I have been part of this incredible community since 2019, when I went to my first ever burlesque show for my 18th birthday. Being a dancer for as long as I could stand on two feet, as soon as I learned of burlesque and the world of cabaret, I knew nothing would keep me off the stage. I made my solo debut in October of 2019, starting my career as a performer perfectly mixed with my love for Halloween, and I haven’t stopped since! My mother, Kara Ka-pow!, was a true inspiration to me when it came to getting involved, and when she learned I wanted to start performing burlesque, she got me my first pair of pasties and helped get me right on stage. Once I started, the part that kept me in was the amazing people that make up this community. The love, the passion and the support are thick within the burlesque community here. They want to see you on stage, light up when you do, love you for everything you bring and, most of all, they truly want to see you glow.

My favorite act to perform is my raven queen number. Its dark and powerful, bringing in elements from classical ballet. This number was born out of a challenge to strip to classical music, so making a number about an evil raven queen falling from grace felt like a perfect fit. Not only was the music something new for me, this was the first time I made a costume from the ground up. Starting off with large reagle wings and a crown perched atop my head, the layers gradually start melting away as I move through the number. The reveals and how the costume continues to evolve makes this one of, if not my favorite act.

This first time I performed for a very small crowd (maybe 10 people) was extremely challenging. Trying to keep a small crowd energetic and engaged is no small feat, but I have learned when you are able to let go a little, it can turn into some of the most fun performances. When a crowd is less reactive or small, once you start to feel comfortable in the silence it truly makes you feel more at ease on any stage. Though it was definitely a challenge it prepared me to feel way more comfortable in front of any crowd, in any setting.

Burn out is something I deal with often, whether it be making costumes or coming up with a new number. Dealing with burn out or creative block is always challenging, and when I can I will turn on my favorite songs and just dance, just move how my body wants , no thought, no pressure, no structure. This helps me find new ways to move that I can then incorporate into my routines. Other times when the burn out becomes too much I have learned its ok to put down what I’m working on and allow myself to focus on the numbers that I already have and bring me the joy I need.

Deep emotions, architecture, animals, how fabric moves, horror movie villains.

In a heartbeat I would learn fire eating!

My big goals right now are to compete in the Imperial Burlesque Canada competition, and begin traveling as a performer. My current small scale goals are to continue improving my flow through new creative reveals, learn to truly hold a moment and finally learn how to use a sewing machine. I never want to stop learning about this beautiful art and continue learning from the people around me. Always learning from fellow artist and community members is essential. My biggest piece of advice is always remember no one knows exactly what your number is except you. The audience will never know if you “messed up”. Even if you do “mess up” you might accidentally find a more creative or exciting way to do what you originally set out to do. Learn to move through those “mistakes” and make new magic from them.