Over the past five to ten years, some very empowering subcultures have been gaining more and more mainstream acceptance. The first was roller derby and these days, at least here in New England, it’s all about burlesque!
Burlesque was once relegated to seedy downtown theaters or the poshest of the posh dance halls, but now it is not uncommon to find burlesque night takeovers at the same clubs and bars that host bands. There are also some exciting crossover nights where the variety night format includes burlesque, music, comedy, and drag.
To learn more about this exciting form of expression and the music that drives it, I met up with two stellar burlesque performers to get answers to questions like, “What kinds of guitar riffs are good to strip to?”, “How can I get involved in burlesque?” and finally, “What are some of the dos and don’ts of attending a burlesque performance?”
Since this is a guitar blog, we’ll be focusing on the music-related areas first. If you’re primary interest in this post is about Burlesque as an art form, please scroll down for more information.
SWEET GUITAR TONES [SGT]: THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK WITH ME. PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR OUR READERS.
Vera Rose [VR]: My name is Vera Rose and I’m a solo performer out of the Seacoast NH area. I have performed all around New England.
Miss Alexa Crowley [MAC] : I’m Miss Alexa Crowley of Lady Luck Burlesque. I am based out of the Seacoast. I am new-ish to dancing and I am inspired by all things spooky and scary.
SGT: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN BURLESQUE
MAC: I came to burlesque mostly by accident. I was going through a really hard time in my life and I saw an ad on Facebook for an amateur competition and I thought like this will make me feel like myself again. I got assigned to Lady Luck after that and burlesque has been my joy ever since.
VR: I’ve always had a big interest in anything historical that was kind of different and not mainstream. I also liked that I can relate to the people who are in burlesque. What I mean by that is that when I’ve watched burlesque live or in videos, I see women the same body size as me, so I was like, “Okay, I can do this!” I also did the amateur contest. It was the first one [that Lady Luck Burlesque put on]. I saw the ad and I kind of went back and forth. I wasn’t sure [if I should do it]. I’m normally a shy person, but I thought, “I have to do this – I need a hobby.” The director [of the troupe] at the time really liked me and she put me on the roster the next month. I’ve been doing it ever since and I love it!
SGT: WHAT MAKES A SONG GOOD FOR BURLESQUE?
VR: I wrote down quite a few ideas. I love The Velvet Underground, especially the song “Venus In Furs.” I love it because it’s slow and you have multiple instruments that you hear in that song, but you do end up hearing the guitar in the background which what would be my base to make the choreography to the song. It’s slow and sensual and you can just move very like slinky to it. The song just has a lot of sexual energy to it. I love the Velvet Underground. I think they’re a great band to dance to.
MAC: I tend to gravitate towards a very classic garage rock sort of style. I really I love the Fratellis. I think they’re awesome for burlesque. They have tons of songs especially on Costello Music, which i think was their first album. Their song “Chelsea Dagger” is a classic sort of neo-burlesque song. There’s also The Black Keys. I’ve seen several great acts to “Howlin For You.” One was as a werewolf! It was adorable and I loved it! Other Black Keys Songs that are great include “Gold On The Ceiling” and “She’s Long Gone.”
“She’s Long Gone” is stellar, and it’s a song that I’m working up an act for right now because when I listen to that song I imagine a story with it. I also like that since it’s just guitar, bass, and drums that it’s perfect for the style of dance that I do and for the character that I play it’s just perfect.
VR: I also love the Stooges track “I Want To Be Your Dog.” It’s very raw. If you know the Stooges you know there’s a lot of shock value, but it also gets sexy and fast and I love that! I love songs where it kind of can start slow and then the audience doesn’t know what to expect and then it gets fast.
The Cramps are an awesome band to perform to as well. They’re one of the great garage bands and a lot of their songs start out slow. “Like A Bad Girl Should” is one of my favorites. Everything in this song has this sexual energy.
I love metal and punk music because it has that raw energy and energy brings out everything out of you. I’m naturally a shy person, but if you throw on the right song I just let go! And I’m not even talking about removing clothes, but with the right song you just like lose yourself and you forget about all the problems in the world. You just let go and it just feels good. It’s like a rush!
MAC: I think a lot of metal is especially great for bringing theatricality, especially if you’re not a very technical dancer then it’s ALL about theraticality. Even if you are a technically great dancer, I think burlesque is still about acting. It’s about the face. It’s about the persona. So a song like “Mr. Crowley” (by Ozzy Osbourne) is perfect for me because there’s a narrative to it. There’s a narrative that I associate with it and it’s something big that has almost an operatic quality to it. I think that allows you to match the size and energy of the song to the size and energy of your performance and if it’s a huge booming like theatrical song you can bring a huge booming theatrical performance to it. That’s why I love that kind of music.
VR: One of my favorite bass-led songs that I performed to was “Color of Blood” by Chelsea Wolfe. I’ve been wanting to perform to her music for a while now and I was lucky to have an opportunity to do so last year. The bass is the lead on this track, and the electronic drums follow right after. This build-up helps make for an emotionally-driven story for my act. For the bass portion, it makes me want to walk or crawl with slow, controlled movement and with the electronic beats, it triggers me to dance fast and swiftly. With that being said, it’s a great set-up for a slow, strong tease to high energy dance movements. I love all of Chelsea Wolfe’s music, everything from her earlier dark folk acoustic guitar tracks to her recent albums consisting more of metal and electronic-inspired sounds.
Another song that I like to perform to is Hank Mizel’s “Jungle Rock.” This song is a classic 50’s upbeat guitar-led song that just puts you in an upbeat mood. It’s fun, fast, and like one of the lyrics says, it just makes you want to move your feet. This high-energy track inspires me to create fun, classic 50s inspired dance moves. I would say between the lead guitar and the drums, that is where I do the most hip and butt shakes. This is definitely an act that the audience likes because as I am giving off that high energy, they give it right back to me.
SGT: IS THERE AN IDEAL DURATION FOR A SONG IN BURLESQUE?
VR: The ideal duration for a burlesque act usually ranges from three to five minutes. I’ve seen and even performed on less or more that that time range. The duration of the songs depends on certain factors such as what are you trying to portray for your act (sometimes you mix different songs together) or sometimes producers are looking for just that average duration so that they can fit a certain number of acts for the show.
MAC: I would agree to between 3 and 5 minutes. You’re probably not going to accomplish all you need to in less than three. If your act is more than five minutes long it’s going to be really difficult to hold the audience’s attention, even if you’re doing something really interesting.
SGT: HAVE YOU EVER PERFORMED WITH A LIVE BAND? IF SO WHAT DID YOU LIKE (OR DISLIKE) ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE?
MAC: I have not! But I’ve seen it done plenty of times and loved it.
VR: When I was in Lady Luck Burlesque, we were lucky enough to have a live band for the first few years when I started with the troupe. It was a fun experience to perform to a live band, especially when you grew to have a relationship with them. Not many troupes in this area got to have their own band, so I thought that was very special and unique to have experienced that. It made the shows feel more like how it was back in the day.
SGT: HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR ACTS?
MAC: Because I have no classical dance background at all – I can’t stress that enough – the way that I put my solo pieces together is that they have to be very narrative-oriented. I have to have a character and I need to have a concept and sometimes the song and the concept are one. For example. I do an act to the song “Mandy Goes To Med School” by the Dresden Dolls. It’s a song about a bad doctor and I do the act as a bad doctor so it’s very one-to-one. The song told me how to act and what to do and what to wear. Sometimes it’s a little bit less on the nose, but I will take a piece of the song and make a character and a narrative and a concept out of it. I need to have that character and that narrative to rely on because all the classic like choreography elements are not something that come naturally to me. I need to make a story for myself so I know where to go and what to do.
VR: When I come up with a concept it’s either based on a song or a theme idea. I find it interesting that you do it the way that you do because me I’m usually just like, ‘Oh, this idea sounds good. I think I can do an act to it.,” and then I think I develop my character later. Whether it’s based on a horror movie or something else, I get the theme idea and then develop my character afterwards.
MAC: Yeah, my song absolutely gives me my character. In the future I’m using the song “Toes” by Glass Animals. There’s a line in it that goes, “Five fingers, two black hooves,” and that’s all that I needed. From that one line I got a character and a narrative and a concept. If those things don’t come naturally for me from a song, then that song just isn’t going to work for me.
HOW DO DANCERS PICK SONGS FOR THEIR ACTS?
MAC: I think a lot of the music that people use is based on their character, if they have a very cohesive consistent character which I do. She is spooky and sexy and a little bit threatening.
The cheesecake look just doesn’t really work for me, so I like songs that are sort of grungy because that is more the look that I go for.
For my character I love the Black Keys. I love stuff like that. I love Ozzy. My character is Alexa Crowley so my next big solo for the spring is going to be Mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne.
VR: Awesome!
MAC: I think it’s gonna be cute. I’m excited… “Cute” is probably not the right word, though.
VR: It’s gonna be cute.
MACL It’s going to be cute and spooky.
VRL I’m a big Black Sabbath fan, so I’ve actually thought about dipping into drag as Ozzy but we’ll see about that.
MAC: Oh my God, we should duet!
VR: Yeah, it’s gonna be good. We’ll see.
MAC: I think it depends on your character. I know lots of girls who, for example, love Madonna or love JLo or love the the really upbeat 80s and 90s pop music. That really is consistent with their character so it depends [on the performer]. I love the guitar and bass like sort of garage rock themed music because it works for my character.
VR: I have a big background in classic burlesque and I do love the big brass bands, but now I’ve been kind of shifting and doing more neo-burlesque stuff because I love both. I think it’s just fun to explore. I have a background in heavy music. I love punk rock and metal music. I grew up on that in high school. My friends and I used to go to all those shows.
I think when I first started burlesque I didn’t really think about music as much, so I stuck with the classic stuff, but now that I’m more exposed to neo-burlesque it’s ok if I want to try this kind of music or this idea.
If there is a bass-led song, it has to be consistent and deep and loud. When you are performing you can’t just be on stage and be like [mimes stiffness] so if you have a heavy bass it helps you know how to move your hips.
Whether it’s a trumpet, guitar, or bass, whatever is the loudest or the lead is what will coordinate with my movements in the song.
MAC: That loud consistent bassline is so helpful, especially if it’s a mid-tempo or slower song. If it’s driving very fast then it’s hard for me to dance to just because I feel like I want to coordinate with that leading line.
Something that’s very frenetic is going to be almost impossible for me to dance to. And it will be especially hard for me to dance to in a way that is going to be sexy because burlesque is big. In burlesque everything is big. The looks are big. The characters are big. The dance is big. The face is big. Your facial expressions and everything else has to be very emotive and when something is slower it’s easier to really milk every second out of every movement and out of every facial expression.
You can take forever in burlesque on very little things. Even something as simple as taking off a glove. You can use up a whole eight-count just taking off a glove. People love it when you really milk every second out of everything you do, so the more the bass is clear and consistent the easier it is to match your movements and your expressions to the music.
VR: Sometimes I pick fast songs and part way through I’m like, Oh my gosh, I’m not gonna have time to remove everything!” I do like some fast songs because I am known for my hip shaking and butt shaking and I do like that part. I have been trying to find a balance and trying to practice both fast and slow because I’d like to be good at both.
SGT: CAN YOU GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND ON THE HISTORY OF BURLESQUE AND THE MUSIC THAT WENT ALONG WITH IT?
VR: A lot of people go back and forth on where Burlesque came from and when it emerged. Burlesque originated during the Victorian era in the UK and it got brought over to the United States. It became really popular during the 20s thanks to the Ziegfeld Follies, who came from Europe and traveled all around the world.
During the 20s the music in burlesque featured a lot of trumpet, brass instruments, and piano. That’s where a lot of the cheesecake and very cutesy music came from. Right before the Depression, burlesque was a source of entertainment for people and with that came all of these big band elements. That goes all the way into the 40s with these big sounds which were very classic. I noticed in the 40s music that a lot of the lyrics didn’t start until halfway into the song.
You start to see a shift in the 60s. I think that’s when you start to get more guitar- and bass-heavy songs. It’s the bass sound that helps you know where the bumps and grinds go.
And then burlesque kind of fell off after the 60s because they introduced strip clubs and topless dancing so people people became more interested in that. After that came the disco era, which was driven by the synth sound. Burlesque was still not coming back yet because people were dancing and doing their own thing.
Burlesque started to come back in the 90s. That’s when you have a mix of all the classic music, but you have the new sounds and then the neo-burlesque movement and all of this started to get big in pockets all around the United States.
MAC: Wow. I want to listen to your burlesque history podcast! I blanked on what the question was, I was so enthralled.
SGT: OK, NEW QUESTION. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DOs AND DON’Ts WHEN IT COMES TO BEING A GOOD AUDIENCE MEMBER FOR BURLESQUE?
VR:
Do’s
- Do cheer, hoot, and holler! Sometimes people don’t know how to react at a show, especially when it is their first time. The more energy and shouts you give to us, the more we will give back to you! Participation is encouraged!
- If you like the performer or show, tell your friends or bring them next time! Social media is a great marketing platform, but I think word-of-mouth is the best!
- If we are around after the show, don’t be afraid to say hello. We love our fans and you are the reason why we put on more shows.
- Do sit up close, if you wish, especially in a non-traditional theater. Who knows? You may get an interactive experience!
- Do make eye contact with the performers. We won’t bite! We try to do the same 🙂
- Do have a drink or two if you wish! Relax, and enjoy the show!
Dont’s
- Do not touch a performer unless you have been giving consent (this goes the same for performers). We want to make sure that everyone is in a safe environment and has a great experience.
- Do not get wasted and walk on stage or cause any other interruption. You will get kicked out.
- If there is limited space with a non-formal stage, please make sure to leave room for the performer.
- Do not talk during the performance (other than cheering and laughing!).
- Do not heckle or shout rude comments, ever. As my friend Bunny Wonderland says, “It takes a lot of nerve to get on stage and to perform in front of an audience.” You don’t have to like everyone or everything, but please be respectful of everyone on stage and around you.
- Do not take photos or videos of the performers if the host or MC has specifically stated so at the beginning of the show. A lot of performers have other jobs and lifestyles and they may not want to be displayed all over social media even if they have a performer account.
- There are some burlesque shows where tips are accepted. DO NOT throw money at the performers or tuck it in their clothing unless they give you permission.
MAC:
Do’s
- Do make a lot of noise! We feed off the energy of our audiences, and if we get the sense that an audience isn’t into it or doesn’t like the performances, you’re going to see the energy of the performers go down a lot.
- Come up to us after the show and tell us if you liked our acts!
Dont’s
- This is obvious, but never, EVER touch the performers unless they have told you to for some reason. No matter how sexual our performance might be, we are still people and entitled to our personal space.
- Don’t get super wasted. It’s fine to drink and have a good time at a burlesque show, but if you’re visibly hammered as an audience member you become a wildcard and you make the performers uncomfortable.
SGT: WHAT ARE SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BURLESQUE?
MAC: Many people have the idea that it’s only women in burlesque, which is definitely not the case. People also think that you have to look a certain type of way, which is absolutely not the case. I’ve seen every kind of person on stage and the audience does not respond to you based on how you look. The audience responds to you based on creativity and charisma and the energy that you bring, not looks at all. I think people have the idea that burlesque is either very seedy or very classic like Moulin Rouge and the glamour that goes along with that. Of course there is some of that, but there’s a lot in the middle and I’m very comfortable in the middle.
SGT: HOW CAN SOMEONE GET INVOLVED IN BURLESQUE?
MAC: Oh my God, I love this question. I just got so excited!
VR: The best way, whether it’s dipping into doing burlesque or getting to know other people in burlesque, is to go to the shows. That’s the first thing you can do. If you have any slight interest go to the shows and start locally. I always tell people to support the local art.
So if it’s not happening in your town, you can go to the closest place it is happening. The best way to meet people is to be in the audience and then you can talk to the artists after and get to know them. That’s your gateway to get into the community.
Another way to get in is to volunteer as a stage kitten behind the scenes. You get to see all the work that gets put into the show and you’re helping make it happen.
Personally, I love to network. I like to get to know artists outside of the area because I’d like to potentially bring them here. Right now Portland, Maine is really big with neo-burlesque. So is Boston. Here [in New Hampshire] we have a really big classic base and I love that, but I’d also like to bring artists from other communities here.
MAC: I love that you love to bring the weird.
VR: I try. I know what people look at me as classic but…
MAC: No! You bring the weird.
VR: I have that beast inside of me that I need to bring out. I’d like to bring more of that back to New Hampshire!
MAC: Going to shows is the best way. Burlesque is not an ivory tower. It’s not a gated community. If you come up and you want to meet performers, I won’t speak for other people but, most of the time we want to interact with people. We want to meet people and if you’re interested in burlesque I would be very happy to talk to you or anybody who is thinking about doing an amature competition or thinking about auditioning. I would love to spend my time talking to anybody about burlesque and amateur competitions are a great way to break in.
I did Lady Luck’s So You Think You’re A Lady (or A Gent) contest and I did not win, but I’m in Lady Luck now! [To Vera] I think you went the same way same way?
VR: Yeah, same way. Just because you don’t win doesn’t mean there isn’t a chance you join. People will see the magic in you.
MAC: You don’t necessarily get into a troupe because of how much dance background you have. Like I have said a hundred times, I have zero dance background. I got in because I do big facial expressions and they thought I was nice!
It’s not just how well you perform — it’s how well you perform with other people and support the other performers. That gets you so far in the community, which is absolutely how I think it should be.
SGT: IF SOMEONE IS LOOKING TO GET STARTED IN BURLESQUE, WHAT ARE SOME COSTUME / ACCESSORY “MUST HAVES,” AND WHERE WOULD THEY START SHOPPING?
VR: Burlesque can turn into an expensive hobby! With that said, though, you don’t need to spend a lot to start as a performer. The basic must-haves for a beginner performer are thigh highs or fishnet tights, nude or black dance shoes, a basic black leotard or black top & black shorts, your favorite lipstick and something extra fun such as a inexpensive boa or small feather fan. These items are perfect to have when you are learning and practicing. You can get any of these things at your local dance store, online dance websites, or even Amazon or your local Target. Even better: check out your local thrift stores. You would be amazed at what you can find! Plus, it’s better for your wallet and the environment.
MAC: Some classic props include opera-length gloves, boas or stoles, and thigh-high stockings with garter belts. There’s a big joke in the community that Amazon is the official one-stop shop for burlesque, and that’s definitely the case. Where else are you going to get a pink paisley lace-up underbust corset in two days? Amazon has got your costume needs covered. This is probably specific to my character, but I’ve also had great luck at Halloween stores.
