From 2010 to 2011

I just completed my third year as a professional burlesque performer.  Holy cow!  Here's what the year held:

• 84 performances in 68 shows.  This was a record year, especially considering that I decided in June to slow down a bit so I didn't wear myself out.  I did have to cancel on three shows due to illness, and I really hate that I had to do that this year.  I rounded my performances in past years, but the official tally is 213 performances to date.
• Taught four beginner sessions, Brolesque, private lessons and a holiday choreography class for Striptease Symposium before the school closed its doors at the beginning of December.  It was a wonderful experience and I love that I got to work with so many incredible people.
• Created less major acts.  I built Mega Costume this year and a new act to go with it.  It was an expensive costume.  I used existing costumes for other new acts, culled a few acts from my repertoire, and I even managed to offload some of my pieces to afford Mega Costume.  I didn't count my new bar acts because they used existing pieces.
• Performed at three festivals - Hollywood Fringe Festival, Colorado Burlesque Festival and New Orleans Burlesque Festival.
• Biscuits & Gravy Tour in Texas - I danced in Ft. Worth, Austin, and did Dr. Sketchy's Denton.  I also taught in Texas.  I love the South!
• Even more study.  I challenged myself with the November 10 & December 10.  I took yoga, tap, hip hop, chair dance,  swing and dance history.  I also took a law & media class.  I studied with Trixie Little & the Evil Hate Monkey and Michelle L'amour at COBF.  I took classes with Lola von Ella, Dolly Rivas, Jo Boobs and Catherine d'Lish at NOBF.  I also reconnected with my earliest striptease teacher, Gabrielle of Aphrodite Strip N Pole.
• Stopped producing my own show.  I enjoyed Sassy Classy while it lasted, but I decided to end it because I lost my venue (which was a sweetheart deal financially) and couldn't find the ideal venue for the show.
• Danced for Quentin Tarantino at a private party.  Mr. Snapper and I were hailed for our "spot-on" performance of Jack Rabbit Slim's Twist Contest (by the man himself to Chris Beyond, about an hour after we left).  That was a phenomenal experience.

So what will 2011 hold?  Here are a few of my goals:

• Three festivals and four other states.  I'm visiting Texas again at the end of this month.  I'm performing in the Southwest Burlesque Expo in February.  Mr. Snapper and I are both performing in Las Vegas in March.  I'm trying to set something up for Arkansas for May, and I hope to visit Portland in the fall.
• Teaching as my own entity.  I have two of my own classes lined up for this month.  I'm also teaching New York School of Burlesque's Classic Moves this month.  I'm presenting at the Mensa convention in February.  I may substitute and teach specialty classes for other local burlesque schools, but most of my teaching and coaching will be on my own.
• Take 100 dance classes.  I have to get two classes done this week so I'm on target for the year.  This will give me even stronger dance technique.
• Revamped website.  I need to find the right web designer for me.
• New event costume and two song choreography.  I've got something new and exciting in the works on this one, and I'm conspiring with the wonderful Evie Lovelle again.

Thank you for your support in 2010.  Let's grow old together, shall we?