As a burlesquedancer, what I do involves choreography, feathers, and glitter.
(Lots of glitter.)
Ask 20 people what the difference is between stripping and burlesque, and youll likely get 20 different answers.
A glimpse of a typical Emma Glitterbomb performance. Photo by An Insomniac Dreaming
But I think of it like this: Stripping is client-focused; burlesque is performance-focused.
As a burlesque performer, youre creating a relationship with the audience as a whole.
Though it can be challenging, stripping is a viable way to make a living if you hustle.
Emma Glitterbomb inThe Buttcracker. Photo by Flow Johnson
But for me, raking in a ton of cash really isn’t the point.
Burlesque has taught me to accept myself in a way nothing else has.
It’s also a hell of a lot of fun.
Emma Glitterbomb at the Smudged Lipstick Revue. Photo by Simona Signoret
A friend had raved about Studio Lamour, the brainchild of burlesque legendMichelle Lamour.
Learning to bump and grind felt deliciously risky to me.
At my first audition, I lost my underwearand not on purpose.
Emma Glitterbomb in anAmerican Horror Storytribute act. Photo by Greg Inda
I was auditioning for a troupe called Gorilla Tango Burlesque: Provocative Parody for the Discerning Nerd.
Theyre all younger, cuter, more confident.
Im a 30-something dork withcelluliteand a big ass.
Suddenly, I felt air where I shouldnt have.
Booking jobs can be rife with disappointment and heartbreak.
For every gig I book, there are three or four I dont.
Theres nothing worse than a silent audience while youre taking off your clothes.
That said, we also want people to be respectful.
Ive also performed for people who were incredibly drunk and yelled gross things about our bodies.
One bachelor, for example, negatively commented on my fellow dancers weight, leaving her in tears.
Sadly, the worst offenders in this respect are often men and usually egged on by their friends.
Dont get me wrongwe want those in the audience to have fun.
is appropriate, Show me your tits!
(Also, youre at a burlesque show, meaning Im going to show you my tits anyway.
And while youre waiting, put $20 in the tip bucket.)
Troublesome men arent limited to the audience.
), or repeatedly ask us out.
We have secretFacebookgroups to warn each other about these men, along with inappropriate meninthe burlesque community.
These wolves in sheeps clothing are producers, photographers, and sometimes performers, too.
Many disagreements actually come down to money.
What makes it harder is that there’s no set payment or tipping standard for burlesque.
Most gigs pay a flat performance fee (industry standards vary according to area).
I can count on one hand the number of times it’s happened to me.
Im not gonna lie: As long as the audience member is being respectful, its always thrilling.
Some money-related squabbles get heated, others result in rifts between performers, sometimes even the disbanding of troupes.
The walkout led tothe theater closing altogetherseveral days later.
No, I still dont love my body every single day.
To move through the world, taking up space.
To eat that cookie, then take off my evening gown half an hour later.
The audience’s enthusiastic praise doesn’t hurt.
Playing Han was likely the closest Ill ever come to being a rock star.
Did you see what happened?
the stage manager whispered to me, handing off my prop for the final showdown scene.
I shook my head.
Id gotten a big ovation, flirted with a bachelorette in the front row, nailed my bra removal.
A great night, but nothing out of the ordinary.
The stage manager smiled.
Emma Glitterbomb is a writer by day and vixen by night.
Emma chronicled her first year in Chicagos vibrant burlesque scene inthe My Life in Burlesque column for Persephone Magazine.
Say hi at eglitterbomb@gmail.com.
