Sault Noir wants to spice up your summer with neo-burlesque

Neo-burlesque show coming to Loplops

Sault Noir bringing special show on the Sault on September 9

Burlesque shows have a long and storied history.

Popularized in the mid-1800s, Burlesque shows were originally modelled on minstrel shows and included a range of performance styles that included music, dance, and comedy.

Sault Noir, the entertainment company most recently known for putting on Lopstock 3 event featuring original music artists, is bringing Sweet Temptation: A Night of Burlesque to Loplops on Sept. 9.

"Just like with live original music, I feel like there's been something missing from the Sault for a while now," says Brendan Garlick, founder of Sault Noir. “I'm hoping we can start to bring it back to the Sault. This show is going to be a brand new spin on the classic concept. It’s going to be the Lopstock of burlesque shows. All of the performers are local amateurs but they're all exceptionally talented."

One of the features of a burlesque show is that performers often construct unique personas and artfully and mysteriously reveal themselves to the audience. The director for the September show goes by the stage name of Sierra-Rose.

“I have always enjoyed dancing, but burlesque is new for me,” she says. “The opportunity to direct and perform a burlesque show just happened to fall into my lap.”

Sierra-Rose was originally approached by Sault Noir as a potential performer.

“My friend Brendan Garlick shared his interest in producing a burlesque show with me and I was immediately on board as a performer … Because of my enthusiasm for the show, I was offered the role of director which then slowly started to turn into the development of the production together.”

The upcoming show will be Sierra-Rose’s debut as a director.

“I have never directed a burlesque show before, so I hope to captivate our audience and give them a sweet and pleasing evening. The show’s going to be a sexy and alluring combination of performances, where the performers embrace their sensuality in diverse routines and embody beauty through the art of neo-burlesque dance styles.”

For first-time performer Chloee Reid, the opportunity to participate in the show was a challenge she embraced.

“What I have found most challenging would be finding my flow throughout the performance,” she says. “Learning a range of movements and art of burlesque has been enjoyable. It is not often that I dance, as my main passion is CrossFit, but expressing my sensuality through neo-burlesque has boosted my confidence as my choreography has been coming together.”

Pheonix Storm, another performer at the upcoming show, says she always found burlesque mesmerizing.

“Over the years, I considered it a distant dream of ever being able to actually participate and learn more about it,” she says. “As a single mom who works full time, I find we can often fall into putting everyone else first. Trimming back our dreams, ideas, fantasies to make more room for schedules, work demands, soccer games and dinner prep.”

When Pheonix heard the call out for performers for the upcoming shows, she felt it was time to bring her dream to life.

“I have always found that any type of dance can help you reconnect with your body and mind. I am truly enjoying getting to know myself again outside of just being Mom.”

Kit Vixen thinks that burlesque’s allure today is similar to what it was when it was first popularized.

“I think it is appealing today for a lot of the same reasons that classic burlesque was so captivating back when Sally Rand dazzled audiences with her feather fans in the 30s,” she says. “There's still something almost shocking and empowering about someone being so in control of their own sensuality. Burlesque is almost like a dance, with little bit of theatre, wrapped up in an almost coy cat and mouse game that the audience is invited to play.”

She says the art’s retro vibe makes it even more interesting.

“To me, neo-burlesque feels kind of like a little bit of old Hollywood glamour with an edge, and that's what I'm hoping to bring to the stage.”

April Love recognizes that burlesque is sometimes misunderstood by this those have not experienced it.

“Burlesque for me is exciting to be a part of because I’m hoping to diminish the stigma behind burlesque and try to make it exciting and inviting for our audience,” she says. “It is a performance art. I’m hoping to bring creativity and sensual vibes into my performance.”

Sweet Temptation: A Night of Burlesque will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Loplops (651 Queen Street). Doors open at 9 p.m. Capacity is limited to 100. Tickets can be purchased here.