Frankie Tease Blog

Shanghai Pearl by POC Photo One of the most impressive performers I have ever seen once came on stage in a gorilla suit, and high heels (as seen on America's Got Talent ). By the time she took that suit off she was in a bikini eating a banana. Who could I be talking about? None other than jet- setting, world class international burlesque instructor, performer, and costume-maker extraordinaire: The Shanghai Pearl . Below is the interview I conducted by chat, long-distance, with this amazing individual, June 27, 2011. FT: Where are you originally from? SP: I was born in Taipei, Taiwan. FT: What year did you come to U.S., was it first Seattle? SP: I came to this country with my mom when I was three, and grew up in Arizona. I've lived in Seattle for almost nine years now. FT: What year did you begin performing burlesque , and what or who was your inspiration? SP: I graduated from Miss Indigo Blue's academy of Burlesque in 2006. Before that I was a p

Frankie Tease sat down with burlesque dancer and pin-up model in Seattle and Portland:  Lucky Lucy O Rebel . The talk includes the Red Sox, burelsque, how to be cheeky, and why she loves burlesque so much.  FRANKIE How long have you been performing burlesque? LUCY Almost five years now. FRANKIE Did you get your start in Seattle, Wa? LUCY Yes, I started about six years ago as  pin-up girl and I graduated to being a burlesque performer. FRANKIE How does what you do in pin-up become usable in burlesque? LUCY That cheeky cheese cake factor, where you make light of everything, no matter how serious, you're trying to make people laugh and have a good time. FRANKIE What does burlesque dancing allow you to do and express that pin-up modeling does not? LUCY  It allows you to carry over. In pin-up modeling you have to get everything in one shot, you have to get that expression with every part of you with one shot. In burelsque I can take a few seconds to

Frankie Tease sat down to talk with one of Portland, Oregon's favorite visiting Burlesque performers. Topics include: Honolulu, how a life-long ballerina started doing Burlesque, and what does Portland have to do with Honolulu anyway? Frankie- How long have you been a resident of Honolulu? Violetta- I was born and raised in Hawaii! I'm Native Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, European and Native American, which I think is a great representation of Hawaii's unique cultural strata. I love my island home and the "aloha spirit" that resides here! Frankie- That's beautiful. In Honalulu you are a burlesque performer and producer am I correct? Violetta- I consider myself a performer more than anything, I've helped to produce shows but usually do so as a choreographer and costumer. I'm thinking about beginning to produce on a limited basis though. Frankie- You are an amazing performer that is always well recieved in Portland for your unique choreograph