, getting ready to compete in a dance competition. I was nine or ten. Maybe ten—I believe it was after my brother had passed. This is when I started to really lean
Are You Being True to Yourself as a Performer? Read More »
If you’ve ever seen me perform in the last 7 years, you would say there is no doubt that I am a classic Las Vegas showgirl, even though you can only find me on a burlesque stage. But what does it really mean to call oneself a showgirl? When looking up the definition online, one
Who Killed the Las Vegas Showgirl? Read More »
What’s the point of performing, anyway? Recently, I have been feeling a little burnt out. Maybe a lot burnt out. Therefore, performing just doesn’t have the same thrill that it used to. I don’t feel inspired, I don’t feel like I’m inspiring the audience and I don’t feel the passion anymore. I’m physically exhausted. This
Why do you need to Perform? Read More »
I never thought I would be wearing pasties As I entered the world of showbusiness, I never thought I would see the day when I would wear pasties onstage. What the heck are pasties in the first place?!? I was a Las Vegas showgirl for years and never wore a pastie. What a relief too!
How to NOT POP a Pastie! Read More »
