"By changing nothing, nothing changes"

What an amazing year this has been, and to think it's not over just yet!

I am in love with California! 

In the brief time I have been here, I have encountered one dynamic person after another.....venue owners, producers, and performers. All genuine and obviously following their passion. I find myself drawn in by these individuals. I feel there is an unwritten rule however, and this might just be my rule, but......as lovely as being friendly with everyone is, if I am not delivering great performances, I don't really deserve to be there...and I want to deliver. BIG.

This is something that was taught to me by Lili VonSchtupp, in one swift email when I was starting out in burlesque, and for which I will always be grateful. If not for this realization early on, I would not be performing today. The bonds formed while learning and performing together are irreplaceable, but 'oh darling', 'kisses doll', and 'you're so fabulous' only hold so much weight without the sincerity that comes with solid performance skills, professionalism, and business etiquette. And this is a business.

It has been difficult coming to the decision to leave my Arizona troupe BurlEscapades permanently. It is a troupe I co-founded, and I grew immensely as a dancer and as a person during our time together. They are wonderful performers. Watch for their shows!

Meanwhile, check my website for show dates and event information! www.mercybeaucoupburlesque.com

*Title quote- Tony Robbins

Trick does Treats

Getting ready for all the upcoming Halloween events and shows. This is my favorite time of the year for Burlesque....also the most challenging for me personally. How to turn my strip-tease style into a true piece of burlesque. Enter Lucy Morals, my amazing teacher from the beginning, and a very good reason to take classes from someone who can and does do it all.  Classes: http://phoenixburlesque.webs.com/vavavoomclasses.htm

The work in progress:

On being a Stage Kitten for The New Orleans Burlesque Festival

Upon finding out that I would be a Stage Kitten at what I consider THEE single Best Burlesque Festival in the World, The New Orleans Burlesque Festival, I believe I let out a shriek of joy that only the neighborhood cats and dogs could hear! Since embarking into the world of Burlesque, it has been the one Festival that I hold as having the finest entertainers, venues, and ambiance, anywhere.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Orleans-Burlesque-Festival/224223057636806?ref=ts

Once I found out what the weather was going to be like in New Orleans in mid Sept (rainy, hot, and muggy) I could then begin obsessing over what to pack.

As a Stage Kitten, I was supplied with a beautiful ensemble from Secrets In Lace, a sponsor for the New Orleans Burlesque Festival, and the maker of truly well constructed and gorgeous underpinnings. I worked the House of Blues shows, and was on hand to help pass out promo materials for Secrets In Lace as needed.

With my stage wardrobe taken care of, I only had to pack for dinners, parties, and running around in general. I packed a leopard pinup halter dress,  a slinky black jersey tea length dress with a wicked slit up the leg, an almost-off-the-shoulder tight Sophia Loren-esque dress with a masculine pinstripe, a red strapless A-line chinese silk floral dress, and a second-skin gunmetal grey stretch dress in a very conservative style and a very un-conservative fit. I brought a black pashmina and a light evening sweater, as well as a thin raincoat I thankfully didn't need. Pair all that with leggings, a couple cute tanks, a pair of jeans, and nice shorts.  LOADS of hair accessories and jewelry. DONE.

Even though Nola's French Quarter is known for its ankle turning cobble stone walkways, I refused to bring touristy-style 'sensible' shoes. I did pack a couple pair of kitten heels and ballet flats, and even after an evening of cocktails, I was able to manage in my heels. I will tell you that at the end of my trip, my feet were not happy with me for a couple days!

We stayed at the Astor Crowne, which offered a discount to Festival goers and was just off Bourbon St and everything was within walking distance- even in impractical shoes.


Running around town:

Day/Night 1:

Some of my girlfriends went to the Ritz Carlton for High Tea: http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/NewOrleans/Dining/DavenportLounge/Menu.htm, while I ran to my Secrets In Lace fitting. I met Dan, owner of Secrets In Lace, and the nicest gentlemen. It was like Christmas at the fitting! Bullet bras, girdles, garters, all made so well with every shape of every woman in mind- this is lingerie engineering meets exceptional execution, technique, and quality....AND THE HOISERY! I was completely smitten with the hoisery. I did not know that Secrets In lace has over 50 styles of hosiery EXCLUSIVE to them. I found this out when I kept telling Dan how I was falling in love with every pair as they were opened, and how I had never seen stockings like these- the denier and styles were breathtaking. Once I was outfitted in the proper size and style, I walked around the Quarter and snapped pics, my head was spinning like in a Fairytale! I headed back to the room to get ready for the evening.

We decided to dine at Muriel's: http://www.muriels.com/ The food was amazing, and since we were pressed for time (we had a tour scheduled at 8pm), we did not know they keep a table there for their Ghost. Actually, it's a private dining room. Ask about it if you go.

We then walked to the Ghost Tour : http://www.hauntedhistorytours.com/. It is about an hour and a half long, and takes you through some of the paranormal activity that has been reported throughout the French Quarter. While we didn't spot any ghosts, the stories and our guide were very interesting. I recommend some type of tour like this. It gave me more of a feel of the rich history of the streets beneath me.

On our way to Pat O'Brien's, we stopped in at the Royal Sonesta Hotel quickly, and were completely delighted to see the infamous Perle Noire perform right in front of us! In the sweetest intimate little venue! What a treat that was. Absolute HIGHLIGHT!!!

On to Pat O'Brien's: http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/ Pat has dueling pianos! Requests are welcome, usually written on a napkin (include a tip) and your song will be belted out by performers and patrons alike. They are famous for their Hurricane here- basically a giant hurricane glass filled with lots and lots of alcohol!


Day/Night 2:

After an easy morning, I got ready to head over to Harrah's for the Secrets In Lace Fashion Show rehearsal. They had a hair team come in and pamper us, and as nice as that was, it was actually more nerve-racking for me and my poofy-wild-lion mane. I should have styled myself, but now I know. The Fashion show was wonderful. All the ladies backstage, performers and kittens, were as sweet as could be. Stormy Gayle did an incredible job of organizing everything, and made us all feel at home. This is the first time I got to meet and talk to my favorite performers- Ginger Valentine, MediaNoche, Dinah Might, Miss Redd, just to name a few. That was thrilling! Once finished, I threw my little black dress over my lingerie and it was on to the next thing...

Following the Fashion show at Harrah's, I decided to take a cab over to the House of Blues where I would be working as a stage kitten for the Bad Girls of Burlesque Show. I checked in with the performers (again, all women I have admired immensely- Coco Lectric, Lydia DeCarllo (we shared a fun moment over a robe)Peekaboo Pointe, GalFriday, Charlotte Treuse, and so very many more ) and then hopefully I got out of their way. HOB had a fantastic stage manager- Domenic Castelli. He was on top of things like I had never seen, all while being utterly gracious and fun. https://www.facebook.com/domenic.castelli He is currently working the Montreal Burlesque Festival, lucky bastard. I  spent 2 evenings working by his side, and he was a pleasure and a true professional. AND HOLY COW-  Derek Jackson was front and center in the audience shooting away with his camera- more than a bit intimidating!  And the costumes! The workmanship, ingenuity, and engineering of these items was exquisite. I took great care in how I gathered everything and met the performers immediately after their piece to be sure all was accounted for. The only thing that took me a little longer was a pair of shoes behind the far end of stage right- they belonged to GalFriday- I was so distracted by her duet with Peekaboo Pointe that I completely and utterly forgot I had a job to do! At the end of the night I thanked the performers and made certain everybody had everything they needed and came with before leaving.

Post-Show we decided to check out Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop: http://www.lafittesblacksmithshop.com/Homepage.html .Built in 1722 and the oldest structure in the country to be used as a bar. There is no electricity, it's all lit by candle....there is alot of old brick.....and a piano. Everyone gathered around the piano and we sang. Some of us were encouraged to lie across the piano (Sable Switch was quite breathtaking in the role of Siren!) while there was serenading. It was a wonderful way to wind down the night. We made a quick stop into Flanagan's Bar where a nice gentleman made me a CD of some cool eclectic classical tunes.

....then a long walk back to the hotel.


Day/Night 3:

Having gotten in around 6am, I should not have been surprised when I woke at 12:30. I scrambled to make my feather fan class with the amazing Queen Coco Lectric. Fortunately for me, the workshop was downstairs in my hotel! The workshop was casual, and incredibly informative. It's amazing how one hour with a seasoned performer can work wonders for your technique. I would definitely take classes from her again if I get the chance. She went out of her way to offer her help to me absolutely anytime I needed, which shows you how generous and confident a woman and dancer she is.

After class, we met with some friends who now live in New Orleans for a quick soda (one can only drink so much!) and some catching up, followed by running back to the hotel to get ready for a fancy dinner at Galatoires: http://www.galatoires.com. What a beautiful restaurant. Gorgeous food and wine, and the dessert!!! We wrapped up dinner, the ladies went to the Queen of Burlesque Show while I got ready to stage kitten at the House of Blues for the Queen's Ball. HIGHLIGHT OF MY NIGHT- meeting Legend Bambi Jones. She is stunning. Truly beautiful, with a rockin' bod and a wicked sense of humor.

The Queen's Ball was sooooo good. Stellar performances, among my favorite was Foxy Brown- definitely a crowd favorite as well. Every single performance in this showcase was epic. Every one. AND I finally got to work with another Kitten, Iris Le'Mour, an absolutely GORGEOUS woman, inside and out, with just the right amount of Sass. Loved her.

After the show and a quick change into a party dress, I headed to the Foundation Room for a private party hosted by none other than Rick Delaup, Creator and Producer extraordinaire of The New Orleans Burlesque Festival, as well as the Bustout Burlesque, and Strut shows. All wildly successful, boasting the absolute best talent in the world- the creme de la creme, if you will.  He was charming, quiet, and kind. And threw one hell of a party!

At the party, everyone was on a high. The Festival was a raging success, everyone gave incredible performances, and now it was time to relax and dance for fun! HIGHLIGHT for me at the party was meeting Derek Jackson, a photographer  and true artist from Atlanta. If you've seen any amazing pics from the BIGGEST Burlesque events of the BIGGEST stars, chances are, he shot those. http://jetblasted.wix.com/derekjacksonphotography#!

Walked back to the hotel, where I met Angi B Lovely, and she was. Freshly crowned Queen of Burlesque, looking dazzling in a royal blue slinky evening dress, she gave me a huge hug, wrapped her arm around my waist and we boarded the elevator up to our rooms. Her smile was infectious and wonderful.


Day 4:

Packed up in the morning, took a stroll, then headed to Cafe du Monde for coffee and beignets. All my favorite people in one spot to reflect on our time together. My beautiful girlfriend Erin (she moved to New Orleans a bit ago) and her beau joined us. It was a gorgeous day out, the weather had been perfect the entire trip. This is where we all parted. My girls to the Alligator Farm, Erin to work, and me off to the airport, after a jaunt to St Louis Cemetery, which I arrived a half hour too late to get into, but I could look inside. It is definitely on my list for next trip.

Last little WOW moment in New Orleans- meeting Angelique DeViil in the airport terminal, introducing myself and thanking her for the privilege of working with her.......and having her not only recognize me, but compliment me on a wonderful job. ANGELIQUE FREAKIN DeVIL y'all! (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angelique-DeVil/124089625258?ref=ts.)


In closing,  avery large THANK YOU to Rick Delaup, Secrets in Lace, http://www.secretsinlace.com , Stormy Gayle, all the incredible, powerhouse Performers, and my fellow Stage Kittens. Shall we do it again next year?

SAN FRANCISCO

      I just moved back to the East Bay after spending the last couple of years in Phoenix. I am absolutely thrilled to be home. I have really missed it here.

     My time away was not wasted, however. I spent countless hours taking classes from Lucy Morals,  and danced with VaVaVoom in Phoenix.....I danced on as many stages in as many shows as would have me, I clung to every piece of constructive criticism and took as much feedback as I could get.....I stepped up my practices, and I strived to push myself when it came to showmanship and costume engineering. I met some incredibly talented dancers who were just as passionate as myself- Kara LaFleur, Mia PiaCherrie, and Visa V Is, and together, along with each of our solo endeavors, we created the burlesque dance troupe 'BurlEscapades'. We are currently performing throughout Arizona and California.

     I will be out and about in the East Bay, and I look forward to meeting my Burlesque community in San Francisco!

Priorities and the like

     My life has been a complete whirlwind as of late.......bookings, constant choreo, marketing, traveling....and it is wonderfully exhausting. 
     Sadly, I lost my Uncle a few days ago, and just now returned from saying my farewells. He had been sick (we were all expecting that he might be taken from us soon), but I didn't think it would affect me like this. I spent time with my family, and I loved seeing them and celebrating his life, but when I got to the airport to return home, I started to lose it. I was so emotional. Not just the due to the loss of my Uncle, I think I was at peace with that, but more an awareness of the amazing gift I have been given in the form of my life....
     I have been asking myself  'has my life improved by associating with those around me?',  as well as 'has knowing me improved the lives of those I care about?' A great deal of re-evaluating has taken place in a very short period of time, but I feel it has always been bubbling just below the surface.
     Life is good.

Burlesque and the Circus

Everywhere I look lately, Circus themed Burlesque shows are springing up like weeds. I understand the draw....the macabre element....and I have participated in a few circus themed shows, but enough is enough. It's been done, done, and overdone. Played out. In the last year, I've received hundreds of invites to burlesque/circus fusion shows. It no longer feels fresh, nor does it sound like something to leave the house for. Perhaps the barrage of these events has desensitized my mind and eyes to what I might otherwise consider intriguing onstage.

I would like to find the next great untapped genre while the last of the dinosaurs rides the final trend wave back to the deserted, off-season shoreline that awaits them.

There is an amazing performance troupe here in Phoenix  (The Strange Family Circus)  that only does Circus entertainment, and they do it exceptionally well. I prefer to leave this very specialized, incredibly dazzling, fiercely executed art form to these experts.

Always something to learn

   If you were at the last show, many of you may not have noticed, but I had a major costume situation. I could not get out of my costume no matter what I did! Eventually, I freed myself, but I felt robbed of being able to showcase the dramatic moment of reveal. I spent the next few days completely disappointed....all that planning....all the trial and error.....was I back to square one? .....I felt defeated by this costume. Then my assistant who helped dress me prior to taking the stage let me know that she had forgotten to fasten THE key piece of the costume. I felt such relief, and anger (at myself) simultaneously that it's taken me a couple weeks to sort through.
  What I've learned:
   I really am capable of whatever I set my mind and body to
   It's wonderful to have help and support
   I MUST be the final checkpoint for all things prior to stage time
   Never give up, simply continue to perfect

Moving into the New Year

  New Year's Eve with Romantasy Cabaret and Burlescapades was a night to remember....
Now, moving forward into 2012, I am preparing my costumes and solos for the upcoming season auditions. For those who have been asking my process, I thought I would share it with you now, since I'm currently working on projects this moment.
  Usually when I choreograph, I have key points in the music that I want specific moves to happen. Once I decide on those, I fill in my dance, making sure the moves I choose not only stand on their own, but really showcase those points. 
  My costume takes shape from how I want my routine to end. Deciding my 'reveals' determines my costume...so I work backwards on garments, assuring function first. When I know the garment(s) work, I begin design and embellishment.
  I look forward to my new solos, as well as our new Burlescapades Troupe numbers!
  Until next time......<3