Comunications

Eliza DeLite 15 March at 12:42

Hello my lovelies,

For those of you who don't know, aside from being a burlesquer, I am actually studying to become a photographer/film maker and am nearing the end of my degree here in Leicester.

I am making a short documentary film about burlesque to submit for my dissertation, with the possibility of entering a few short film festivals.

I am looking for any shows or events within the coming weeks that I would be able to come along and film, backstage, interviews with performers and also audience members.

I am trying to make a visually stunning piece of work which also sends out a strong and TRUTHFUL message about burlesque, the hard work behind the acts, the nitty gritty details of becoming a successful burlesque performer, the pros and cons of working in the world of burlesque & what (if it is the case) careers/jobs do performers have by day.

If you know of any upcoming events or would be interested in taking part in any of my studio interviews please get in touch.

Many Thanks
Eliza

xxx

Darkteaser Dt 15 March at 12:45 Reply

Hi if you want to do something with me then please send me a PM with detail on when you wanted to do things and such.
DT
xxx

Glorian Gray 15 March at 12:48 Reply

I would love to do this hun! Not sure about upcoming shows that are nearby- obviously theres powderroom! I would be up for a studio interview or performance also. Let me know what you think! xxx

Eliza DeLite 15 March at 12:50

Hi Darkteaser,

Do you have any upcoming shows? Are you hosting another Garter Lounge in the near future? I'm just trying to suss out/locate a couple of events to film at. I have no specific dates that i'm looking shoot on, really I need work out when things are and schedule around that.

Eliza
xxx

Glorian Gray 15 March at 12:52 Reply

Im doing a show on the 27th in Holmfirth hun, its not exactly near but its a fab venue, old picturedrome, massive stage and lots of backstage room to interview if the promoter was ok with that?

Darkteaser Dt 15 March at 12:52 Reply

Ok well my next show in in grenoble france on tv friday then saturday a show in grenoble too.
I do have my dark side 2nd april
x

Eliza DeLite 15 March at 12:53

Hi Glorian,

Brill! Would you like to/be able to come in for a studio interview and perform one of your acts? I do love the two you performed at Powder Room last time... the painter and the nun. Are you free for a day over the next fortnight?

xxx

Glorian Gray 15 March at 12:56 Reply

Sure thing! I need to be down in Lboro off and on anyway so can combine it with a study trip! If you werent massively bothered I wouldnt mind doing one of my newer acts- those two are the 2 and 3rd acts I ever did so am well sick of them lol!

Equador Zaha 15 March at 13:09 Reply

haya, i'm very much up to give you a hand darlin, theres a show coming up in holloway on April 1st which is in a rockers club. so its very raw, the changing rooms are in the basement where there's not even enough hight room for me to stand strait. there'll be a few different performers there. Also, either before of strait after i'm shooting off to a 2nd gig in mayfair for the eccentric club.
coluld be interesting for your doc to see how a burlesque dancer rushes around like a mad thing trying to fit as many gigs in as possible. Also, seeing the parralel between the expensive corporate mayfair burlesque scene too the undergroundy rockerers of holloway.
here's my number, **************
give me a shout

having a good copy of my show filmed is always apreciated too.
:-)

The Naked Truth

This is just something I was trying out yesterday, I wanted to show the transformation from bare faced to full burlesque make up, which thinking about it since, i find rather ironic. It's ironic that a burlesque performer would spend time and attention to detail, in covering up their face, painting it with make up, to achieve a perceived ideal... when really they are about to go up on stage in front of so many people to "bare all". Think about it!

Recent Developments...

Went to see "Burlesque Undressed" at The Phoenix recently. It is the latest to join the growing collection of documentaries on Burlesque out there. I think it was definitely worth seeing, though I am slightly critical of it's approach and the message of utter glamour it gives off. Come on, inscence sticks and champagne before a show?....Last thing I remembered, the lead up to a show involves running around in a mad frenzy trying to find that damn double sided sticky tape for sticking your tassels on with, while trying to rip the velcro rollers out of your hair!

I found also, that the interview clips with Immodesty Blaize were a little too rehearsed and lost that "documentary" feel of honesty and gut reaction answers.


The film is now available on Amazon too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Immodesty-Blaize-Presents-Burlesque-Undressed/dp/B002YT7W2E

Not long after this I shot some photographs at Redeemer, the local metal nightclub, which was hosting a show put together by some "collegues" of mine. I wasn't taking part this time, but I thought it would be a nice opportunity to start gathering some images together.

The nature of these shows often leaves the girls changing in corridoors or stairwells and this event was no exception. It's this one factor really that provoked my reaction to Burlesque Undressed because unless you have Immodesty or Dita's money, there's no pre show champagne, it's the odd free Rum and Coke if you're lucky!

Anyway, I tried to get this across through these photos, which yes... possibly challenge people's assumptions of what burlesque is about.

This last image is one of my favourites, maybe because it is so ambiguous... but for me, it really captures one of the feelings of the backstage experience, of the cold gritty floor under your feet.. which at that point really doesn't matter because the sheer adrenaline you get before a show is the only thing you can feel.

The final thing I have to blog about is about where I'm taking this whole thing. On one of my many recent visits to the Phoenix Square, I went to see Tom Ford's A Single Man, which was the most visually stunning film I've seen for a long time. Beautiful use of colour, sound, close ups... really an amazing film.

Actual Link to Time Warp Wives

God I love it!

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/time-warp-wives

Time Warp Wives Blog???!!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB_58gYY3vGLUodN_1OapqlF8sxCOj7xjy2-ABB7E_hkVwziZoh58MZMF_QXbfTimSj6QUBz5X0zuDymPfeZZHwMoKcp4vWuXsQD7YEyi75YBoU94bUIemeSqm-DnULDGi1CKDhn4oEbg/s400/Time+Warp+Wives+New+Logo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://timewarpwives.blogspot.com/&usg=__1saPivH-ve0s9MXEQ4pSnySCa5g=&h=400&w=275&sz=33&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=6ie2ICKvESdujM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=85&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtime%2Bwarp%2Bwives%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Dita :D

What's with vintage???

I really ought to keep this blog up to date, i seem to accumulate a lot of bookmarked websites, articles, links  & whatnot.

I've been looking at people's motivations to dress vintage. Yep, this is swaying a bit from burlesque.. but it's all relevant. Key to a women's empowerment is her confidence in her own attire and let's face it... unless we're talking serious flared 70's style Levis (which I do personally covet)... jeans just don't cut it!

A lot of people now are harking back to those decades we call vintage, 40's & 50's predominantly. People are trading in their jumbo stilletos for a nice pair of elegant courts, thier skinnies for a swishy petticoat and need I even start on the hair?! Be gone you foul scrapped back ponytails!!! Hello victory rolls! :)

What interests me is why people do it. What's so wrong with out modern world that people are throwing it in for something a bit more tried and tested? A very long time ago, coming onto about a year... I watched this mini documentary courtesy of 4OD. This documentary peeks into the lives of a few individuals who take vintage to the max! Below is a link to the Daily Mail's article on it.

I believe it still exists on 4OD, though ideally I'd like to get my hands on a DVD of it.

Time Warp Wives:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1042702/Time-Warp-Wives-Meet-women-really-live-past.html

Slipping into my burlesque alter ego I engaged in a short interview with a good friend of mine, Sammy... better known as Betsy Von Blush. I do not kid you, she has her hair and make up vintaged out every single day! This is a serious devotee to the vintage revival and so I decided to question her on her motivations, opinions and influences regarding all things vintage.

Interview/informal discussion with Miss Betsy Von Blush

Eliza DeLite

Why is it that you like to dress vintage? What is the appeal? How does it impact on your lifestyle?

Betsy Von Blush

Ermmmmm well... I’ve always had an interesti n the 50's and stuff since I was really small because I liked old musicals etc.

The appeal is to be unique. I don’t really like to follow trends and things that are popular, never have been.

And what do you mean about impact my lifetyle?

Eliza

How is your lifestyle any different from someone who doesn’t dress vintage, someone who doesn’t do the vintage hair and make up everyday?

Do people react to you any differently?

Betsy

Sometimes you get a few funny looks, if I go all out then I get funny looks and some comments.

I always get comments about how I do my makeup

Eliza

Do you think people appreciate it?

Betsy

Ermm people probably think its rediculous but I don’t really care. It’s up to me how I dress really, I like it so don’t care if they don’t.

Eliza

Do you think you could ever give it up? A life without vintage, how would you feel?

Betsy

Empty, haha, boring, really really boring and the same as everyone else. Can’t take vintage away! Its timeless. I like things that are timeless.

Eliza

Or is it????

Betsy

Iconic then

Eliza

Do you think you could survive an entirely vintage lifestyle?

Betsy

Like proper vintage probably not, time were hard apparently! I couldn’t kill a chicken I’d raised!

Eliza

I could… errr... maybe not, not if I'd named him. What do you think the world will be like in 20 years time with regards to the vintage revival?

Betsy

Well.. I think at the moment it’s really popular because of Dita (Von Teese) and such. And the whole revival of burlesque and how it’s really popular at the moment. And I think there will be phases of it almost.

At the moment it’s just a phase for a lot of people because of the rise of it with celebs and such.

Eliza

Do you think it will die down?

Betsy

Probably when the celebs go out of "popularity", but then someone else will come back and do it again. So it’ll happen again but the hardcore vintage people will always be that way.

Eliza

Do you think the vintage revival is relying upon celebrities such as Dita Von Teese?

Betsy

Yes, exactly. She’s brought the whole thing back because she’s popular at the moment.

Eliza

Are there any other celebrity figures you'd credit?

Betsy

Historically or contemporarily?

Eliza

Right now, here in 2009?

Betsy

Erm, Dita obviously, Imodesty Blaize. A lot of UK burlesque artists - Anna Fur Laxis, yeah I’d say Anna Fur Laxis was the best person id seen. Oh, and Eliza DeLite, lol!

Eliza

LOL

Why thank you!