We were lucky to catch up with Dee Lightfull recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

About 12 years ago, I went to a local burlesque show to see the troupe Whiskey Tango Sideshow. I was entranced! I was absolutely gobsmacked at the sexiness, boldness, humor, and fun. I remember wishing I could be a part of it, but I thought I was too old and had the wrong body type. Plus, I’m just not super graceful or coordinated! I started attending every one of their shows that I could, figuring if I couldn’t be a performer, I could be a super fan!

My mom developed early onset Alzheimer’s when she was 62. It’s genetic, so there’s a possibility she has passed it on to me, and that profoundly changed my perspective on life. At that time, I had 15 years until I turned 62, and I realized that just wasn’t a lot of time. I turned my life upsidedown. I started saying “yes” to things I wanted and “no” to things I didn’t or weren’t working for me. I changed my job, I ended bad friendships and made new friends, I got divorced from an absolute poophead of a man and fell in love with a man who I thought was all wrong for me but turned out to be EVERYTHING I never knew I wanted and needed. I traveled. I became audacious! A few years later, for my “Last 40 Days of my 40’s,” I created a list of 40 things I wanted to do before I turned 50. These were things I had always wanted to do but hadn’t. I pierced my nose, danced on a bar, tried fire cupping, went skinnydipping, cosplayed at NY ComiCon…and I started taking a bellydance class. A few months after starting bellydance classes, the studio offered a 6 week burlesque class, and I signed up. At the first class, I was equally terrified and excited. The instructor, the fabulous Danielle Saint Velvet, announced that our “graduation” would be to perform as the opening act for the next Whiskey Tango Sideshow show. I went home and told my husband I probably wasn’t going back! But, I did. I loved it. I loved the way the movements made me feel. I loved the other women in my class. I loved the glamour and naughtiness of it all. The night we performed was like magic. I had never felt anything like it. Afterwards, my husband said to me, “I know you love your bellydance classes, but I have NEVER seen you light up the way you lit up on that stage tonight, and if any part of you wants to continue doing burlesque, I encourage you to.” I was 50 years old, plus size, and a bit clumsy…and I was hooked!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Burlesque Buffet (IG: @burlesquebuffet) is my burlesque production company. It’s a collaboration with my husband, Don Manuel Presents. It was created by accident! A friend asked me about doing burlesque for the inaugural Foothills Fringe Festival. I thought she was asking me to perform, and I said, “yes!” Turns out, she was asking me to put together a show! My first reaction was “oh, hells no!” But, the more I thought about it, the more I thought, “what if…?”
If you come to a Burlesque Buffet show (and you should!), you can expect to see a wide range of performances and performers. We strongly believe in diversity and equity, and our shows reflect that. We hope that every audience member sees themselves on stage. We also like to have a good time! So, you can expect a lot of playfulness and interaction with the audience (with full consent!). We call it Burlesque Buffet, because we often don’t have a theme that restricts performers to finding or creating an act to fit into the theme. We tell performers to bring the act that brings them the most joy. As a result, you get a burlesque buffet! You will see performances ranging from classic burlesque to neo to cheesecake to comedy…and all things in between.
In addition to producing burlesque shows, I am a performer. One of my most important lessons has been that I don’t have to look or perform in a certain way. I so admire the super sexy, graceful, classic performers, but my body and soul do not work that way. I often say, “I will seduce you with my awkwardness!” When you see me, you will always get some humor and some raunchiness. I love the interplay of playful and naughty…really, really naughty.
In my opinion, burlesque is this fantastic blend of humor, tease, and sensual performance that intertwines elements of theater, dance, and comedy. Its uniqueness lies in its ability to challenge norms and expectations, embracing individuality and diversity, while celebrating the human form. It engages audiences in a unique way, often breaking the fourth wall and creating an intimate connection between performers and viewers; this is one of my personal favorite things.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

At every single show I perform in, at least one person comes up to me after to tell me how much it means to them to see someone who looks like them on the stage. They might be an older person or a person in a larger body, and they see me up there owning those elements of myself and claiming space. Sometimes they ask for a photo with me. Sometimes they cry. This is why diversity in shows is important – BIPOC, queer, disabled, all bodies, all genders…all of it. Everyone deserves to take up space and be seen.
I also want to leave audiences with a sense of “did she really just do that?!” I like to combine glam with raunchiness, and I always include humor.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Some people think art and burlesque isn’t political. It is. How about a Universal Basic Income (UBI)?! UBI can help artists by ensuring a basic level of financial security, allowing them to take creative risks. Governments and private organizations can offer grants and fellowships to provide financial stability for artists to pursue their work without the pressure of commercial success. Let’s financially support the arts and artists!
Additionally, a lot of creatives need business training. Social media, marketing, taxes, insurance, legalities, etc. These things all impact your ability to pursue your art. Providing training in business skills can help artists manage their careers more effectively, because it’s a lot and it takes time away from your art!
For burlesque specifically, being more open-minded. More venues should not just “allow” burlesque shows, they should embrace them! Burlesque performers are some of the kindest and most generous humans. You should want them at your venue!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.deelightfullburlesque.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/deelightfullburlesque
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/deelightfullburlesque

Image Credits

Don Manuel Presents
Blue Lion Photography
Sweetheart Pinup