Rockaburley Burlesque

 

 

 

“Burlesque has been simmering away underground for several years, but it is only the last two or three years that have really seen it explode into the mainstream, largely helped by Dita von Teese's rise to international stardom. However, it is still relatively unknown in many quarters, and as it continues to increase in popularity, I only hope that burlesque as an entertainment form will retain its unique appeal and not become just another trend.”

Daiquiri Dusk is one of Glasgow’s many new burlesque dancers and promoters. Her optimism and enthusiasm is typical of the scene, which is rapidly emerging as both a grass-roots movement and a dynamic reinvention of cabaret. In researching my article on local events, I found myself talking to a diverse range of artists, all of whom confirmed that burlesque is not only established in the central belt, but is evolving at an incredible pace.

Perhaps one of the most striking features is that many of the performers also act as promoters: along with Cat Aclysmic, Daiquiri runs Rockaburley, a Glasgow night where Daiquiri promises “a unique fusion of burlesque and rockabilly – something not on offer anywhere else in Scotland. We offer exciting stage shows featuring some of the UK's top performers, and mix it all up with a good dose of old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll!”

Both Daiquiri and Cat praise the possibilities of burlesque, a form which allows the performer to choose everything from props to audience reaction. “My career started when I had an idea for an act. It was a strange, otherworldly circus striptease about the Bearded Lady with a surprise ending and I debuted it at a large Glasgow burlesque night a month later,” Cat begins. “I had complete control over the act: I chose and edited the music, choreographed the movement, sewed the costume and created the finished look on the night.”

This level of creativity is seductive. “In no other form of theatre could you have this much freedom over your performance and the kind of image you want to portray,” she continues. “From that first act I was hooked – the way burlesque can make people laugh or cheer, the way it can polarise emotions, make a statement or simply catch people up in the excitement of the moment is beyond anything I’ve worked with before.”

Daiquiri agrees. “As I learned more about it, I realised that the appeal of burlesque lies in the fact that it is a unique and evolving entertainment form, one that allows you to bring seemingly disparate skills together in a performance in a way that no other kind of theatre permits.

“It also gives you total freedom in the creation of acts, which is unusual. Unlike scripted theatre, burlesque allows you to create the initial ideas and themes for your own performance, and to then build upon these with the music, costuming, choreography and characterisation.”

It is this freedom which has created the stunning diversity within modern burlesque. Cat admits that she has some unlikely inspirations alongside the more traditional: “I’m influenced by female comediennes such as Gilda Radnor and Carol Burnett as well as strong female sexuality, like Lauren Bacall, although no one gets near Gypsy Rose Lee for style – she is an absolute inspiration.”

Daiquiri is equally eclectic. “I have many influences when it comes to creating my performances. I have studied historical burlesque performance and classical striptease, so there are elements of that in what I do, but I also draw upon my own experiences and skills, which vary widely. I've found that the best performances are often those which incorporate unusual talents to create a new and exciting kind of burlesque act.”

The wide pool of influences and the intensely personal engagement with burlesque flavours Rockaburley. Clearly a labour of love, it brings together acts from across the world, as well as offering the audience a chance to dance to the All Tore Up DJs. The presence of Edinburgh-based boylesquer and runner-up in the Bizarre Magazine Battle of Burlesque 2008 Impressive Johnson emphasises how burlesque is female-friendly and has taken on ideas of equality: both Cat and Daiquiri, herself 2008’s Bizarre Burlesque Battle winner, will be performing.

The move from The Barfly to The Classic Grand might shift Rockaburley’s from its hard-rockin’ roots, but the new venue will bring glamour, increase the capacity and take away nothing of its style. Rock and tease on!