When they hit me with one of the most cliched questions in DC, that's when the fun begins.
Last Friday, I had the absolute pleasure of attending a Creative Morning DC lecture featuring Gigi Holliday, a DC-based burlesque dancer. She only showed a few moves, but had plenty to teach. Gigi lives an authentic truth and is unapologetic about running her own business and taking off her clothes.
Be forewarned: These lessons are a little more graphic than usual, but that’s what you get from a real artist. Here’s her advice and insights for artists still living like 9-5 drones.
1. Take your ass outside to play. In DC, it’s easy to get caught up in your federal or federal-related job. Gigi even had one, but when she lost it, she moved outside traditional lines.
2. Your audience can be just as vulnerable to you. Don’t be afraid to perform or share your work. Your audience is eager for you to bring out something that’s dormant in them.
3. Shit a strawberry on stage. Burlesque performers, whose routines can range from the glamorous to the Comic Con, can leave you with “awkward” boners. Just ask the audiences who’ve seen the climax of a Strawberry Shortcake routine.
4. Burlesque isn’t weird. It’s innovation. Gigi, through her burlesque lessons, shows people how to live outside the traditional lines.
5. Art, when true to yourself, can transcend to everyone. Rewards can come in surprising ways (including free dinners from husbands who are grateful that you've taught their wives new ways of moving through the world).