Quantcast
Channel: CoochieCrunch
Viewing all 188 articles
Browse latest View live

Serving Fish? Or: How I Stopped Reinforcing a Negative Image of the Feminine Body

$
0
0

Dis Charge shares some thoughts on Drag Linguistics.

With the recent and stratospheric rise of drag culture, the mainstream as well as gay and alternative strands of society, have bore witness to an astonishing increase in the popularity of terminology specific to ball and drag culture. I have lost count as to how many times I have overheard men and women throwing around terms such as ‘Shade‘ or ‘Realness‘, been asked if my comments regarding someone’s image or character could be described as a ‘Read’ and of course, the perennial favourite; ‘THE LIBRARY IS OPEN DAWWLINGS!’

Dis Charge (c) Micheal Goes CLICK https://www.facebook.com/MichaelGoesClick

Dis Charge (c) Micheal Goes CLICK https://www.facebook.com/MichaelGoesClick

It is extremely exciting in many ways. The increase in profitability and the sheer number of new recruits to the culture and its power to provide strong and highly visible images of outsider culture newly positioned within the overarching mainstream is astonishing. The queens have returned to seize the throne as it were, asserting their dominance again over a too often heard and negatively impacting category of, ‘straight-acting’ models of behaviour popularised in the late nineties/early noughties. News flash honey, if you have to ‘ACT’ straight, then you fucking aren’t.

Whilst there are many fantastic benefits to this re-positioning and appropriation of the culture, there has also been an increase in a very specific and damaging category that relates to the language used to describe and interpret femininity. The category is… FISH.

As someone who has always appreciated ‘Outsider’ or ‘Terrorist’ drag aesthetics such as those exhibited by Vaginal Davis, Leigh Bowery or Squeaky Blonde, I came at the drag scene initially contrasting a highly developed character of grotesque excess that was clearly masculine whilst donning a ‘feminine’ aesthetic.

Squeaky Blonde (c) Austin Young

Squeaky Blonde (c) Austin Young

I was a terrible chanteuse who ridiculed a staple of french art cinema, it was a parody of what was expected of myself and a method for me to perform an image that was aimed as an attack at mainstream celebrity culture. Ultimately this image was too all consuming and detrimental to my involvement with the alt. queer scene who (before RuPaul had fully come back into vogue) had me become the focus of aggressive anti-drag rhetoric, but that’s another story…

I took time away to reformulate my stance and continued to DJ with the Psycho:Drama family (who were always supportive) before returning with my latest creation… Dis Charge. An amalgamation of tranimal and terrorist drag aesthetics, inspired by my heroes/heroines and by the punk and goth scenes that I love so much. Miss Dis provided me with a malleable and at times A-Gendered image, offering an escape from the traditional references of gay male and drag culture that, whilst I appreciate, held little interest to me.

Psycho:Drama (c) Tuesday Laveau

Psycho:Drama (c) Tuesday Laveau

The reason I dislike/d these images was not because they didnt carry a mastery of makeup technique or offer an interesting interpretation of womanly archetypes within culture, though I do resent the constant need to ape images of fascile and uninteresting celebrity consumerism without any critical lense, but because of the language that was so readily associated with these archetypes.

‘Serving Fish’, is inherantly misogynistic. There, I said it. There is passing evidence for this lexis to be considered an evocative attempt to mimic the full lips and large eyes of a cartoon goldfish as referenced by performers and artists such as Mathu Andersen, but let’s face it, what I’m hearing you really say is; ‘I look so real you can practically smell my cunt.’  I would love to be proved wrong here, but the mock horror that so many drag queens present when they encounter a vaginal image is so brutally aggressive, that it speaks of another cultural perception – that a woman’s body is somehow instantly dirty.

We’ve all heard the school yard jibes, vaginas are gross blah blah blah they smell like FISH (?!) blah blah blah. This playground bullying stems DIRECTLY from a consistant effort to force young men into relegating women into a weakened position and for women to instantaneously feel shamed, thereby adopting said position and remaining – you guessed it – in subservience. Often, these young men don’t know where these assumptions come from (after all, most gay men haven’t been near a vagina since birth!) and certainly we have all been, at some point, guilty of this, either by being complicit in this behaviour or by not speaking out against it. It’s all about the way in which men AND women (because i’ve heard enough women use this terminology) view their bodies and how we are educated into accepting an image of grotesquerie that plays into the divisions between images of gender and sexuality, that have been set in place to keep us from talking and to keep us from advancing.

The ‘Fishy’ archetype smells fucking rotten and drag culture is being co-opted by people who want to make it a tool for lazy discrimination. Do not be fooled.

Fish.

Fish.

The language is wrong, the culture is slowly being deformed and soon, the divisions could be insurmountable. They don’t have to be however. Relegating the terminologies that are ultimately harmful to a mute standpoint or by subverting them in a positive manner is the way forward. I do not want to hear another queen ask if I want to ‘Serve Fish’. No I fucking don’t because guess what, I don’t want to slap my friends in the face.

When I see a glamourous or monstrous drag queen perform, I think, ‘Wow! How elegant/refined/beautiful/masterful/powerful they seem!’ THIS, is the legacy of great drag! To embody an image of transformative power. I thought the same when I first saw images of Divine and Squeaky and also, when I saw pictures and performances of Diamanda Galas, Kathleen Hanna, Kat Bjelland or Nomy Lamm.

tumblr_lg2ifj8HtL1qcirj4o1_400

Kat Bjelland

The idea should not be to parrot, mimic or simply present a 2-dimensional representation of a mass-marketed vision of femininity – how fucking dull. If I wanted to be like a Kardashian I’d have had a lobotomy. I want to see something powerful that transcends and embodies all of the best things about life and aesthetics. I want to see true beauty, and to strive towards it. The last thing I want on my menu is an out-dated, out moded and wholly offensive attack on my sisters – Thank you very much.

 

 

 

 



The Alternative Punchline

$
0
0

Machete Rose discusses the Big Reveal.

Burlesque – we all think we know it.  The problem with its fairly recent dizzying heights in popularity within the greater public, is that it’s more common for people to assume it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon and create burlesque simply with a paint-by-numbers style of concoction.

Step 1) enter stage

Step 2) remove costume

Step 3) boobs

So the true ideals, inspirations and creativities behind burlesque get diluted into a depressing copy-and-paste definition.

Burlesque by numbers. (c) Drawesome Illustration

Burlesque by numbers. (c) Drawesome Illustration

I think this is why I’ve been met with certain amounts of confusion when some people try to understand what it is I do.  An illustration of this came to me when chatting to a man who had only grasped burlesque as ‘posh stripping’.  He asked my performer name – obligingly I told him I was Machete Rose.  His next question was “Why do you want a name that sounds like you’re going to chop off my cock?”  When applied to an audience, the answer to his question is that I don’t want your proverbial cock, I want your brain.

To date, I have never stripped to pasties on stage and to some it could be understood that the acts I perform are not ‘burlesque’.  I don’t believe burlesque to be defined by nudity – a big part of it is about the reveal as a method, rather than a prescribed way of taking off clothes.  Anticipation and seduction is still at work here, where a cleverly delivered reveal (when the performer shows their own brand of wit/comedy/intelligence/surprise) is just as sexy as a delicately peeled glove.

Revealing a brain is sexy too. (c) Drawesome Illustration

Revealing a brain is sexy too. (c) Drawesome Illustration

Don’t forget, everyone that performs is showing way more than just flesh on stage; a performer is so much more than that.  They are revealing their ideas, their sense of humour, their taste in music, their storytelling skills, their dance movements, their costume design – the list goes on.

Not only that but burlesque is so much more than just flesh on stage.  For example, a nod to comedy recognises its roots; stylistically a good burlesque fan could recognise a pin up pose from 1000 paces; with an appreciation of theatre, performers can tell a good story.  The history of burlesque is so rich!

So for me, here is where the fun bit comes in.  When I took to the stage as a solo performer for the first time, my choice of punch line was not dictated by “to be naked or not to be naked?”  The fact that I continually choose an alternative to a pasties reveal is not that I am too nervous to do it; it is that I make an active decision to explore other punch lines.

Experimenting can bring surprising and exciting results. (c) Drawesome Illustration

Experimenting can bring surprising and exciting results. (c) Drawesome Illustration

There is a certain ‘accepted wisdom’ within any genre and it’s with this that you can really play with.  When the audience expect to see something, it’s all the easier to explore using things like misdirection and parody.  Ultimately I’ve found that when you hit them with the unexpected, it makes you bloody memorable.

Check out Machete Rose’s beautiful and expressive illustrations at Drawesome Illustration.


Quote for the Week

$
0
0

Live like you’re already dead, man. Have a good time. Do your best. Let it all come ripping right through you. – Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges


Being Social (Media)

$
0
0

Tiger Tiger discusses the trials and tribulations of social networking.

Networking is an incredibly important part of any industry, especially if you are self employed and self representing. In recent years, networking has grown to include the use of social media – facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and online forums in particular. With the rise in such forms of communication and networking, it is not surprising to find there are a lot of courses and workshops out there for people to learn more about using these mediums as a marketing tool.

Coming from a PR background, I thoroughly recommend these types of workshops, especially if you can find some aimed specifically at your industry – Khandie Khisses and Beatrix von Bourbon both run workshops of these types aimed at burlesque performers and are worth seeking out.

Khandie Khisses

Khandie Khisses

But in lieu of getting to a workshop sometime soon, I wanted to put together a list of simple tips. My main motivation for this is Facebook. I’ve noticed a lot of performers that have friended me in recent months on Facebook are often unwittingly doing themselves a disservice, because the way they are representing themselves online is unappealing to audience members, fellow performers and show bookers and producers.

Be Clear Who You Are

This is really the fundamental basis of representing a public image of yourself, but it can also be the first stumbling block that results in compiling misrepresentations as time goes on. Whether you like it or not, any online presence is representative of you, either as a person or a professional personae.

Ask yourself -

  • Are you using social media as yourself or as your performing personae?
    When new performers first activate an online presence it is often as their real identity, or a joint identity with their real life identity. Some people make this work very well, but others find it easier to keep profiles separate. Either way, it is important for you to understand who you are and how you are representing yourself online.

  • Who is your performing personae?
    If you are online as you performing personae, have a clear idea of who that is – is it an extension of your real life self, or is it a completely fabricated character? Either way, be consistent and appropriate (see below).

Understand What People Want to See

If you are using any social media as your performance personae, wholly or jointly with your real self, then be aware that this is your PR. This is the extension of yourself as an industry professional, no matter what level of that industry you are in, and as such, it should represent you appropriately.

Tuesday Laveau - Sees with a giant eyeball (c) David Hammonds

Tuesday Laveau – Sees with a giant eyeball (c) David Hammonds

There will be three main readership groups and networking targets of your online personae – your audience, fellow performers and show producers/bookers. It is really important to think about how you want to represent yourself to these people, and to a degree, think about what they want to see from you and how that can in turn benefit you.

  • Audience – these are the people that might have seen you at a show or have discovered you online, these are the people who pay for the tickets that fund the shows that pay your wages. It is not expected, as with any industry, that this gives them rights and privileges in your life, however, it is appropriate that you treat them with respect and kindness if that is what they have shown you (if they have actually shown you a penis picture in a private message with badly spelt chat up lines you can feel free to call them out on it and block them!).

  • Other performers – your colleagues, and likely a combination of those you know in person and those you do not. Either way, it is important to maintain civil and working relationships with these people, as well as giving support and encouragement, for which you will hopefully receive the same in return. Again, treat with the kindness and respect they show you (if they have actually shown you they are a complete asshole who you hope never to work with – be polite, if you can’t be polite be private – don’t let their shitty behaviour reflect badly on you).

  • Producers/Bookers – the people who might give you a job. This is probably the most important lesson in keeping things appropriate – understand that many producers might first come across you online, especially if you have replied to an online casting in a social media setting – so consider representing yourself as you would want to come across at a job interview.

Strongly consider having a separate profile for your personal and performance lives – there may be information and images you don’t want people on your personal profile to see, but there may also be things about your life you want to share with friends and family, but not with the 150 strangers you have added who may or may not be other performers, producers or audience members. Plus, should you have the time and opportunity to promote yourself further, a professional profile will always come across better than a personal one and early in your career can act as a reasonable stand in to a website for a while.

Alter Egos

Alter Egos

One thing the above groups have in common, is what it is not appropriate for them to see, and things that should arguably be kept for your personal profile, because, remember on a performance personae profile you are representing yourself as a business not an individual. You need to represent how you want to be seen, but also be interesting to keep an online audience – what is going to make someone press the hide button? Consider that what you post may result in someone hiding or unfriending you the day before you post that awesome video of your new act that would have been perfect for the show you didn’t know they were putting on.

Steer Clear of

  • Putting out too much personal information about you and your life, especially if you profile is not locked or you accept friends requests from strangers – keep that stuff for your personal profile for your safety and to keep your personae profile tidy.

  • Sharing potentially inappropriate images – do you want a bunch of strangers to see your family holiday photos? Be selective about what you put out there, think “do I want them to see this” and “do they want to see this”. Endless images of your new kitten might be equally inappropriate and off putting to some.

  • Complaining. We all do it, and sometimes it’s a good thing, but if you can look back and five out of ten of your most recent posts are you bitching about someone, something, your life, then stop. Seriously, stop!

  • Bitching. Don’t. Whether full on naming names or just passive aggressive crap, don’t do it. Keep shit like that private and professional. There are acts I haven’t booked because I don’t like the way they come across online – my thoughts being “do I want that person to be backstage at my show?”. It doesn’t matter if someone/something deserves to be bitched about – this is a professional environment, so keep it that way!

  • Spreading rumours. Really, don’t! If you have real concerns then pass these on privately, do not be part of rumour mill, especially if you don’t personally know the people involved, which is often the case in big industries such as burlesque.

It may seem like in a way I am advising you to potentially not be yourself, and maybe that is true. Just as you would represent yourself in a certain way for a job interview, or at work as compared to a night out with mates. Use common sense to decide what might or might not be inappropriate.

Absolutely your own personality should come through, but consider before posting anything whether it belongs in your personal profile or performance one, and how you should word it.

Do 

  • Be aware of how you are representing yourself – in the images you put up and the words you write – are those photos from 2009 great for showing your humble origins, or do they now just look dated and unprofessional compared that what you have done since? Consider how you want to come across in Cover or Profile photos – if this is the first thing people see, does it grab their attention and express you are a performer?

  • Occasionally share things of interest that might not relate to burlesque – this might be one or two personal photos, especially if they relate to something at the time – “Can you believe my hair cut from 2002! So much prefer my Betty look now, lol!”

  • Share who you are – this could be thoughts and feelings on things not related to burlesque directly but that you have an interest in, like charities and causes, or perhaps non burlesque events of interest, etc.

  • Rant! Yes, you can and should rant – share your disappointment and maybe anger productively, without slipping into bitching and complaining – “So sad that Jo Bloggs had to cancel their show because the venue has had to close! Hope they sort something out, there just aren’t enough good venues in Sopping Gusset! *sad face*” or the just as likely “Argh! So frustrated that my mum keeps saying burlesque isn’t stripping – I do take my clothes of mother!!”

  • Promote yourself – don’t ram it down people’s throats, but this is the place for you to market yourself, so make sure your new video is posted, put up those amazing new photos you had shot. Post about the upcoming shows you are excited about!

Going Forward – Consider Perception!

Like it or not, any form of online presence, whether social media or your own website, is a form of marketing yourself to your target industry. You don’t need a professional qualification in marketing to realise what common sense should already inform you – how others perceive you will affect how you are perceived in the industry.

Finally, these aren’t meant as rules, or even guidelines, what works for one person might not work for another. However, I hope it acts as a jumping point for considering your own online representations of yourself, and moreover, brings home the point that whatever you put out there online will reflect on you as an industry professional – good or bad.

 


Creative Make-up Workshop with Ally Katte

$
0
0

Get creative with Ally Katte!

Ally Katte, Bristol based performer and model is bringing a brand new workshop to the Pink Kitten Studio, Creative Makeup for Stage and Photographs.

Ally Katte (c) Angi Wallace

Ally Katte (c) Angi Wallace

Bring along YOUR makeup bag and Ally will will show you how to create fun new looks with what you already have.

Ally Katte (c) Tim Jones

Ally Katte (c) Tim Jones

Tips and tricks with glitter, unusual uses of typical makeup products, how to get the best out of high street products and much more.

Ally Katte (c) Ally Katte

Ally Katte (c) Ally Katte

The workshop will take place on February 8th at 4pm

Pink Kitten Dance School

The Old Malt House

Old Market

Bristol

BS2 9EB

Tickets are £7 and available via Pink Kitten Dance School


Quote for the Week

$
0
0

Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don’t live it, it won’t come out of your horn. They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art. – Charlie Parker

Charlie 'Bird' Parker

Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker

 

 


Watch the Shows, Take the Workshops!

$
0
0

In October last year I was lucky enough to attend a show and workshop featuring one of my idols, Miss Dirty Martini. It cost money and time, and was not at all convenient, but it was an experience of a lifetime and I’m glad I did it. And I’m going to tell you why you should be doing this sort of thing too!

We all bang on quite a bit about getting out to see shows. Because the truth is, once you find yourself performing regularly it can be harder to make it to shows as an audience member. This could be because of time or money constraints, for example, where spare time and money is going into your character and act development.

But the reason we keep talking about it is because it is important. The more you expose yourself to the performance of others the more you’ll grow as a performer yourself. Inspiration plays a part, but also fire lighting. I’m not talking about being inspired by someone’s act and so using parts or all of it in your own act, but certainly look at how other performers perform. It is difficult not to watch Beatrix Von Bourbon and think “How can I move like that”. And so then comes the fire lighting – watching the acts of others can really rock complacency. When you see someone doing something that you wish you could do, whether a movement or a skill, then perhaps it’s time to take your performance to the next step – learn that style, dance or skill and work out how you can develop it into your own style and act.

Harsh but true!?

Harsh but true!?

But another big aspect for me, something that I hadn’t really thought about until attending what was my first show as an audience member (rather than performer or producer) for the most part of a year, was the enjoyment. It’s easy to forget what a show feels like from the point of view of the audience, when really this is something that should be constantly in mind and especially when developing new acts and even more so when producing your own shows.

If you are short on cash and time, then do as I did, save up your pennies to go to a show that you really want to go to – be these some of the more well-known shows across the country, or one that stars a performer you have been particularly keen to see. The show I attended was the Goldust Theatre Of Terror at The Winter Gardens up in Morecambe (a lovely weekend and awesome road trip with fellow Bristol based performer Delilah Di Sgrace), and the main reason was Dirty Martini. But the seal on the deal was the line-up as a whole. Missy Malone and Diva Hollywood are two performers I really admire, and have seen perform live several times but was happy to see them both again. I was really excited to see Leyla Rose perform, as I’ve rarely seen her live but love her style. Also, Velma Von Bon Bon who I have heard so much about but never had chance to see – none of the performers disappointed.

Goldust Theatre Of Terror  Cast (c) InaGlo Photography

Goldust Theatre Of Terror Cast (c) InaGlo Photography

They were all amazing and we were treated to THREE performances by Dirty Martini. It was mesmerising, and a dream come true to see my idol up there on the stage. Three amazing performances, including a European premier of a new routine. It definitely made the trip worth it!

Dirty Martini's European premier of her stunning new act!

Dirty Martini’s European premier of her stunning new act! (c) InaGlo Photography

On reflection, being able to attend a show without any of the distractions that come with performing or producing was an education. Both as a performer and promoter it taught me something, and this sort of thing is invaluable.

Likewise with the workshop. It’s been a while since I’ve been to one, again because of time and money, but I do really believe in continually learning and pushing yourself. So again, I wanted to make sure I spent my time and money wisely and attended the workshop of someone I really wanted to meet, learn from and whom I admire as a performer.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the workshop, and it turned out to be a workshop covering the basics. What was interesting to me and a reflection of Dirty’s experience is that it still delivered. It’s been a while since I would have considered attending a basic workshop (the same is possibly true of several other attendees), but what was important here was the imparting of experienced wisdom. Although some of the stuff Dirty was telling us, I had already heard and have a good grasp of, it was the context that was important. Obviously, it was exciting and wonderful to meet Dirty, and she made the workshop a really fab experience, she has great knowledge of the industry and shares it generously.

The stunning Dirty Martini - (c) InaGlo

The stunning Dirty Martini – (c) InaGlo

We spent much of the workshop learning how to walk on stage, which sounds basic and was certainly something I had covered before. However, this was far from it – for one thing we were actually on a stage, which allowed us to really immerse ourselves in the lesson being taught. Moreover, unlike any previous workshops I have taken on the matter, Dirty put it into a different, much more experienced context.

When I first took classes back at the beginning of my burlesque journey, we spent weeks on “walking”, it was mind numbing, and really of no interest to me at all, as it felt like it belonged to the sort of Classical style routine I would never perform. But when Dirty broke it down for us she explained not just the how, in greater detail, but the why. The actual logic and in a sense, science behind the walk – where to walk from, how to present yourself whilst walking, and how to finish it off with a pose – the lesson was not actually how to walk, but how to use that walk to engage the audience. It made me realise that in some form or another there is a place in even non-classical routines for an contact moment like this, whether a walk or something similar. It is something I can see I already do in a number of my acts, less so in others because it didn’t seem to fit. But now I will look again at those acts and whether they need something like this slotted in.

Tiger Tiger with Dirty Martini after the workshop

Tiger Tiger with Dirty Martini after the workshop

It does go to show that even a back to basics workshop with the right person can teach you something regardless of how long you have been performing. Which highlights that point that we should all continually be refreshing our skills and techniques by attending workshops. Sometimes it is easier said than done – back to the time and money constraints – but that just underlines the fact that we should all exploit these opportunities when they come along.

From Dirty with love - now up on my studio wall for inspiration!

From Dirty with love – now up on my studio wall for inspiration!

As part of the Bristol Burlesque Festival in October 2013 we put some of our performers in touch with our friends at the Pink Kitten Dance School in order for them to share their skills, knowledge and wisdom. The workshops worked well and we were so excited to have the likes of Diva Hollywood and Khandie Khisses make themselves available to our Festival audience (and beyond). From our experiences there and both mine and Tuesday’s own personal experiences with workshops (mine with Dirty and the apparently amazing workshop that both Tuesday and Ally Katte attended with Matt Fraser and Julie Atlas Muz when they were in Bristol with their Beauty and the Beast stage show), Tuesday and I are keen to have even more workshops at the 2014 Festival. We want to ensure that the Festival isn’t just about showcasing the talents of performers with that Bristol feel, but also creating access to workshops from which local performers can really take the opportunity to workshop with some amazing talent.

Find out about local workshops from Pink Kitten Dance School HERE! Including Ally Katte’s upcoming Make-up Workshop
Find out more about Dirty Martini HERE!
Photos by InaGlo Photography


Quote for the Week

$
0
0

Dance is the movement of the universe concentrated in an individual. – Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan

Isadora Duncan



Hair! Not the musical…

$
0
0

It cannot have escaped your notice that we are a hairy species. Some more than others for sure, but nonetheless we have hair growing in all kinds of places and for all kinds of reasons. A quirk of our evolution and belonging to the Ape family – big up for our cousins the chimps! I do love chimps. Maybe one reason I love chimps so much is because as much as they love hair grooming, they draw the line and shaving and waxing.

A bald chimp is a sad chimp

A bald chimp is a sad chimp

Do Humans, the so called Naked Ape, take bodily hair grooming too far? And who has the right to make that judgement?

When I was a young girl, maybe 12, there was a girl roughly my age in school who shaved her forearms. The hair on her arms wasn’t especially thick, but it was dark which made her appear more hirsute than she was. Back then this both confused and saddened me – I felt bad that she felt that way about herself, and couldn’t imagine why she would want to do something like that to herself. That was twenty years ago and I can only imagine the pressure that girls and women, young and old, feel in regards to every aspect of their body size, shape and personal grooming.

A powerful image from Glamour (of all places), that hits right on the head the body shaming women endure

A powerful image from Glamour (of all places), that hits right on the head the body shaming women endure

It may be the case that this is more prolific in certain industries – modelling, fashion, acting etc. Essentially any industry that involves the display of the human, and more especially female, body. But lets face it, even in everyday life, people feel free to comment on each others appearance, sometimes not very nicely.

The point I do want to make is that I don’t include burlesque in those industries. That is not to say that some performers haven’t found themselves under pressure to groom in a certain way, but that should you want to take advantage of it – we are in an industry that allows people to dictate rather than be dictated to. We can push boundaries, we can reinvent and counter ideas of femininity, beauty and gender roles if we so choose.

Body hair is one of my favourite topics, I even write about it on my own blog (Cycladic MINGE!!). A couple of years ago I wrote one of CoochieCrunch’s still most popular posts about my pubes. Specifically my desire and enactment of growing an ultra bushy minge. Almost two years on and my grooming routine has changed quite a bit. I am still sporting the 70s style lady lady garden, but I reached a point last year where I decided to give up shaving my armpits.

Cycladic MINGE!!!

Cycladic MINGE!!!

Don’t pity my pits!!

I have shaved my pits for as long as I can remember but I always hated the sometimes too close a shave that left the skin irritable, and often worried about the little skin tag I have near one of my pits. When I stopped shaving, there was no great statement to be made in a way, I was just in the shower one day late last summer and went to grab the razor. As I held it in my hand I just stared at it and thought “what the hell am I doing”. I had a serious back and forth with myself about the pros and cons and even the basic reasoning. And me, myself and I decided it was ludicrous.

I’m not saying I judge anyone else on their armpit grooming, merely that I was struck by the absurdity of it. Why was I really doing this? For whom was I making my armpits bald after mother nature sought to put hair there? And you can bet your ass, hairy or otherwise, she has good reasons to put hair in places!

girlarmpitnoshavenovember

November… or y’know forever :)

I do get the occasional odd looks if wearing sleeveless tops/dresses whilst out or at work, but have only ever been asked about it once – I was asked “why don’t you shave your armpits” or “why do you have hairy pits?”, I replied “why would I?”. They didn’t really have an answer to that but I was ready to counter any that came up. The main overriding reason that I would fall back to on any further questioning would have to be “because its my body and my choice”, but most usually, because I don’t like to lecture, I reply – “because that’s where it grows, it would be stupid if it grew in my elbows, duh!”

Performing since my pit hair has grown out has been interesting. At first it was patchy and stubbly and I was a bit self-conscious about it. But soon it was a lovely and bushy and for a Christmas show I even decorated it with confetti glitter – FYI, not actually very comfortable!

Glittery armpits on Producer & Dancer - Tiger Tiger (c) Peter Tecks

Glittery armpits on Producer & Dancer – Tiger Tiger (c) Peter Tecks

I have not had any comments from fellow performers, it just seems to be accepted, because why not? I have not had comments from audience members, but my responses to them would be the same as above should they question it.

I am certainly not alone in my decision to go au naturale, and one performer who has made it clear she doesn’t give a shit about your opinions on her body hair is Rubyyy Jones. It was awesome to meet her at the Bristol Burlesque Festival and it was great to hear comments from other performers. Her style of introduction is based in feminist reasoning and not along the usual (and antiquated lines) of “the more you cheer the more they take off” (see my previous post on that here), and this goes hand in hand with her attitude. These things together had performers commenting to me that they knew she’d do an awesome introduction because she doesn’t shave her armpits. Others told me how inspired they felt by the fact of her hairy ways, even if they didn’t feel comfortable doing it themselves – isn’t it odd that bald pits is considered the norm? And I was glad to meet someone with similar thoughts and feelings on the subject.

In fact I remember reading this excellent post of hers some time ago – one of my favourite lines from which is “I love the ultra feminine blend of sequin dresses, glittering jewels and a full armpit of hair.” And this is something I have enjoyed too – playing with peoples ideas of what it is to be feminine, with my hairy pits whilst wearing a beautiful dress.

Expert at pushing boundaries! The fabulous Rubyyy Jones at the Bristol Burlesque Festival (C) Michael Goes Click

Expert at pushing boundaries! The fabulous Rubyyy Jones at the Bristol Burlesque Festival (C) Michael Goes Click

What about the rest of your body hair?!!

I’m glad you asked, and I hope people don’t think that I cop out by shaving my legs, because really that is not the case, and I want to explain why.

First of all, I inherited my Mother’s crappy hair growing genes. That is to say, my mother has never in her life shaved her armpits or legs and yet has barely any hair on either. So as with my pubes in my previous adventure, my armpit hair is not as luscious and bushy as I would hope, but it’s not too shabby. My leg hair is another story.

The hair on my legs is so fine and patchy that in reality it only needs to be shaved/waxed quarterly at the most. In fact when performing, especially if wearing tights, I don’t groom it at all, and I doubt anyone has ever even noticed. That said, I do still shave my legs, even if infrequently, and the reason is for my own comfort. When what little hair there is gets to a certain length it does not grown like the lovely downy fluff I wish it would, but sticks out at an almost 90 degree angle and makes it super uncomfortable to wear clothing (leggings, tights, etc) next to my skin. It’s like smoothing a cats hair backwards (why would you do that!).

Seriously, don't smooove him backwards!

Seriously, don’t smooove him backwards!

The point I want to make is that I shave my legs for the same reasons I don’t shave my armpits – because it is my choice and for the sake of my own comfort and well being. We encounter a lot of people in this world who are happy to jump all over something they see as a contradiction, and as humans, as women, we have to remember to stand our ground and remind them that it is our choice.

Removing some, all or no body hair is completely down to the individual, no one else on this planet (or any other for that fact), has the right to tell or impress on someone that their choice is wrong. Regardless of your reasoning for that choice, if it isn’t hurting anyone (including yourself), they you go right ahead and keep doing it. I’m with you, we’re all with you, hairy, bald and everything in between!!

Everyone has the reasons - its their choice whether to shave or not!

Everyone has the reasons – its their choice whether to shave or not!


Quote for the Week

$
0
0

All your life, you will be faced with a choice. You can choose love or hate. I choose love. – Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash


A Stripper’s Guide to Bristol

$
0
0
Welcome to Bristol (c) Ally Katte

Welcome to Bristol (c) Ally Katte

Where to stay:

If you choose to stay over while you’re here, take these points into consideration:

The Hilton Garden city centre hotel is NOT that close to the city centre but it is right next to the train station, so pick your priorities with that one.

Thanks to Eli Roth the term ‘Hostel’ now strikes fear into everyone’s hearts, but The Bristol Backpackers hostel, Full Moon hostel and Rock n Bowl hostel are all in great, central locations, clean but basic and cheap at as little as £20 for a private room, even less if in groups or sharing.

On arrival:

By Train

Its very, very unlikely that you will be performing anywhere near Bristol Parkway station, so unless told otherwise by your promoter always book your train to Bristol Temple Meads. It is a walkable distance to the city centre, 15 mins normally or 20-25 with a big case, but unless you know the city it’s best to hop on a bus. Numbers 8 and 9 run frequently into the city centre from Temple Meads. There is also a taxi rank at the station that is never empty.

BRISTOLAND (c) Tuesday Laveau

BRISTOLAND (c) Tuesday Laveau

By Coach

If you are taking National Express or Greyhound your coach will arrive in the central Bus Station. This is super close to the main shopping areas Broadmead and Cabot Circus, and a cool and groovy part of town known as Stokes Croft. It’s a short 10 minute walk to the ‘City Centre’.

The James Barton Roundabout underpass, colloquially known as The Bear Pit, can be a bit dicey at night so we don’t recommend walking that way after dark. If you think you may have to please ask your producer to suggest an alternative route or someone local to accompany you. Don’t worry about sounding silly, they will totally understand!

If you are getting the Megabus you will be dropped off outside the Colston Hall music venue, which is right in what’s known as the City Centre or The Fountains for obvious reasons when you see it.

Food & Drink:

My absolute favourite place to eat is Biblos on Stokes Croft, it’s essentially Lebanese food with a twist. Their wraps are huge and tasty. You get to pick your fillings, my personal favourite being haloumi and jerk fried chicken. They also do salads and side dishes but everyone just goes for the wraps.

Bibilos, Stokes Croft, Bristol (c) Ally Katte

Bibilos, Stokes Croft, Bristol (c) Ally Katte

Also on Stokes Croft is Cafe Kino, the most well known vegan establishment in the area. Vegans will generally find at least one vegan option in most restaurants in the City. Also, Number 51, a lovely pub that does great pizzas and is the best place for gluten free pizzas in my opinion.

Further up Gloucester Road you will find some great places to eat including Atomic Burger (a huge range of gourmet burgers), The Hobgoblin (Awesome in-house barbecued meats. Be sure to try the Dirty Dirty Fries fries, pulled pork, blue and cheddar cheeses, coriander dressing and chipotle mayo.) The Gallimaufry is our local ‘home cooking and curios bar’, fancy booze and nice food while surrounded by some fantastic and surreal art work. Also along Gloucester Road are a number of Thai and Korean restaurants, all tend to be BYO.

Gallimaufry, Stokes Croft, Bristol (c) Ally Katte

Gallimaufry, Stokes Croft, Bristol (c) Ally Katte

In the City Centre the Caribbean bar and restaurant Turtle Bay does great cocktails and has very long happy ‘hours’. The Lanes is a 50s style bar, restaurant and bowling alley with a good range of American beers and fun music. Classic Bristol rock pub The Hatchet is full of metal and rock types, it’s pretty simple in terms of it’s range but it’s a good stop for the more alternative of gals. On a smaller scale but of a similar style and just round the corner is The Gryphon. Also near the Hatchet is well known Bristol gay bar The Queenshilling which plays host to the only alternative gay night in the city, PsychoDrama.

The Waterfront bars are probably best avoided on Friday and Saturday nights however, leering men in salmon pink shirts are said to roam in packs. But during the day and weeknights they can be rather pleasant, these include Number 1 Harbourside, The Stable, Bourdeaux Quay and just of Millenium Square are Las Iguanas and The Cuban.

The King William on King Street is a lovely old fashioned pub serving only Samuel Smiths products and very reasonably priced for a city centre pub. A few doors down is the gorgeous Beer Emporium, a subterranean bar filled with hundreds of beers from around the world, a great wine list and good food, I consider this place to be a must visit! Further down the road are two legendary pubs The Old Duke, which specialises in live jazz, and The Llandoger Trow which is rumoured to be Bristol’s oldest pub and haunted! And what is Bristol without cider?! Also on Kings Square is Bristol’s only cider boat, The Apple. Serving a big range of proper ciders and a damn good cheese board this is a must for Summer.

If you’re feeling flush The Rummer, located in St Nicholas Market, is the by far the best place for cocktails. It has a stunning range of spirits, as well as fine wines and beers. The food is great though has had a change of head chef, but the quality is still supposed to be excellent. Adjacent to the market is Corn Street and this is to be avoided like the plague of a weekend, with it’s Slug and Lettuce and Walkabout and other such establishments it’s another stomping ground for pastel shirted louts. Though the Wetherspoons is fine during the week. Near Corn Street are the bars/restaurant combo’s Big Chill and Start the Bus. Both have good menus of American Diner inspired dishes and a good range of fancy beers though the prices are rather on the high side.

We get new and fun bars and restaurants in Bristol on pretty much a monthly basis so don’t forget to ask your promoter and the local performers for recommendations.

Shopping:

Get in loser, we're going shopping

Get in loser, we’re going to Fabricland

The main shopping areas of Bristol are Cabot Circus and Broadmead, these are adjacent to each other and have all the typical high street stores. There is a gigantic Primark, a big Debenhams, House Of Fraser and Harvey Nichols, as well as a sizeable TK Maxx, two H&M stores, Topshop, Urban Outfitters and most of the other run-of-the-mill clothes shops.

Near Cabot Circus is the perennial stripper favourite, Fabric Land, which is great for fabrics (well duh) and trim but it’s applique section leaves much to be desired. Park Street, which is on the other side of ‘The Fountains’ has a number of nice clothes stores, bars and restaurants. Clifton Village has it’s own little shopping centre but it’s mostly rich, middle aged lady clothes and antiques.

Stokes Croft/Cheltenham Road and Gloucester Road, the more bohemian part of town, has a wealth of clothing stores, vintage stores, charity shops and unfortunately the odd mini supermarket. If you get the chance to go to Easton, a part of town just outside the city centre, it is full of Indian and Asian stores and hair shops, great for jewelry and fake hair!

Key stores for strippers would definitely include Fabricland, Cox and Baloney – vintage store on Cheltenham Road, Primark – The Horsefair, Victoria London – Hair Store and afro/Indian cosmetic shop in Broadmead opposite Primark, Dutty Girl – Independent clothing, music and spray paint store in Stokes Croft, Repsycho – Vintage Shop on Gloucester Road, Poundland (don’t act like you don’t love it) on The Horsefair.

Things worth staying the whole weekend for:

We have some great museums and galleries in Bristol. A great start is MShed which tells the story of Bristol and it’s people and it’s free too! Then there is Bristol Museum and Art Gallery which has a great permanent collection including a fantastic geology section, a huge array of taxidermy and a gorgeous gypsy caravan.

Gypsy Caravan interior at Bristol City Museum (c) Tuesday Laveau

Gypsy Caravan interior at Bristol City Museum (c) Tuesday Laveau

The museum also hosts travelling exhibitions including the Wildlife Photographer of the Year and has previously seen an exhibition by Banksy and performance by Dita Von Teese. On Nelson Street there is a permanent exhibition of street artists from around the world, this is in addition to the wealth of street art on display throughout the city. In the summer there is a street art festival in Bedminster called UpFest which is another must for fans. The Weapon of Choice gallery, just off Park Street, has awesome exhibitions from local and international street artists where you can buy their work too. And The Here Gallery and Shop have a similar set up and are in Stokes Croft.

Bristol 'Upfest' art (c) Ally Katte

Bristol ‘Upfest’ art (c) Ally Katte

There are lots and lots of lovely Churches to take in too with Bristol Cathedral, Clifton Cathedral and St Mary Redcliffe being top of the list.

Every year Bristol hosts a number of festivals including The Harbour Festival, Jazz festival, a number of foodie festivals and some inner city music festivals have taken place in our parks in the last few years. Bristol is also great for clubbing if you are into all kinds of dance music, especially drum and bass, breakcore, jungle and dubstep. Though some of these venues can be a bit scary for a first timer and we wouldn’t suggest going alone if you’ve never been to the city before.

We have a number of lovely parks, Castle Park being one of the most central and features a bombed out church, lovely community gardens with the ‘Floating Harbour’ running alongside. Clifton Down is just next to the world famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, which then runs along to beautiful woodlands of Leigh Woods and the Ashton Court stately home.

If you’re planning on staying a few days don’t hesitate to ask one of the locals to give you the tour!

If there are any essential places you feel have been missed off please email Ally at ally.katte@gmail.com and we will try and get it included. Ally Katte is a Bristol based Burlesque Performer, The Siren of Stokes Croft who takes great delight in showing her city to visiting performers


Quote for the Week

$
0
0
Calvin & Hobbes on being a genius. (c) Bill Waterson

Calvin & Hobbes on being a genius. (c) Bill Watterson


Burlesque Dancers & Their Tattoos

$
0
0

It’s kind of a grey Monday afternoon here in Bristol, so let CoochieCrunch install a little colour in to your day with one of our favourite things: Tattooed Burlesque Dancers.

No editorialising. No bullshit. Just women and their tattoos and their story. Enjoy.

Tuesday Laveau

Artist: Marcos Attwood, Broad Street Studio, Bath

Tuesday Laveau & two of her tattoos, both By Marcos at Broad Street Studios, Bath. Image (c) Michael Goes Click

Tuesday Laveau & two of her tattoos, both By Marcos at Broad Street Studios, Bath. Image (c) Michael Goes Click

For me, it’s simple, I believe that our bodies are temples to be adorned as we wish. All of my tattoos are tied to a certain time and space. Some of them are very particular, others I got just because I liked the design or the artist. Other than the obligatory butterfly on by butt (from Electric Ladyland on Frenchman Street, New Orleans) I don’t have any girly tattoos. People, mainly men, most frequently comment on the Wolf (by Marcos at Broad Street, Bath) on my arm. I love him. His tongue is lolling out as he runs forward full of kinetic energy, free and wild and that resonates with me.

Didi Curv’e

Artist: Katan Costello, Two Hearts Tattoo, Cardiff

Didi Curv'e & her tattoo by Katan Costello at Two Hearts Tattoo, Cardiff (c) Roy Barry

Didi Curv’e & her tattoo by Katan Costello at Two Hearts Tattoo, Cardiff (c) Roy Barry

There are several reasons why I got my tattoo, the main is I have a long term chronic health condition that causes scars across my body, I have lived with this for 6 years and it is one of the reasons why I got into burlesque. When I perform I used to wear 2 pairs of tights, a pair of thick dance tights, with a pair of dance fishnets over the top. I then wear camouflage make up to cover other scars. I have particularly bad scaring on my thighs and inner thighs. I haven’t been able to go swimming as a result for many years. This year I used my pre40 list as an excuse in a way to tackle my demons. I wanted something that was colourful, beautiful and represents me. I’m known in my day job as the woman with a flower in her hair by staff and patients, so wanted that picked up in the artwork.

I love it so much and it has changed my life, look….no tights!

Poppy Raine

Artist: Leah Moule

Poppy Raine & her Alice in Wonderland tattoo by Leah Moule (c) Richard Matthews

Poppy Raine & her Alice in Wonderland tattoo by Leah Moule (c) Richard Matthews

Since I started getting tattooed I haven’t really planned them all that well, so I wanted to get some artwork done by an artist I love and of something that’s a little more meaningful to me. I have admired Leah’s work for years, her use of colour is so vivid and eye catching. I decided on Alice in Wonderland as I loved the film as a kid, it was one of those I could watch over and over and never get bored of. I wanted to keep the and bright colours but make it a little more dark and include a sexy “pin-up” style Alice, can’t wait to see the sleeve finished this month.

Ally Katte

Artist: Ben Boston, The Tattoo Studio, Bristol 

Ally Katte & her tattoos by Ben Boston, Bristol (c) Tony Barratt Powell Photography

Ally Katte & her tattoos by Ben Boston, Bristol (c) Tony Barratt Powell Photography

All of my tattoos are pretty pictures that I wanted to carry around with me because I think they make me look cool and badass.

Ruby Derriere

Artist: Nick ‘Dock’ Crocker, Holey Skin, Bristol

Ruby Derriere & her tattoos by Nick 'Dock' Crocker, Holy Skin, Bristol (c) ishootgirls Photography

Ruby Derriere & her tattoos by Nick ‘Dock’ Crocker, Holy Skin, Bristol (c) ishootgirls Photography


Quote for the Week

$
0
0

I once wore a peekaboo blouse. People would peek and then they’d boo. – Phyllis Diller

Phyllis Diller

Phyllis Diller


Stripper Tips: How to Get Started as a Burlesque Dancer

$
0
0

From my aching right knee and Dancer’s heart, I mean every word.

Tuesday Laveau (c) TBP Photography

Tuesday Laveau (c) TBP Photography

1. Work hard & hustle.

2. Go to shows, talk to people and meet producers.

3. Talk to local, national & international performers.

4. Learn how to sew.

5. Buy a hot glue gun.

6. Pick a song that moves you, choose an appropriate concept and create an act.

7. Use Youtube to check that your act is original. It probably won’t be.

8. Be kind to your fellow performers.

9. Do not undercut other performers.

10. Earn your spot on the stage. No one ever owes you a slot.

11. Don’t work for a promoter who makes you uneasy or one who is vague about conditions or pay.

12. Don’t work for free. I don’t care if you don’t want/need the money, when you work for free you take money out of my pocket.

13. Prepare to be rejected. A lot. Don’t take it personally.

14. Film your acts to apply for shows and so you can see what needs to be worked on.

15. Stretch all the time.

16. Never stop dancing.

Tuesday Laveau

 



Quote for the Week

$
0
0

I’ve been around so long I’ve done everything but porno and rodeo. – Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur


Apply Here May 3 to June 1 2014

$
0
0

Originally posted on Bristol Burlesque Festival October 2014:

Applications for the 2014 Festival will open 3 May 2014.

Do you have an act that is weird and wonderful and filled with Badass Booty Shaking? Then The Bristol Burlesque Festival would love to hear from you!

Just follow the instructions below.

1. Follow the link here to send your £5 application fee. (Why is this?)

2. Forward your receipt to BristolBurlesqueFest@gmail.com with BBF Application as the email subject. Please use this email subject to ensure we don’t miss your email.

3. You will then receive the application form within 3 working days.

4. Simply fill in the form and return to BristolBurlesqueFest@gmail.com by 1 June 2014 with (Your Name) Application as the email subject.

Forms must be 100% complete to be considered.

5. Good luck and thank you for taking the time apply!

We will be accepting applications for the Bristol Burlesque Festival from 09:00 GMT 3 May 2014…

View original 92 more words


Maya Angelou

$
0
0

Dr. Maya Angelou was a force that stayed with me from early teen-hood through adulthood. I remember first being introduced to her through her memoir I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings  by my beloved 7th grade English teacher, Mrs. Brooke Dingledine. I read and re-read it captivated by the luscious prose that somehow never became overwrought. I related to the protagonist, Maya and was heartbroken at her rough treatment by not just society but by actual, individual human beings. As Maya slips in to near muteness, she regains her voice under the firm tutelage of Mrs. Bertha Flowers and an encouraged love of books and reading. This, I understood.

I know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Dr. Maya Angelou

I know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Dr. Maya Angelou

As an older teenager, I became interested in James Baldwin and subsequently discovered Maya Angelou’s poetry. And Still I Rise sat on my bookshelf next to Sylvia Plath’s Ariel. The words, ploughed from the red clay of Western Africa, sent up the Mississippi River and settled in to the frenetic pace of New York City. Once again, I was captivated by Miss Maya.

James Baldwin & Maya Angelou

James Baldwin & Maya Angelou

As dance became, and continues to become, the focus of my life, I returned once again to Maya Angelou. Through her work I learned about Alvin Ailey and Pearl Primus.  Her performances are like her prose; fluid, heady, powerful, weighty and lighter than air. The photos of her dancing excite me. Her lines are flawless. I refer to them frequently to remind me to work harder, get stronger.

Maya Angelou, the dancer.

Maya Angelou, the dancer

I currently do not own a single book by Maya Angelou. I have purchased a number of her memoirs and collected works over time, but I have always given them away. There is always someone in need of the warm embrace and steely gaze of Miss Maya.

There are so many quotes from Maya Angelou that I could close here with. I choose this one.

“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances.” – Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou


Quote for the Week

$
0
0

I don’t want people who want to dance, I want people who have to dance.  - George Balanchine

George Balanchine

George Balanchine


Quote for the Week

$
0
0

If you’re quiet, you’re not living. You’ve got to be noisy and colorful and lively. – Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks


Viewing all 188 articles
Browse latest View live