Rockalily and Ottawa's Burlesque Scene

Politics in the capital has been jokingly compared to bad burlesque more than once. Real burlesque in Ottawa, though, owes a good deal to one performance collective that started a local scene more or less from scratch. An interview with one of its performers, given a few seasons after the group formed, lays out how the members understood their work and the audience that grew around it.

A collective, not only a troupe

The performer called the group a performance art collective that also gives local men and women a source of confidence, whether or not they ever step on stage. Over the years, a number of performers had joined and left, and the group counted itself as an early influence on other local troupes. Members came from belly dance, hula, comedy and fire performance, so a single evening could shift between very different acts.

Stated principles were simple. Shows were to stay focused on women, to welcome gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and to feature performers of every shape and size.

Creating a market where none existed

No burlesque audience existed in the city when the group began. A friend floated the idea of forming a troupe, and the founders went ahead on the reasoning that the city lacked such entertainment. A second troupe appeared soon afterward, and early shows leaned heavily on friends who were dragged along. By the time of the interview, local shows were reportedly frequent, and followers had begun to develop favourites. New performers, the interviewee said, tended to come looking for the group rather than the other way round.

Finding a comic voice

Her own path ran through sexy, classic, novelty and fetish routines before settling on comedy, where she performs as a playful parody of herself. She said the support of friends and fellow performers helped her get past shyness about her body.

Classes and artistry

The interview also addressed burlesque lessons. They were praised for building confidence among students, yet described as no foundation for a performing career, since fundamentals can be taught but artistry cannot. For that reason she described preferring to perform rather than teach.

Visibility and body acceptance

Her stated aim was to make room for bodies of all kinds: tall or short, thin or large, tattooed or not. Audience members, she said, sometimes told her that watching a performer who looked like her made them feel easier in their own skin. That kind of response explains why many in the burlesque community treat the art form as a movement for body acceptance as well as entertainment. Everything above reflects one interview and describes the group as it saw itself then, not its membership or activity today.