Happy Burlesque Birthday to me…..and THANK YOU!
I am sure every burlesque artiste remembers their first ever performance, I certainly hope to be no exception. My debut took place on Sunday at “Roxy’s Rendezvous” in Southampton, with a very friendly group of people who instantly made me feel welcome.
Under the guidance of my teacher, friend and mentor, Divine Destiny, I had been choreographing and rehearsing my act for several weeks leading up to this event, whilst sourcing my costume on a budget from charity shops and E-bay – It CAN BE DONE! I didn’t work with lots of props, just a pair of silk veil fans in red with black tips. You can’t go wrong with the classic red and black colour scheme, in fact I didn’t choose the costume, and it seemed to choose me when I saw it in a charity shop! I feel as though it was put there for me by fate. Together with the fans, underwear and stockings from Ebay and my old faithful dancing shoes, gloves and own made red-rose pasties, I felt ready to present myself to an audience. I was so aware of other performers’ tales of costume malfunctions and ill fitting items so it was a bit of a learning curve as I continued with my first experience of preparing and performing in a burlesque show.
It’s not me, it’s HER! – Introducing Miss Helene Bach ….
I only had a slight concern about stage nerves. In fact, it doesn’t seem real - it is almost as though the whole thing has happened to someone else – my alter ego took over! Turning points for me were the times when I first showed my routine to someone else, then the time I rehearsed with Roxy and the Rockets, getting ready in a dressing room with other real, experienced performers, and of course the stage performance itself where I faced a live audience comprising of people I didn’t know and people I had only just met.
The whole time, I’ve had this really weird mental block – that’s the only way I can describe it, where I was thinking “It’s okay, I’m covered!” When I say this, I am referring to the pasties that we wear in burlesque. I can only compare them to a kind of armour that stops a girl feeling quite so naked. It was a very strange sensation indeed which extends into the stage performance (for me anyway), I can only describe it as similar to having a sheet of thick clear glass between you and the audience.
Even though I was nervous, (well it’s only natural) nerves didn’t get the better of me and I managed to look directly at some of them, when I thought I would struggle with picking people out and giving them the eye. Somehow though, the alter ego takes over and you manage to turn it on on the night, becoming somebody else for three minutes or so. Knowing the routine inside out helps you do this. I am a firm believer that an audience can somehow tell if you are ad-libbing too much, especially if they are regulars at burlesque shows and they have some knowledge of the genre.
As I was staying over the weekend, I saw much of the hard work behind the scenes that goes into the production of a burlesque show, the work which largely goes un-noticed by the majority of folks who attend these shows. There is far, far more involved than just turning up, swanning around onstage and then going home at the end of the night. If it wasn’t for a stable, core group of helpful people like this, it would be nigh impossible to stage an event such as this.
It is so important that they are thanked with great sincerity from my point of
view;
To Roxy Twirls and Mr Peter Vert for their kind hospitality and the opportunity to debut at this prestigious event.
Kris Head (DJ Trash) for making my music work so beautifully and right on cue.
Stage maid Truly Scrumptious for her calming influence backstage and superb organisational skills.
Burlesque Artistes Lotte Lovin and Cherry Rocks (who I spent the most time with) Thank you both for being a friend to Helene Bach!
All of the other “Rockets” including Alabama Love, Cookie Noir, Dolly Sparkles, Violet Delight, Kitty Loveless, Cinnamon D’Lacey, Voulez Vous, for being so friendly and making me feel so at home.
Miss Beulah Bell for lacing me up!
Cherry Pop for sporting my tassels so wonderfully.
Jodie Nicola Parker for her cheerful willingness to help anyone in need.
Claire from “The Talking Heads” for helping look after my tassel stall while it was unattended. Also thanks to the guys at the venue who lit the stage to perfection. What a nice friendly place!
And finally…
Thanks to my lovely husband Glenn for selling so many sets of tassels and putting up with all the glitter! Love you xx
Also great thanks and respect to my burlesque teacher, mentor and friend, Divine Destiny (Miss Maggie Palmer) whose help has been invaluable.
Under the guidance of my teacher, friend and mentor, Divine Destiny, I had been choreographing and rehearsing my act for several weeks leading up to this event, whilst sourcing my costume on a budget from charity shops and E-bay – It CAN BE DONE! I didn’t work with lots of props, just a pair of silk veil fans in red with black tips. You can’t go wrong with the classic red and black colour scheme, in fact I didn’t choose the costume, and it seemed to choose me when I saw it in a charity shop! I feel as though it was put there for me by fate. Together with the fans, underwear and stockings from Ebay and my old faithful dancing shoes, gloves and own made red-rose pasties, I felt ready to present myself to an audience. I was so aware of other performers’ tales of costume malfunctions and ill fitting items so it was a bit of a learning curve as I continued with my first experience of preparing and performing in a burlesque show.
It’s not me, it’s HER! – Introducing Miss Helene Bach ….
I only had a slight concern about stage nerves. In fact, it doesn’t seem real - it is almost as though the whole thing has happened to someone else – my alter ego took over! Turning points for me were the times when I first showed my routine to someone else, then the time I rehearsed with Roxy and the Rockets, getting ready in a dressing room with other real, experienced performers, and of course the stage performance itself where I faced a live audience comprising of people I didn’t know and people I had only just met.
The whole time, I’ve had this really weird mental block – that’s the only way I can describe it, where I was thinking “It’s okay, I’m covered!” When I say this, I am referring to the pasties that we wear in burlesque. I can only compare them to a kind of armour that stops a girl feeling quite so naked. It was a very strange sensation indeed which extends into the stage performance (for me anyway), I can only describe it as similar to having a sheet of thick clear glass between you and the audience.
Even though I was nervous, (well it’s only natural) nerves didn’t get the better of me and I managed to look directly at some of them, when I thought I would struggle with picking people out and giving them the eye. Somehow though, the alter ego takes over and you manage to turn it on on the night, becoming somebody else for three minutes or so. Knowing the routine inside out helps you do this. I am a firm believer that an audience can somehow tell if you are ad-libbing too much, especially if they are regulars at burlesque shows and they have some knowledge of the genre.
As I was staying over the weekend, I saw much of the hard work behind the scenes that goes into the production of a burlesque show, the work which largely goes un-noticed by the majority of folks who attend these shows. There is far, far more involved than just turning up, swanning around onstage and then going home at the end of the night. If it wasn’t for a stable, core group of helpful people like this, it would be nigh impossible to stage an event such as this.
It is so important that they are thanked with great sincerity from my point of
view;
To Roxy Twirls and Mr Peter Vert for their kind hospitality and the opportunity to debut at this prestigious event.
Kris Head (DJ Trash) for making my music work so beautifully and right on cue.
Stage maid Truly Scrumptious for her calming influence backstage and superb organisational skills.
Burlesque Artistes Lotte Lovin and Cherry Rocks (who I spent the most time with) Thank you both for being a friend to Helene Bach!
All of the other “Rockets” including Alabama Love, Cookie Noir, Dolly Sparkles, Violet Delight, Kitty Loveless, Cinnamon D’Lacey, Voulez Vous, for being so friendly and making me feel so at home.
Miss Beulah Bell for lacing me up!
Cherry Pop for sporting my tassels so wonderfully.
Jodie Nicola Parker for her cheerful willingness to help anyone in need.
Claire from “The Talking Heads” for helping look after my tassel stall while it was unattended. Also thanks to the guys at the venue who lit the stage to perfection. What a nice friendly place!
And finally…
Thanks to my lovely husband Glenn for selling so many sets of tassels and putting up with all the glitter! Love you xx
Also great thanks and respect to my burlesque teacher, mentor and friend, Divine Destiny (Miss Maggie Palmer) whose help has been invaluable.
Show review coming soon.....
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