Review

[bethlakshmi]

Baby Dolls got a neat review here:

http://www.afterhourscity.com/boston/2005/10/boston_babydolls.html#more

It's very "day in the life of" - not particularly my favorite editorial style. If I wanted to read about someone's life - I'll read a blog of my friend's life - then I get to 'socialize' too. But, that said, the abstracted message is really cool - that the Baby Dolls, (and - IMO - Burlesque in general) is not about perfect women with perfect bodies doing perfect dances - it's about real women who are sexy BECAUSE they are REAL. Yes, they move well. Yes, they have snazzy costumes. Yes, they have professional theater around them - but they are not a Rockett/Gap Model perfect body type, and (like a real person) they display their individual beauty on stage. And - part of what makes them sexy is their shameless enjoyment of *being* sexy.


I'm pretty thrilled I got a mention - I'm apparently the comic relief. Admittedly - I've chosen comic bits, because that's what's come to mind. Comedy is easy, I can do it even when I don't feel way sexy, and the audience approval gets me more in the mood to be sexy/funny making the show even better. And... it's a nice break from Bharata Natyam. Middle Eastern dance, especially with my troupe, can be funny. We happily embark on goofy, silly choreographies, as easily as we do straight up sexy, cute or entrancing peices. But, the chunk of my energy that goes to Indian dance has very little to do with comedy. Pathos - sure, presence - absolutely, funny -- not so much. So... I suppose I had some extra funny ready to leak into the Boston Baby Dolls.

On the insecure side... I'm not sure how to take being "one of the curvier" dancers. Sometimes folks use "curvy" as a polite way to say overweight. I'll admit - on the BMI charts, I'm overweight. For my height (measured at 5'10" last month), I'm supposed to be under 180 to be in a healthy weight. I weigh around 190. That's the least I've weighed in 8 years. And a month of trying to eat well, and work out has not noticeably reduced that number, although I have some improvement in how the pants fit, and I've bought quite a bit of size 14s where 5 pounds ago 16s where the norm.

I suppose I should take it in stride... We have a lot of very attractive ladies in the troupe. We've got at least two models, two very serious dancers, and all the ladies are quite fit. So... I suppose in this superior company, I am the "curviest". I suppose I need to just look in reference to myself - I am fitter than I have been in a long time. When I survive this show, this project and this job -- I will continue with the morning workouts in the hopes of getting fitter still. I still haven't earned my "workout present". That's what really matters... comparing oneself to others is always a loosing proposition.


And... yep, I'm sick. I have a sore "tickle" in my throat, my nose is sometimes cloggy and I'm very low energy. Blech.

School is on target - from class last night, I gleaned that I'm not just 'on track', I'm still a little ahead on the project - having gotten the basic implementation done, I'm not polishing and finishing loose ends. Others are still coding.

Work - just sat through a training course. Now to flesh out the spots in my paper where "... and then... a miracle occurs..." and "Data is transported by magic fairies to where it needs to be...".

Comments

[dreda.livejournal.com]

Well, I think you look fabulous. There are some teeny girls - I think contortionists are required to be wraiths - and you're rocking the Glamazon. Go to it, I say.

And I note - "er," not "est."

[siriel.livejournal.com]

Last time I saw Cirque du Soleil, their contortionist was emphatically curvy. I think she was the favorite act of most of the people I attended with. :)

[lakshmi-amman.livejournal.com]

Thank you ladies. I should keep in mind that our most talented (and truly very sweet and nice) cat-lady Morgan the contortionist often laments her lack of mammary equipment.

So... I suppose the figure is always nicer on the other body. :)

And... I suppose, it's also nicer when YOU aren't the one looking at your sad little salad staring at the other guys big helping of BBQ ribs washed down with a tiramisu. :)

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

Take it as a compliment.

That's how I see it.

These days, curvy is good.

Especially on you . . . .

Morgan has her own strengths.

Boooh Yah!

[dervishspin.livejournal.com]

Great review!

As a fellow Glamazon who does not have the cahones to do what you are doing I applaud you.

I think the reviewer was right: we are not used to seeing real women. We, as a society, have been trained to expect to see stick women. Real women have curves, they have cellulite, they have some dark curly hairs in the "wrong" place, their skin is not perfect, and their breasts don't match (well... except for yours). Seeing real women after expecting to see stick women was startling to this reviewer, but that's one of the things that indicated that the reviewer "got it". That's awesome! That is what you were trying to do and you all did it.

[rising-moon.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree with you; the review was a "personal evolution" post instead of an insightful critique. I prefer blogs that I can comment in. ;)

Yes: curves. And I'll pay to see you dance again.