Booked!

Booked again! It's always rewarding to be booked- again- by a producer. Being booked again means that:
1. You don't completely suck.
2. They like working with you.

I always feel so blessed to have befriended the producers that I have. They are all so creative and really embrace what burlesque is about. In the last few weeks I have learned a lot about getting booked and staying booked and one of the number one things I have learned from numerous producers is that it all boils down to whether or not they like working with you and whether or not other producers that they know like working with you. Hard work and talent pay off but not as much as being a joy to do a show with. There is a great section in Jo Weldon's The Burlesque Handbook about burlesque etiquette... if you are new and haven't read it... you SHOULD! Buy it here!

She goes over basic etiquette and dealing with different issues that may arise in the world of burlesque. She also does this in a shortened format at her blog Daily Burlesque Blog by Jo Weldon.  For an example, the other day I was at a fabric shop on Broadway and mentioned that I was a dancer, the owner asked me if I knew James Habecker and Jo Boobs- I said I did know them... but they probably didn't know me (working with that many dancers over so many years- they have no idea who I am!). You see, it isn't who you know- it's who knows you! This is important! Because how somebody acknowledges knowing you speaks volumes about you. If they roll their eyes and snort when asked about you- don't expect to get booked by the producer that spoke to them, but if they smile and say, "yes, I know her, she kittened a show I was in a few months ago, she's delightful"- then you are golden!

Striving for excellence is important, but your routine is really not as important as who you are and how you are to work with, your routines can be workshopped, cleaned up, and tweaked but no one wants to try to workshopping your personality flaws. Professionalism and authenticity will get you a hell of a lot further than scheming, exhibiting diva-like behavior, and acting entitled to a spot in the limelight because you showed up. All the actively working burlesque performers/producers/kittens/go-go dancers worked very hard to get where they are and want to be treated professionally and with the respect that they have earned. If you can master that, you too will be treated with respect and professionalism... and best of all... you'll get BOOKED!

Speaking of being booked, my calendar is starting to pick up! Woot Woot!  I have Luvely Rae's One Night Stand next week, The New York School of Burlesque Showcase this weekend, I'm marching in Coney Island's Mermaid Parade, Gogo/Kitten at Parkside Lounge's Drive Thru Burlesque next month, and Appearing again at Kitty Nights in August! Whew!  

The Fan Dance

Today in my New York School of Burlesque Essential Series class, our headmistress, Miss Jo Boobs, showed us the fan dance. Feathers, I have recently discovered, are the most erotic thing I've ever experienced. (Especially when handled properly.) Whether watching someone else use them or using them myself. They are soft and luxurious, they hide and reveal at the same time and they are very flashy. If you are not aware... Miss Dixie LOVES flashy things. Rhinestones, bright feathers, glitter, and sequins are a few of my favorite things. I also LOVE touching things: hard, wet, smooth, warm ... mmmmmmmm I know what you're thinking... I'm thinking it too... I would love a Grey Goose, neat with lime.
I once heard Hugh Hefner say that with birds the males are ornate and the females drab and how he marveled at the fact that human beings are such a striking opposite to this reality of nature. I think that the work I learned today really hammered that home for me. Women are such beautiful creatures, we come in every color, shape, and size. Some of us more ornate than others - but all of us stunning in our own ways. Our bodies were designed to attract attention, our complicated minds developed to baffle, and the force of our presence meant to constantly distract. From our hair, to our delicate hands, to our smooth legs, and our dangerous curves. We are strutting, winking, undulating, preening birds of paradise. We are literally a distraction to go. I, for one, am so enamored with this feminine quality that it makes me wonder... why do men think about sex every 30 seconds? I would think it would be far more often than that... in fact, how does that poor gender even function at all?

Onward Movement

It's been a while since your little Dixie has written to all of you to share her grand adventures. So I have been working on learning some classic moves with Miss Jo Boobs and working on some audience connection work with Miss Darlinda Just Darlinda. This weekend we begin fan work! Ooo la la... I also met some of the most amazing people last night at NUDE. NUDE is a all nude band run by Bunny Love and a host of New York's most famous burlesque dancers. I met Miss Misty Mounds, a very comedian and two wonderful cross-dressers. It was a wonderous evening and there may be upcoming shows in the works so stay tuned ladies and gentlemen... Dixie is on the rise...

*** Please note that I had previously used the term Drag Queen erroneously, I was with two cross-dressers. I apologize for my mistake- I have since discovered the difference. ~ Dixie 8/15/10***