In a lot of ways, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for burlesque. And if it’s Cheesecake Burlesque’s annual Bump and Grind Valentine show, even better.
Cheesecake, a local burlesque troupe formed in 2006, has never shied away from the more dramatic elements of the skin-tastic art form. In their latest show, it’s not just those who are madly in love that are being covered, thematically; it’s also the lonely and broken-hearted, according to organizers.
“We’re all hopeless romantics at heart,” says Stacey Ness (stage name: Miss Kitten Kaboodle), who is sewing sequin ruffles to a skirt in preparation for the February 9 show when Nexus reaches her. “There are people who are in love, or those who don’t have love and are lonely, and burlesque can cover all of that.”
For the uninitiated, Ness very aptly describes burlesque as less like a strip tease and more like a short piece of performance art. The members of one of Victoria’s most popular burlesque troupes each write, produce, choreograph, and star in their respective pieces.
“It’s a little one-person, three-minute play, and, just like any play, it can come from any artistic standpoint with one person being very creative,” says Ness. “And, like theatre, it can come in many different genres.”
With a Valentine’s show that will feature some of Cheesecake’s patented group performances, as well as a few brand new solo numbers from new members, it’s easy to understand why the women of Cheesecake find doing burlesque so exciting. But it’s not the kind of excitement some may think of.
“I don’t get sexually charged to be up there, but certainly there’s a rush to performing. It’s a total extroverted, ‘Hey, look at me’ kind of experience. It’s probably better than sex,” Ness jokes, adding, “Well, it’s different, really.”
Another Cheesecake performer, Betsy Bottom Dollar (who prefers not to reveal her real name for privacy reasons), was a high-profile performer with a one-woman show called Diva Las Vegas and an ’80s-inspired heavy metal band called Whip when she crossed paths with the Cheesecake ladies in 2008.
Bottom Dollar’s involvement in the troupe has taken her on a similar yet different career path. The Cheesecakes have performed in New Orleans, New York, and back in Vegas, where she tried to make a career for herself many years prior.
“I never thought that after all of these years, and at this age, that I’d be taking my clothes off,” says Bottom Dollar. “But with this group of people the creative process is fantastic.”
Besides the Bump and Grind showcase, which is open to everyone, Cheesecake Burlesque is also offering a women-only Sass Class 101 for those interested in the art and history of burlesque.
“For a lot of women, they’ve never been in such a vulnerable place,” says Bottom Dollar, “but by the end of the class it’s amazing how much better they feel about themselves. It’s really rewarding for us, and really fun for the women that attend.”
Cheesecake Burlesque Bump and Grind Valentine
8:30 pm, Saturday, February 9
Metro Theatre, $22-25
cheesecakeburlesque.com