Toronto Burlesque Festival 2011 Wrap-Up & Thoughts

The glitter has finally settled after another epic weekend of the Toronto Burlesque Festival!

After many months of anticipation, I was privileged to perform among and view some of the top local and international talent in the realm of burlesque, cabaret, and vaudeville entertainment.

On the Friday night gala at The Gladstone, the room filled instantly. Who else, other than Keela Watts could have captivated a buzzing room of energy with a single opening note? (Her sensuous movement in a blue sparkling fitted-gown did help, it but could not negate her vocal chops!)

Glamour Puss Burlesque’s Rubie Laframboise took to the stage early in the show with her maddening and mystical Mad Hatter act. The crowd, and yours truly went hoarse with cheering!

Glamour Puss Burlesque performed our Bolero act for the first time since its winter debut. The act has had opportunity to refine, and we truly felt like ‘birds of paradise’ in our feathered and bejeweled costumes by Betty Monroe. The level of feedback we received hit us sideways!

Boylesque T.O.’s Wrong Note Rusty called it “Epic.”

GCB’s Fionna Flauntit reviewed it as “…absolutely breath taking. It was rhythmic, beautifully choreographed, perfectly in sync and so unique. I can’t say enough, speechless.”

How could we possibly articulate a more meaningful way to say thank you? Well, we’re trying.

The Saturday night Burlesque Ball was at the Mod Club. Although I spent the first act backstage, the roars of laughter, excitement, and titillation heard from two floors below could mean nothing but quality entertainment!

This was also the night that I premiered a new duo tango act with Carlos Caliente. It was dramatic, saucy, with a touch of maniacal. After our performance, the uncertain moment we felt as we returned to the change-room was short-lived as Dew Lily simply approached us and said “… HOT.”

The rest of the Saturday night show that I was able to watch was phenomenal. No words other than phenomenal.

If I could speak about every act, I would. Unfortunately, that would make for a very lengthy blog post, and what would I possibly write about the acts that left me speechless?

Summarized highlights for me include: the decadent Billie Black who sang and performed on silks while in elegant rope bondage, the fierce Tanya Cheex as ‘Lady Bug-off’ (with Boylesque aphids Wrong-Note Rusty and Mahogany Storm), Amber Ray, as a spectacular evolving butterfly, Coco Framboise stylin’ with a lush boa, and last year’s Burlesque Queen Roxi D’lite as an island goddess on aerial hoop.

This leads me to two boylesque (more like WOW-lesque) performers who blew my mind with completely different styles of performance.

1. Evil Hate Monkey performed his “Prima Primate” act, which was full of bananas, absurdity, and him. Dancing. En pointe. In a tutu.

That man -er monkey had the best use of a tutu than in any ballet I have ever seen.

Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF7r87noY7E&feature=share

2. Jett Adore absolutely won the crowd with his peacock act. This was one of those acts where you struggle to find the words to describe it. Inspired, with a touch of cirque.

I’m not sure who said it, but “there wasn’t a dry seat in the house.”

See it for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfvE60jxUTU

Anywho, this is simply my snapshot of the weekend. To all of the committee members, stage & tech crew, volunteers and superstars, I say: Thank you, thank you thank you! Take a well-deserved bow.