Michael Alexander speaks to Fife-based burlesque performer Brandy Montmartre about the appeal of her art form.
It’s around six years since Hannah Rose was spotted on the dance floor of the Burlesque Ball in Edinburgh and offered a part in a show.
“One thing led to another and here I am!” said the now Kirkcaldy-based 33-year-old who “eats, breathes and sleeps” burlesque under the stage name Brandy Montmartre.
Brandy, who grew up in Manchester, enjoyed dancing as a child – going to stage school on Sundays between the ages of 11 and 14.
She has had an interest in vintage style since 2004 when her sister showed her a video of burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese.
Her life went in a different direction entirely when she moved to Scotland aged 19 to study Spanish at Dundee University, going on to do a PhD in Spanish Comics.
However, she rediscovered the “certain magic” of burlesque when she was 28 and hasn’t looked back since.
“It’s very visual,” she said when asked about why the genre appeals to her.
“It’s spectacular in its own way. It was very much the visuals and the creativity behind it and the creative freedom as well because what you see on the stage is down to the individual performer.
“They decide basically everything about the act including lighting, choreography and costume – absolutely everything.
“What appealed to me the most is the fact that the industry has a network of women supporting women which was quite appealing and quite important to me. I wanted to really be part of that. I found a way in and here I am!”
Brandy said her performances are open to all, and anyone regardless of age or sex can perform burlesque.
But the dancer says most of her audiences are female.
“Most of the feedback I get is they see me up on stage and like the fact I’ve got various things about my body that don’t look like an airbrushed model,” she explained.
“I get a brilliant feeling from that because it’s saying that no matter what your body looks like it’s beautiful and anyone can take part in it – all body types, shapes, sizes, genders, anything – you can do it. It’s this projection of self-love and self-confidence – that’s quite powerful in itself I think.”
Brandy said that the industry isn’t regulated very well and for many people it’s a hobby because it just doesn’t pay enough for people to make a living on.
The way she does it is she’s quite selective about the gigs she does now, and to help make ends meet, she creates burlesque costumes for herself and other performers, as well as doing artwork on the side.
Yet Brandy’s burlesque career has taken her to some “amazing” places all over the world including Athens, Oslo, Dublin and Belfast. She also performs in Scotland with her show The Twilight Tease Burlesque Revue appearing at Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline on July 3.
She says there’s been something of a “new revival” of burlesque worldwide and its mass appeal is growing.
Whilst enjoying life, and after being crowned Burlesque Idol Scotland 2016, she still has ambitions to progress and become a headliner at big shows.
“I would love to really perform with an agent involved,” she said.
“At the moment I’m my own agent and do everything else myself. The key to finding the really big gigs – Gatsby and that kind of thing – would be to find an agent and bigger and better gigs.
“Hopefully become a headliner – that would be great. Hopefully getting to the next level!”
- For information about the event on July 3 in Dunfermline, see here.
