We were lucky to catch up with Dionysia recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dionysia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I knew right away I wanted to pursue burlesque professionally. It was through this art form that I truly learned about self autonomy and trusting myself. I saw how as performers, we have the choice as to the art we share on stage: our choreography, our costumes, what we reveal, what we don’t reveal, and how we presented ourselves. This confidence booster, fully knowing I’m in charge of myself and what I do helped me make the bold choice to pursue this art form professionally. The many other lessons I’ve learned while performing are what have kept me in it.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi! My name is Dionysia I’m a professional burlesque performer here in the state of Wisconsin.
I travel and bring my burlesque acts to stages all across the Midwest, and am known as “The Unshaven Haven” of burlesque. I am proud to normalize female body hair by performing on stage — fully unshaven. I believe that everyone should have the choice as to how they present themselves, and use burlesque to spread the message of self autonomy and inner confidence.
Alongside performing, I also produce several independent cabaret productions in Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Chicago. I work with venues to bring classic and modern burlesque and variety shows to their stages. Current ongoing productions include Burlesque at Edith in Milwaukee, WI and Diverse Desires: A BIPOC Cabaret in Chicago, IL
Outside of burlesque, I am also a figure model, having been mentored by the one and only Joseph Vignieri of Draw Joseph. I work with art schools, universities, and directly with artists to pose and bring inspiration for art. I really enjoy being able to combine burlesque and figure modeling by bringing in dance inspired gestures, and expressive, character influenced poses. My work ranges from regionally in-person and online with artists all over the world including sketch artists, sculptors, and animators.
I am most proud to share my work as a combination of the preservation of burlesque as a historical art form, and the co-creation of a new wave revival of neo-burlesque.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I think one thing non-creatives struggle to understand about the journey as a creative is the need for built in rest and recovery. As performers a lot of unseen work goes into performances and productions, so time to recover physically and mentally is built in to our schedules and is reflected in our prices.
The act of creation can be a laborious process that requires lots of energy and mental concentration to bring to life. It is not only sourcing act ideas, planning & researching costuming, and choreography, but also the self discipline and determination to create that takes up mental and emotional energy. I think many people underestimate that work and only see a glamorized version of ourselves for x amount of minutes on stage. After big shows and seasons, I need time to recharge and recuperate.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is being able to share a message of hope. I love empowering people to feel comfortable in their body hair and that everybody has the choice to choose how they present themselves. Burlesque shares a messages of celebrating body diversity, and it is beyond rewarding to able to uplift this message through my art and productions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dionysiaburlesque.com
- Instagram: @dionysiadance
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551154400221
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Chris Nightengale, Robert Remme, Marisa Klug-Morataya, Notorious Boudoir Studio MKE, DMNX Photo.