We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dani Demize. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dani below.
Dani , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I fell into the world of burlesque in 2017. A couple of friends at the time asked if I wanted to kitten the small burlesque and drag show they hosted at the bar I was bartending at. My response was “Sure!…What is a stage kitten?” They explained it to me and four days later I was on stage cleaning up and setting up each acts’ props. The following week was the next show and I was asked to write the setlist and manage performers. I felt so green to the world of burlesque as someone who had no dance or performance background, nor an idea of what actual burlesque was and is, and was honestly terrified of being on stage. It was all very much a learn by trial and error situation. I learned a lot through observation of experienced performers and producers as I branched into the scene more and more. Knowing what I know now I would have taken more of an opportunity to start burlesque basics classes at the time. I took Cybil Unrest’s School of Undress class in 2018. From there I picked up some of the basics with burlesque and spent hours in rehearsal getting creative with reveals and transitions between moves. When I first started performing I was working five jobs to pay the bills, so I had very minimal time to rehearse and expand my knowledge base. This definitely slowed down my ability to grow as a performer and an artist.
Dani , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
As I mentioned before I sort of stumbled into this world. I spent the first year stage kittening, managing behind the scenes and choreographing routines for my friends. As much as I lack a theater or dance background I spent my childhood years in gymnastics so I had something to go on but honestly I had no idea what I was doing. Back then I was adamant I would never have the guts to perform myself and would only do tips dances in between sets. Finally, I wrote an act that I felt I could do myself. I spent weeks rehearsing it and putting the fine details together. I went all out. I had an outfit of caution tape that I burned off with a wax pour and ended in a glow paint pour with blacklights. I remember feeling so empowered after stepping off stage but not even remembering the actual performance itself but could hear the crowd roaring from the side stage I was standing in. I was immediately hooked on that “stage high”.
I fell in love with burlesque and was hungry to learn more and delve deeper into the art of it all.
I learned so much of what i know from watching other performers and I was lucky enough for Cybil Unrest to take me under her wing. She has truly been the best mentor I could ask for and is a wealth of knowledge. She always says “burlesque is a choose your own adventure” and that has always remained in the forefront of my brain. Being a primarily gorelesque performer (horror burlesque), comes with its challenges outside of the spooky season. I have learned to have multiple versions of every act that can be adapted to different stages, venues and events. Personally, I love the challenge to incorporate horror and gore into themes they normally wouldn’t be. That is what I love about horror as well. Horror can be anything. Surely there are the standard slashers and horror icons but it can be so much more. This is where creativity comes into play. I have performed a horror Mr. and Mrs. Smith act with my stage partner Siracha. We also have a Jason Vorhees act where we reveal that he always brings back tokens from his victims for his wife at home. That act has quickly become a fan favorite and is very campy and fun act to perform. I have a Cookie Monster act where he is a kinky cookie dealer and bathes in the milk. That costume took weeks to put together from rhinestones and dying fabric. It’s one costume I am most proud of due to work I put into it’s creation. I love taking an idea and putting a twist on it, or your own creative stank. This year I created an act based on Nurse Ratched where I give myself a fake lobotomy on stage.
Moving forward I am learning new skills to improve my performances. Currently, I am learning feather fans and I am building myself my own set, hopefully to be debuted next year. It’s important to me to pay tribute to the burlesque legends who paved the way for the neo-burlesque movement to even be possible. I try to take pieces of classical burlesque and weave them into my performances, while still putting my own stank on it. To stand out in the performance world you have to make your art unique and individualistic. Any idea you can think of someone, somewhere has done it, so make it uniquely yours. That can be a creative reveal, a new way to work a prop or a piece of your costume, dance moves, the options are almost endless. Burlesque is a beautiful art form because you can make it your own in so many ways with self expression and creativity. The way I see it is there is always room to grow and learn, and I feel I’m constantly evolving.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Don’t expect free handouts from your artist friends just because you know them. Support local artists and your artist friends. If you cannot financially support them by buying tickets to their shows or their merchandise then share their art. Social media has really changed the way everything works. It is free to comment, like, share your friends art and is extremely helpful to a solo artist or small business. getting our art out there on social media is half of the battle when it comes to advertising. As a performing artist you are your own product, and that can be intimidating. Community over competition is the mentality we should all carry. Don’t put others art down because they are doing something you want to accomplish. Instead ask them for advice, take their workshops, learn from them and everyone gets to grow.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
During lockdown I was living in a tiny home that was maybe 100 square feet. I had a little 2’x2′ space where I spent many nights creating makeup looks and trying to rehearse new choreography. Aside from working 12 hour days due to having an essential worker day job, I spent all of my time creating in any way I could manage and participated in live Instagram shows in front of a huge bonfire my roommates had built. During that time I learned a lot about what direction I wanted to take my performances and how to improve my makeup for stage. I feel that was the time period I finally figured out exactly what I wanted and decided to actually start taking it all seriously, instead of just a fun thing I did on the side. Once restrictions were lifted I hit the ground running and never really took a breath. For years I stage managed and produced events and overworked myself. Recently I decided to pursue a solo career and re-discover that passion for burlesque I felt in the beginning. Once again I have learned to adapt and change with the flow of life and the new direction of what this Showghoul will pursue.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danidemize/
Image Credits
James Blonde Photography
Loren Sweet Photography
Limitless Boudoir Photography
Elle Jaye Photography
Renie Bartman – Oddity Creeps