Hallo, me with my creative industries hat on again...

I've spent the day working with the "creative partnerships for progression" people and it's been incredibly inspiring.

The project is about raising aspirations and dispelling the myth of impoverished artists living in someone's attic! It is also about the reflection that sometimes aspirations are high but venues or companies are unwilling to meet this enthusiasm.

I felt this was quite apt considering recent discussions about burlesque as a career - i certainly feel very strongly about it as an industry and would welcome debate on experiences both in this sector or any other art form.

As a skill, creativity teaches to experiment, how to accept failure as part of the creative journey and to push forward for originality.

Did you know creative industries in the UK generate revenues of around £112.5 billion, employ 1.3 million people and output is growing at more than double the rate of economy in the country.

Arts Council and other various organisations are very well versed in getting children into the arts, providing new learning frameworks and projects such as 'gifted and talented. However, the next big step is sustainable creativity within the later age groups. This includes giving people the tools to have ownership of a creative life .

So what is this big blurb all about (can you tell i've been steering at a conference all day?!)

Well I wanted to know how much ownership people feel they have over the burlesque scene. Is it accesible performance? Can you go to shows freely regardless of class, gender etc?

Also for performers, do you feel part of a creative industry - or do you not see burlesque as that... do you want it to be taken seriously as an art form or are you happy to remain in the alternative corridors?

I also want to know how being creative has helped in your life - examples such as my doctor friend who went to youth theatre and now feels confident to speak to patients and the calm to be wrong in a frantic situation. Also, how has it hindered your progress...

I just wanted to start throwing questions out there and begin a debate - feel free to bring up anything (except the dreaded 'how much do you get paid' question) I'm really passionate about matters like this and also if you would like any more information please don't hesitate to ask...

Normally I post rubbish but today I have my hat firmly on my head and want to provoke!!

Say anything... I really want people to think about the future of this artform and what it really means to them. Maybe I have no right to ask this but then again you don't have to press reply

xx

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www.frayedknot.org.uk
http://www.myspace.com/ameliesoleil

Wow, what an interesting post! As someone who hasn’t been performing long, but has been a spectator for a very long time, I have a slightly skewed viewpoint, but I hope this generates some interesting thoughts.

xxx

Here're my thoughts...

I can only really speak for myself here. I've never felt that burlesque was inaccessible. I have further thoughts on why this might be, but would rather PM you with those than post them here.

Since taking on more London-based work and watching more London-based performers I've certainly come to see burlesque as belonging to a greater creative industry, namely live entertainment. But that said, I wouldn't bracket burlesque in the same group as metal music... so I think perhaps I mean something more akin to 'live cabaret/street/spectacular performance'.

Now that I've seen burlesque both from the hobbyist and the semi-professional's perspectives, I've come to notice great differences in the outlooks. I now take what I do more seriously than ever and am putting in more effort than I ever did previously to up the standard of my acts.

It's got to the point now where I've:
1. Done my thing
2. Learned from others
...and now the time's come to combine the two.

I think there's a little bit of blurring between the low-middle-top ends of the burlesque circuit (devoted burlesque/cabaret events) and would like to see more distinction between the 3 in the way they're promoted. For instance, sometimes clubs charge middle-level entry fees (i.e. £6), but provide lots of low-average quality acts rather than a handful of middle-quality performances. I'd prefer to see such events promoted with the bigger picture in mind. The best performers in the local area may be on stage, but that's not to say that they're some of the best performers in the UK. However, this is my personal taste as an event attendee and seasoned burlesquer. Local punters may feel differently and I'm not about to project my desires on to whole audiences!

Oh my! I've learned so much. I've learned to be organised (and STAY organised), expect the unexpected, various legal bits and pieces, how to be self-employed...

As for transferable skills, well, I think those will reveal themselves over time...

Burlesque means... indulging myself creatively in the conception and preparation of acts, but providing the service I'm paid for when on stage. On stage I strive to affect an audience, whether that be to give them goosepimples or make them smile. I feel I haven't done my job properly if an audience remains stoney-faced throughout (although corporate work's a different kettle of fish).

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This is what I wanted to start to explore I don't think burlesque needs it's own subsector but I am very interested to see; since it is primarily seen as club culture how that can be approached on an artistic level. It affects how funding can be applied and which types of shows are accessible to audiences who wouldn't normally go to typical burlesque venues

Agree entirely, again this is striving for the original and actual artistic purpose to burlesque. While I'm also interested in the so called 'hobbyist' style of burlesque, I am really passionate about how exapansive burlesque can be. It can approach so many different themes, play with gender roles and (as much as i may personally feel cynical to but nonetheless) provide body ownership for those with confidence/body issues.

The bigger picture is exactly why some performers push for artistic rights, contracts, equity and industry protection. I've spoken to Beatrix in the past about the above, again its something I feel is better suited to PMs but am glad it's been brought up

Woohoo this is my main point of my blundering initial post! I truly feel burlesque can be inclusive at any level, even if you don't think you are the best performer in the world you may improve on the skills Beatrix has mentioned. And that as a by product of something fun and artistic is exactly what I'm hoping to include in my pedagogical work over the next year. I get a bit hacked off there are enough opportunities for teens to learn all this, I'm interested in people who come back to performance; adult dance or theatre. How does this fit in with the real world and why is it important...

Finally;

Haha believe it or not I used to love corporate work...nowt like a month straight of stilt walking in skanky shopping centres for ten hours a day having mcdonalds thrown at you (including a milkshake once) to kill a passion.

Now I tend use corporate as a learning process because it simply isn't enjoyable anymore...

Apologies, I do tend to blather on this subject

xx

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www.frayedknot.org.uk
http://www.myspace.com/ameliesoleil

The more skewed the better hun, this is about everyone's opinions from stalwarts of the scene to newbie workshop participants.

My brain is just a little bored of simply stuffing it with sparkles... it needed poking

thanks

xx

__________________
www.frayedknot.org.uk
http://www.myspace.com/ameliesoleil

If you are interested in this, then you might want to get in touch with Rhymes With Purple Productions. They are a Glasgow based company whose 'Burlesque' event Tease and Cake has been taken up by a local council as part of a 'Young at Heart' project to encourage participation in the arts amoungst older people. Myspace.com Blogs - TEASE & CAKES RETURNS! - RWP Cabaret MySpace Blog

This might be of interest to you as it encompases areas of I guess what would be called 'genre' i,e 'burlesque', 'cabaret' 'entertainment' etc, access and particicpation to burlesque, and issues of funding.

xxxx

wow thanks vendetta... goodness i wish my LCA was that switched on... ours actually stopped a burlesque rehearsal in our space last week deeming it outside of the artistic vision of the arts centre.

pish...

xx

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www.frayedknot.org.uk
http://www.myspace.com/ameliesoleil

Oh for f*** sake I just wrote a really long and personal response to this and when Hit send it just disappeared and I hit back and it was not there it just took my half an hour to write dammmmmmmmmmm
I will tell you on the phone I am to mad now
Diva x
Oh I just had to edit this one as it kept my swear words in I thought it blanked them

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Diva Hollywood - http://www.myspace.com/divahollywood

oh noooooooo!!!

that happened to me in reply to your post re: contract issue so i've been copying to clipboard everything recently... dammit i was looking forward to your reply!

will call you tomorrow if thats okay hun? teehee to the swear words, i thought it blanked them out too...oops!

xx

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www.frayedknot.org.uk
http://www.myspace.com/ameliesoleil

Ooh, I hate that! Its why I always have a word document open and copy and paste-just in case!