The Jabberwockies of Burlesque

As mentioned previously, I have been so lucky to find such wonderful people to help me in this endeavor. One of the very fortunate aspects in BN has been that it has all been caught on film. I really appreciate all of the friends who have shot our shows for the past 4 years. I am also thankful for the strangers (who are now friends) who have come out to shoot our shows.

Just about every show there is always one or two shots that stand out to me in the group of photos that a photographer releases to me. I always refer to it as “the money shot.” It usually is a different girl each time and I love when the photographer captures everything that BN is to me.

Here is what that is:

Holly Rebelle First show and I can’t remember the name, May 2005 Photo by Chris Slocumb:

Emmy Mayhem, Samedi de Fetiche June 2005 by Chris Slocumb:
aka “Bringing the Blood to Burlesque”

Molotov Cocktease, Winter WonderLust December 2005 by Chris Slocumb:

Butterflies, Winter WonderLust December 2005 by Chris Slocumb:

Hot Wheelz, Happy Birthday BN I want to say May 2006 Photo by Chris Slocumb

Isis, May 2006 Photo by Chris Slocumb

Back when we did shows at the District, Missy La Lewd 2006, Photo by Aaron Snowden

We always have great maids, 2006 Charlotte Rose, Photo by Aaron Snowden:

I also really enjoy very artistic shots, Boolesque Spooktacular 2006, Photo by Aaron Snowden:

Hot Wheelz, Boolesque Spooktacular 2006 Photo by Aaron Snowden:

One of the Crawls, ummmm 2007 I think? Holly Rebelle, Photo by Aaron Snowden:

Holly Rebelle, ummm 2007 at the Free Radicals Party, Photo by Desert Penguin Photography:

Now I am losing what year is what! Lol!

JJ Pearls 2008?

And other times the photographers catch really silly moments:

Last year at Southwest Burlesque Showcase:

Some of them photobucket has deleted. Anyway, these are just a snippet of my memories. Hopefully more to come!

-HR

I am not sure exactly where to begin to blog my experience in burlesque. I think the best thing to do is just start writing. Let me introduce myself.

My name is Holly Rebelle and I have for the past 5 years run the local burlesque troupe, Burlesque Noir. I got the idea after seeing local classic burlesque girls shake their thing at a fetish show I was part of. I loved what they did but felt I wanted to do a modern burlesque troupe that used modern music and themes. I also wanted to incorporate group choreographed numbers. My experience in dance ranged from classic ballet to flag line. I really felt I was up to the challenge.

I started out doing a solo act for a local fetish show that was looking for some filler. I was added in last minute and created a piece in a few days in my living room. My living room has since become BN headquarters. The piece was to Chris De Burgh’s Patricia the Stripper. The song was introduced to me by a coworker while sitting in her car. All I could think about was doing a burlesque piece to the song. Here was my opportunity. I was incredibly nervous. My body was no longer in the shape it was when I had been dancing regularly and I had had a baby less than a year before. It turned out that I had a wonderful performance experience and I craved more.

I have to admit, I wasn’t prepared for the popularity and success of the company. In 2005 we started out as a side act to a fetish troupe. By the end of the year, we produced our own show Winter WonderLust that sold out. I can’t forget several guest performers coming up to me and saying, “My friends are outside and can’t get in because the Launchpad is at capacity.” This company has become my other child. It has me laughing and crying, it breaks my heart and sends it pounding, it gives me frustration and satisfaction. I am starting to wonder how I could live without it.

Our first flier, that has now become a coveted privilege to be the model on and a fun collector’s item around town:

Burlesque Noir has always been a group project. I think that’s where the success in it has been. I give my performers room to choreograph, costume, and lend ideas. I also learned that a project like this is all about who you know and what they do.

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon Cicatrix Design in the beginning off of a social networking site. She simply just volunteered her time. She has been my rock, my help, and oftentimes my sanity in this endeavor. She has also taught me and a handful of the ladies how to sew over the past few years. I am ever indebted to her.

I also met Tony Travis along the way. He become my gay husband and gave me so much help in this. He created many beautiful pieces to add to the Burlesque Noir repertoire. His organization helped me along to get our shows up and running. If I was Captain Picard he was my Number 1. I was sad that we have since parted. I miss him dearly.

I also got 6 performers in the beginning who were brave enough to take a chance on an up and coming burlesque troupe. I will never forget them, Bettie Danger, Lucy St. James, Miss La Lewd, Emmy Mayhem, Cherry Automatic, and Lil’ Heathen. Since then the troupe has had as many as 14 performers and they all have been unique and brought something that has helped create Burlesque Noir.

Bettie Danger and Strix with me in a very early photoshoot with Ruben:

I have also been fortunate to come across a slew of very talented photographers whose work has created fliers and show photographs. When I thought about what to write about I simply opened my two photobucket accounts to look at the memories. I could never write down everything that has happened in this project, but so many people have caught it on film.

We have produced I think maybe 10 shows on our own as well as guest performing around town. We have produced over 100 original numbers. Lately my sights have been set on performing nationally. There are several burlesque conventions around the world that I would love to get into. My resolution for 2009 was to apply to several of them in hopes that someone will take a chance on us to perform at their event.

Burlesque Noir also participates in the Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Please visit our team’s page to make a donation this year.

That’s a brief overview of Burlesque Noir. I hope to update a few more times in the next two weeks leading up to the Southwest Burlesque Showcase!

Every show experience is new and unique.

This is by far no exception. And perhaps a little more unique than usual.

If it wasn’t for the super amazing edition of boylesk (has Albuquerque seen boylesk at all?) I might just bust out in tears.

Oh and the amazing news that there will be 9 Star Wars characters walking up and down the aisles. That should make any girl with a Rebel tattoo happy.

It will be over before I know it.

I hope that to see some of you on Friday. I could really use the support this time around.

And waiting to find out about MEW is causing me a bit of nail biting so to speak. Apparently we should know late Friday night by email and I will be nekid and nerdy. Hmmmmm… at least I will have a dozen gals around me as I check the email.

Why does–

Veronica Sweet
Dottie Lux
Nasty Canasta
and Hosted by
Epstein and Hasaan
The Black and the Jew

sound like a show that Burlesque Noir would put on?

I’m glad to see that we aren’t the only *insane* burlesque troupe in the country.

*kisses* ladies–

Thanks to
Photographer: Digital Angel
Model: JJ Pearls
Flyer: Cicatrix Design