Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Actin’ Up. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

ACTin’ Up, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I have had the pleasure on working on several meaningful projects over the past year in particular but the peice that it has all lead to so far is Melanated Pole Fest. (MPF) This is the US’ first All BIPOC Pole Festival meaning every paid postions from back stage had to perfromers all the way to instructor and panlist were carefully curated to feature a multitude of BIPOC Humans.

I have been working really hard in the perfromance world to build my Bussiness ACTin’ Up Performance Academy and it has shifted to be less about teaching and more about creating spaces that are yet to exist in this country.

This festival was brought to life through a pole leadership program and sponsorship from Positive Spin Pole Fitness. I started as a pole student became a burlesque dancer next thing you know I was in the program owning my own virtual dance studio and creating perfromance oppertunity for margilized groups. The Biggest thing I could do was throw a 3 day Festival!

ACTin’ Up, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My stage name ACTin’ Up comes from my routes doing theatre as a child at a little theatre in Eastern Washington we called A.C.T or Academy of childerns theatre.

As I hoped into pole dancing I became inspired to start perfromering burlesque. I went on a self made journey of creating the persona ACTin’ Up. Bringing my theatre, dance, and DEIA passions to the forefront of this new chapter I was creating.

With a certificate in Organizational Diveristy equty inclusion Leadership i knew there were ways to bring more meaning in spaces that were lacking these basics!

I started co-creating shows and events like “Black Ass History” “Bold Bougie and Beautiful” We OUTSIZE” all to make space for the black people the queer people the fat and nerodoviedgant humans in my life. Now I run a new open stage ACTin’ Handsy : A Hand and New Acts for baby burlesquer and drag king/queens/things with my Drag child handsy. And have spent 2 years putting together Melanated Pole Fest ! THE US’ First and currently (2025) ONLY all BIPOC pole festival.

I’ve been dancing for and teaching dance for about 12 years now. I feel so blessed to get to put together solo routines, perfrom and chorgraph dances for myself and others while also being able to create spaces & truly build communities for others that need that in their lives!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The goal is have always carried being a pansexual femme of color was being able to create something out of nothing for those that have been given little, to nothing!

I grew up in a space where no one looked like me. People didn’t think like me or share the same values. As I grew and moved around, I found many creatives like myself not being given oppertunities. And I am continuously finding ways to build community for these people. With the challenge on sustainability!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me the most rewarding part of being a creative is there is always more to learn. In the perfromering arts there are a million and 1 ways to be you. There are always new mediums to learn and develop your own ideas take previous knowlege and make it your own through invasion and creativity.

I think with days as bodies chnage throughout the years we get stronger or weaker there are always new ways to learn how to move and express. Being a creative is always relevant with times as long as your willing to learn grow and explore those developments.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.aupa.studio
• Instagram: ACTinups_perfromanceacadmey
• Facebook: ACTin’ Up’s Perfromance Academy
• Linkedin: ACTin’ Up
• Other: Emails:
  [email protected]
  [email protected]
  Performance insta @im_actinup
  Perfromance website: actinupburlesque.com

Image Credits

Laura Brooks -3 people clapping and white sheet in water
Misty Steepe- pink face with flower crown
Scott foster -splits in the blue and pink
Daniel change-group photo from back ass history
Fiora wild- Group photo around the pole & space needle pole shot and handstand shot in my photo
Tout D’lou -purple dress leaning against the pole