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Custom Costuming Advice w/ Vagina Woolf
Doll Parts: Performance Rituals
With all types of performance, there is a certain amount of preparation to do before you go out on stage. Everyone has a routine or a ritual they go through before they walk out on stage, here are a few of ours.
Desiree De Carlo: I always twerk, bounce, & writhe in front of the mirror, often lip synching, to the songs leading up to mine. Gets me super amped. I also have to stand around naked for at least 10 minutes before costuming. Air bath!
Phyllis Thriller: I wear my grandma’s rhinestone jewelry in every show. She was also a performer in her youth, so I feel like I am bonding with her when I am onstage with her accessories.
Frenchy LaRouge: I have to show up super early or I feel off all night. I just like to get everything set up and have a moment to stretch or chat with the owners/bar staff. If I’m singing I go over the lyrics in my head several times in the back outside of the dressing room, by myself.
Lula Lawless: Before every show (that I’m able to) my beauty routine is as follows: candle lit bath with atomic lounge music. Then I curl and pin my hair and perform my makeup ritual to either doom metal or booty bounce music (usually depends on what character I need to become for my routine). Bad bitch night? or Eat you alive cunt? I also try to stretch and have 1-2 cocktails to loosen up.
Trini Bikinii: I just need a congratulations on how big my hair is from my man.
Gurl Haggard: I always sneak to the back and set my intention for my performance before I walk out. I say how I want the audience to feel out loud either in gibberish adjectives or an actual sentence.
Patsy Blue Ribbon: I always make sure we coochie crunch. It’s an all-hands-in tradition that I did pre-show in New Orleans and happens all around the country. It’s the official pep talk of the show and sets the tone for everyone to go out there and kill it on stage and give their all.
Vagina Woolf: I like to take a long shower with candles lit and lounge music playing. I spend at least an hour preshow stretching and meditating. I always put a drop of lavender oil on my wrist and take yogic breaths before going on stage. I really like when another doll touches my tummy before going on stage to ground me.
How to Get Into Burlesque (by Frenchy LaRouge)
How do I get into burlesque? It’s a question we get a lot from fans and friends. It’s a question most established dancers get on a regular basis from other interested folx, and we’re not the first, nor the last I’m sure, to finally just post a set of guidelines on the internet for those who are curious. So here it is, Frenchy’s advice on how to get started in the world of burlesque:
1. GO TO SHOWS. Research, read about the history of burlesque, watch videos of experienced performers online, talk to performers in your area about what the community is like. Get as much info as you can! We may make it look easy on stage but trust me when I say, we did not wake up like this. If you’re doing it right, burlesque takes a lot of time, effort, and (usually) money. I personally have to book an act 3-5 times to recoup my costume expenses, for some people it’s more or less than that. Figure out what you can put into it as a hobby (very few people make a career in burlesque but it does happen), what you’d like to get out of it (are you an entertainer at heart or do you just want to experience the thrill of the strip a few times?), and what you might be able to offer the community as a whole.
2. Take a class, or find a mentor. Would you pick up an instrument without finding out how to play it first? Burlesque is no different than joining a band, or trying out for a play. You should know what you’re doing before you get on that stage! If you can find a class in your community, take it! If you can’t find a class in your area, see if you can find someone who is willing to mentor you, someone who has been in the game for several years and can give you solid, honest advice on how to put together a performance and get booked in a show. Find someone who can tell you WHY they’re qualified to teach you the art of the tease, and can back that up with facts and experience. Having a mentor can save you time and often money on costuming as well. Learn everything you can! Never stop learning.
3. Pick a name! Picking a stage name is important, and fun. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of overused, typical “burlesque” names. They might sound fancy and exotic to a new performer, but once you get further into the community you’ll wish you didn’t have the same last name as 15 other people, trust me. If I could go back and tell noob Frenchy one thing it would be to pick something a little more unique or personally meaningful than LaRouge. Choose something that tells the audience who you are, and make sure it’s something they can pronounce and chant. I would also advise staying away from overly complicated puns or names that will pigeonhole you into a certain aesthetic or kind of performance, although some very dedicated individuals can pull that off! Also, once you decide on something, GOOGLE IT. It’s no fun getting a message from someone who’s been using the name you picked for 10 years already.
4. Network. Introduce yourself to performers and/or producers at shows, get their email address or business card if they have one, and send them a quick, professional message that you’d love to help in any way you can. Volunteering to work the merch table or stage kitten a show is a great a way to get behind the scenes and develop relationships with people you want to perform for or work with. They can’t book you if they don’t know you!
5. Develop an act. Come up with a solid, unique routine that you can shop around to individual producers or troupes. I always suggest starting with something that isn’t specific to a certain theme, that way it’s easily repeated and can potentially fit in anywhere. Some troupes have auditions, and in that case you will want to be able to show them a fully realized act. If you can, get video of it to send to producers, even if it’s just on your phone in your living room, that way they know what they’re booking. A lot of cities have at least 1 regular showcase for new and independent performers that are a good place to get some experience under your belt.
6. Be professional, honest, and open. It’s ABSOLUTELY ok not to know everything, and to ask questions, and to need help. A good attitude and willingness to listen will take you far in this community!
I hope this is helpful for anyone passionate about getting into striptease. It can be an extremely rewarding hobby/career and something that has definitely changed my own life in so many ways I can’t even begin to explain.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo,
Frenchy LaRouge