California Nights

October is a big burlesque month in Southern California.  I was originally booked for two shows in October but I wound up dancing five gigs and turned down a couple others because of my play.  I think it's the busiest work month of the year.

Early in October, I was booked last-minute for a private party.  (Note: I'm not complaining about being booked last-minute.  This was one of the three added gigs.)  I knew very little about the party because it was booked through a friend who passed it to another friend.  I was doing my fan dance in the emerald and pearl costume, so I was very surprised to find out we'd be dancing outside by the swimming pool.  That costume is a bra, shimmy belt and thong, and I had two feather fans.

California has warm days and cold nights.  We don't have the humidity to hold the day's heat at night.  It's also windy.  I danced by a swimming pool in my sparkly skivvies on a windy, cold night.  I was happy to be dressed at the end of the night, an unusual thing for me.  Fortunately I had a fancy robe to keep me free from drafts before and after I performed.

You never know everything about private parties.  We were a surprise for the birthday girl so we had to be sneaked into the house to dress when she wasn't looking.  We also got dressed in the bedroom that had all the coats and purses of the guests so someone knocked on the door every two minutes to come in to check a cell phone or lipstick or something.  It was crazy.  But these adventures are great story fodder.