Hey everyone.  I’m sitting here still riding the high of an amazing weekend full of good food, great friends and lots and lots of quality burlesque and art.  I’ll try my best to sum up the weekend.

On Friday, I shimmied my buns at The Black Cat in DC in “Deanna Danger Presents: Under Covers”.  It was a fun show with an intimate audience. Local performers Ellie Quinn, Deanna Danger, Ruby Rockafella, Dainty Dandridge and myself performed numbers to cover versions of popular songs.  Get it now? Under COVERS?! Hyuck.  I performed a classic shimmy/tap number to Postmodern Jukebox’s cover of “Wiggle” by Jason Derulo and Snoop Dogg.  My final act was my ode to BDSM and shibari, done to Sofia Kalberg’s cover of “Crazy In Love” by Beyonce.  Both are concepts I’d like to revisit and polish, but overall I think they went over well for my first time performing them.

Bright and early Saturday morning, I was on my way to New York for the 2nd International Nerdlesque Festival.  As some of you know, this was my first festival. I applied last year and did not get accepted. At that point I decided that I would work harder. I took advice and workshops from performers whom I idolize and made myself better. I spent a year building my Storm act to where it is now. If you watch the video of it from a year ago until now, you’ll see what I mean. I took time to polish my choreography, make sure my cues hit and build relevant, beautiful props and costuming. All with the goal of creating a moving 3:49 second piece of art that embodied who Ororo Munroe was to me.

Then I got accepted.

I was excited and anxious. The countdown began. I waited and waited as days went by and then finally Mr Maki Roll and I were on the road to NYC.  When we got there, we were greeted by the lovely Liberty Rose, Bum Bum Kapau and Pizza.  My stomach was still in teeny tiny knots.  Soon I’d be face to face with performers I had spent hours stalking and admiring on the internet.  Most of all; I was nervous and excited to meet Jeez Loueez.  My anxiety grew, and I poured all of this out to Ms Rose, who said to me “lady, there are performers in there who have stalked and admired you on the internet, too”.  That genuinely warmed my heart and helped ease my nerves a bit.

Hanging out with Velma Candyass, Zilly Lilly, Anja Keister and Matt Knife!

It turns out, everyone wasn’t super scary and intimidating, and I actually could form words around them!  In fact; I formed so many words with new and old friends that before I knew it; I was scrambling to get my costume on 10 minutes before the show started.  When Jeez

took the stage to kick off the show, the butterflies all found their way back to my heart.  As I waited for my slot (I was the fifth act), a million worse case scenarios popped into my head.  What if the lights on my fans didn’t work?  What if I couldn’t get my costume off? What if my wig came off and a giant pterodactyl swooped down and ate it?  I pondered these things, as the gorgeous Velma Candyass finished up her tantalizing tease as an Orion Slave Girl.  Then it was my turn

I waited for what seemed like centuries, as Jeez introduced me.  Boy, what an introduction it was.   She called me an advocate and true pioneer, words that only someone secure in their own self worth as an entertainer and human being, would gift to another.  I’ve never felt so incredibly humbled and loved as performer as in that moment.   My favorite performer, and probably one of my favorite human  beings; gave me the highest praise I could ask for.  I took the stage, and I killed it.  Two years making this act into something I could be proud of.  I had never felt more proud

Afterwards, with my wig safe from rogue pterodactyls, I was free to watch the rest of the show.  Everyone definitely brought their A game and kicked it into high gear.  I found myself captivated by everyone’s personal style, mannerisms and costuming.  It was truly the best show I had ever seen.  Afterwards; we caught two of  the late shows at the iconic Slipper Room.  Again; inspiration and admiration flowed through me.  New York is such an amazing place to be for performing arts and like nothing I’ve ever seen anywhere else before.

I want to give a big thank you to Lefty Lucy, Iris Explosion, Sarah Tops, Liberty Rose and Dangrrr Doll for putting on an amazing production, and having me perform in said amazing production.  Thank you to Jaycee and Lola for being lovely hosts, and thank you to Mr. Maki Roll for helping me with everything that weekend.

Until next time~