Feline Friday: Blaze Burlesque

-


The first time I saw this costume, it reminded me of one of my favorite feline femmes fatales, Belita in Invitation to The Dance! I know Blaze from her volunteer work with the Burlesque Hall of Fame, and found out we share some inspirations, as well as our love for leopard print and the color red.

 Blaze is from Dallas. Texas, and has been performing for 8 years. She is the fiery redhead known as ‘The Red Rose of Texas’! An international award winning performer & costume designer, she’s garnered accolades such as ‘Most Classic’, 'Biggest Tease' and 2014's 'Evil Queen of Burlesque'! She is the seamstress behind www.RedRoseRegalia.com and has created costumes for performers all over the world.


What was your inspiration for this costume?

Aside from the love of leopard print, I came across several vintage photos of beautiful gowns and combined my favorite aspects from each! Here's a link to my inspiration post about it.


Who made it, and how long did it take? 

I made it myself! As usual the costume evolved over quite a bit of time which included tweaks made after performances and choreo changes. I always council any performer that commissions me that the costume design will probably go through edits once you get it onstage and see how it works with you! This one I had to raise the leg slit a bit, change how the bustle attached as well as add more rhinestones (this seems to always happen lol)! There is actually a red rhinestone in the center of every single one of the leopard spots!

There is also a neat little detail on the bustline; the large red gems that line the edge are actually attached to the corset *underneath* the gown so when the gown comes off the gems stay attached and now are the decoration for the heavily rhinestoned corset!

I'm currently taking *very* limited commissions for custom costuming. If you're interested, please message me at blazeburlesque@gmail.com to discuss possibilities!


Tell me about the routine itself.

I was using 'Nasty, Naughty Boy' by Christina Aguilera but the music just wasn't working for me. It started off slow and 'classic' but eventually I tear the dress off, then the fully rhinestoned overbust corset leaving only a strappy body harness (made by Sew Very Dangerous Lingerie by Doris Night) and the choreo then gets pretty dirty!


Where will you be performing it next?

I'm not currently performing the act, but I am actively trying to find just the right song to create a new routine for it!




You can find out where Blaze will be performing next at
www.BlazeBurlesque.com
https://www.instagram.com/blazeburlesque/
Custom costumes for Burlesque & Beyond
www.RedRoseRegalia.com



And check out my book 
Fierce: The History of Leopard Print!
http://www.historyofleopardprint.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Girls in Giant Champagne Glasses

-
Image
Today I received this question from a reader: "[I] was wondering if you might know where one could purchase an oversized champagne glass, like the one dita von tease or catherine d'lish uses????" Venus Delight in her Giant Champagne Glass circa 1989-1994. Photo Property of Venus Delight. Catherine D'Lish in her champagne glass at Tease-o-rama 2002. Photo Copyright Jo Weldon. Honestly, I probably can't afford a giant champagne glass, and if I could afford it, I probably couldn't afford to store or transport it, and even if I could, I couldn't afford stage hands to get it onto the tiny stages I usually occupy. It just so happens, however, that I do know how to purchase one. What I know is that you have to have one made, unless you can find one used, as they are not mass-produced. If you want to have one made, you first have to locate a prop maker or custom acrylic fabricator. The same prop makers who make props for movies, theater, and events a
Read more

How to Get Started as a Performer in Burlesque

-
Image
Above: Jo Weldon performing at The Burlesque Hall of Fame. Photo by Tigz Rice. Many students come to my classes with the intention to perform professionally. Not all who want to perform want to become fulltime performers, but they'd like to get onstage now and then. I work in the field of what I call "Independent Burlesque," where most performers are creating individual acts that then get booked into variety or burlesque shows. People also sometimes hear about a theme for a show and then create an act based on that theme, or start producing a show for which they then create acts. There are as many different approaches as there are people to come up with them. However, for this article, let's focus on what most of my students are asking me about, which is how to get booked as a solo performer in a burlesque show that already exists. I'll also be focusing mostly on how things work in New York. Traveling to work is a separate topic, but I'll have an article
Read more

Tami Roche

-
Image
Image courtesy of Skinnergy . When I was growing up in Atlanta, I saw the strip joint signs and old burlesque signs; I was also aware of Atlanta's burlesque star, Tami Roche. Because I started working the clubs in 1980, there were still some dancers who had done burlesque in the 50s and 60s around, some of them still dancing but most of them not interested in the full nude table dance format (and sometimes not so nice about us doing it), still working in the clubs as costumers or managers, wearing fabulous hair and nails and giving us great advice about showmanship and terrible advice about how to make money. I didn't get to meet Tami Roche but her name came up frequently as one of the last great tassel-twirlers. She appeared in Russ Meyer's Beneath the Valley of the Ultra Vixens with Kitten Natividad (one of the most lovable and darling people ever born) And she appeared in Ann Corio's revival of This Was Burlesque in 1981. Available on VHS as "Here It
Read more