This document discusses burlesque performance communities. It finds that performers seek out these communities to find acceptance for their individuality and embrace of flaws. Their relationships with family can be strained, so they find closest support within their performance "tribe". There is an opportunity to create more financial security and educational resources for burlesque artists through connecting the different performance communities and audiences.

1. Building communityNaomi + Vivek

2. Cosplay drag queen
WHO?
burlesque

3. Research objective
What drives people to the decisions to become performer?
What are the sacrifices these individuals make to stay within
both communities?

4. HYPOTHESIS
We believe people get involved in performing communities to
hide their insecurities behind facade. We did not understand
their motivations for not living a normalized life.

5. FOUNDATION RESEARCH

6. FINDINGS
We learnt that performers value their individuality and that is the common
thread that keeps these communities together. Unity in diversity.
Learning to embraces one’s flaws and quirks can be difficult but rewarding.
Performance is a dialogue between the artist and the audience.
Over time the line between ‘real life’ and ‘performing life’ gets finer.

8. BUnnyKallistoISo Morillo Nicki Sparxx
drag queen drag queen cosplayburlesque

10. Dottie Cindy Dixie Siren
burlesque burlesque burlesquecosplay

11. PDS Activities
1) Card sorting
2) Eco system
3) Collage

12. 1) Card sorting
To understand the gives and takes that are a part of being in a community
2) Eco system
Understand their relationships with people in their lives, in real as well as
performing lives.
3) Collage
Understand the objects that resonate with them and eventually become a part of
their persona.
1) Card sorting
2) Eco system
3) Collage
Objectives behind the Pds

13. Insights
Judgement is often passed on people who have a unique form of self-expression,
which may leads to developing feelings of fear, leading to seeking support in
like-minded individuals.
Quotes
“I actually never told my parents(laugh Once I told
my mom about burning man and pastie making
workshop. It got really quiet. I keep wanting to tell
them. Its not that big of a deal to tell them but
because it’s been so long it’s weird.” - Nikki Sparks
Quotes
“ I only tone myself down when I visit home,
and that is to protect my family, my little brother
from harassment” - Iso Morillo
Observation
A grad student and a couple of her students
ended up going to her show without knowing
she is dancing which was really awkward and
embarrassing-- for them!

14. Insights
There is an underlying support system that promotes individual expression and
embraces weird quirks.
Observation
He support system they described in the
Ecosystem mapping, they held their fellow
performers closest to them.
Observation
They had organized a fundraiser for burlesque
legends to go to Vegas.
Observation
Bunny’s parents supported her fully in her pursuit
to be a cosplayer. Similar to Iso, his mother has
been a constant source of support.

15. Insights
Observation
From ecosystem PDS activity, we found that family
is not in the first sphere influence. People who
they consider the closest to them, were involved in
the same community.
Observation
From card sorbing PDS activity, we found out that
performers could give up their family to continue
on performing which shows us that they don’t
have a strong relationship with their families.
Quotes
“I am not really close to my family and my family
doesn’t know that i am a burlesque performer. I will
skip family function to be a performer.”
Suffering from strained relationships with their families, artists are more likely to
seek support and solace in people they consider as their “tribe”

16. Cosplay drag queen
WHO?
burlesque

17. New Novice
Veteran/
Legend
producerPRoFessional
Burlesque

18. There is an opportunity to develop a longer lasting relationship
between the performers and the audience.
Many performers feel like there is a lack of financial security, there is a
need to create a safety net.
There is an opportunity to educate and promote burlesque as a
creative outlet
There is an opportunity to bring together various schools of burlesque
opportunity Areas

19. Tangible
The connections made must have a tangible component.
Educational
The service must offer an educational glimpse in to the world of burlesque
All-encompassing
The service must accommodate the diversity in the burlesque culture
Sharing
The service serves as a platform to share, inspire and form connections that
help performers grow as artists.
Design principles

21. Red Hot BurlesqueMay . 2
All about burlesqueEverything you ever wanted to know about burlesque but were too afraid to ask!
storelearn connecthome calender ques
Hottest performers on this week !
Connect

22. All about burlesqueEverything you ever wanted to know about burlesque but were too afraid to ask!
storelearn connecthome calender questi
School of shimmy
Tuesday Classes are held at El Rio
Located at 3158 Mission St. In the back room past the bar.
Sunday Classes are held at Medium Reality & Boylesque's Studio
Located at 916 Natoma Street @ 10th
Space is limited and reservations are appreciated and encouraged.
If you would like to perform at the School of Shimmy Showcase Burlesque
Finshing Touches are mandatory classes. The Spring Showcases will take p
28th at 7:30 pm at El Rio as part of the famed weekly show, Red Hots Burl
April 11th 2-4pm @ Natoma & April 13th 7-9pm at El Rio Burlesque 101: In
workshop, students will learn the history of burlesque, how to create a pers
choreography. As well as learning to build your burlesque attitude; feel grea
body, and an open discussion about increased confidence and positive thin
April 18th 2-4pm Burlesque 201:Students are encouraged to come with an
character in mind. We will develop personas and discuss song choice, prop
selection and techniques for coming up with acts. This class will include lec
work.
mentor

23. ABOUT BURLESQUE
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work inten
cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of se
works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects. The w
derives from the Italian burlesco, which itself derives fro
Italian burla – a joke, ridicule or mockery.
Burlesque overlaps in meaning with caricature, parod
travesty, and, in its theatrical sense, with extravaganza, a
sented during the Victorian era. "Burlesque" has been us
English in this literary and theatrical sense since the late
century. It has been applied retrospectively to works of
and Shakespeare and to the Graeco-Roman classics. Con
examples of literary burlesque are Alexander Pope's sly
of the Lock and Samuel Butler's irreverent Hudibras. An
of musical burlesque is Richard Strauss's 1890 Burleske f
and orchestra. Examples of theatrical burlesques includ
Gilbert's Robert the Devil and the A. C. Torr – Meyer Lutz
including Ruy Blas and the Blasé Roué.
A later use of the term, particularly in the United State
to performances in a variety show format. These were p
from the 1860s to the 1940s, often in cabarets and clubs
as theatres, and featured bawdy comedy and female str
Some Hollywood films attempted to recreate the spirit o
performances from the 1930s to the 1960s, or included
education

24. ABOUT
LOCATION
INSPIRATION
FAVORITE
CONTACT
BEAU
Nikki Sparxx
Performance that happen
in red hot burlesque May.4.2013
Vagina Jenkins
Inspiration for some new costom
Sugar Cane
NY, sweet little kitty club
performance on June, 4, 2012
Sabrina Chap
Beautiful fans, I love this.
Bernadette Harris
One of great Burlesque performer
Sindee Rose
Inspiration

26. BEAU
CLICK

27. ABOUT
LOCATION
INSPIRATION
FAVORITE
CONTACT
BEAU
Nikki Sparxx
Performance that happen
in red hot burlesque May.4.2013
Vagina Jenkins
Inspiration for some new costom
Sugar Cane
NY, sweet little kitty club
performance on June, 4, 2012
Sabrina Chap
Beautiful fans, I love this.
Bernadette Harris
One of great Burlesque performer
Sugar Cane is coming to
California! Check her out !
Sindee Rose
Lovely dress, Great for some of
performance iam planning.

28. thank you !