A common misconception is that burlesque simply consists of parading around on stage in one’s underwear. People also sometimes figure that burlesque performers are extravagant people whose whole lives are an extended version of their onstage persona.
But one local burlesque performer is trying to get rid of these stereotypes. Cheesecake Burlesque Revue’s Champagne Sparkles says that burlesque is accessible, or at least the version of burlesque that they perform is.
“We do cute, funny, cheeky, burlesque,” she says. “So we really are cheesy, and sort of inspired by a broad range of stuff—Broadway musicals, movies, different kinds of music. We don’t stick, necessarily, to a particular era, aesthetic style, or type of music, but we do really focus on humour in a lot of our performances.”
On top of performing in the Cheesecake Burlesque Revue and being behind the technical side of the group’s production, Sparkles runs her own business, and—considering this is a person who engages in a style of performance based on the classic strip tease—it’s in an unexpected field of work.
“My other work is really intellectually based,” she says. “I do environmental consulting work. So it is really on the scientific end of things.”
How does one go from environmental consulting to moonlighting as a burlesque performer? For Sparkles, it started out at a burlesque-themed birthday party. The ladies got together, picked names, and were taught how to put on a small show. This inspired Sparkles to do the same sort of thing for a friend of hers.
“We invited friends over, and we did a little show for them, and they loved it,” she says. “And somebody at that party invited us to perform at a public event,” she says. “And we thought, ‘Sure, why not?’ Well, that sold out; there were 250 people in the audience. We didn’t know that as we were backstage getting ready. Then we came out and it was jam-packed. I think I almost fell over, actually.”
From birthday parties to shows as far away as Berlin, Sparkles and the Cheesecakes have had a chance to make an impact around the world. Through their quirky, approachable acts, these ladies are able to accomplish more than they ever thought possible.
“We are lots of different ages and lots of different sizes,” says Sparkles. “Some of us have kids, and we all have other jobs. We are pretty regular ladies that work really hard to put on a good show. And because of that, we are accessible to our audience; they can find in us things they can relate to. And what we didn’t really know getting in to it is that women would feel good about themselves by coming to see us.”
Second Annual Bump & Grind Valentine
Saturday February 11, 8 pm
Metro Studio Theatre, $22-$25
cheesecakeburlesque.com