Bytown burlesque
photo courtesy Ash Tree Photography
Raunchy Rockalily: Ottawa’s very own burlesque troupe.
Rockalily dance troupe gets ready for Boudoir Babes
THESE LADIES CAN make any day sexy—as long as they’ve got an audience and a stage to strut their stuff on.
Unique to the dance scene in Ottawa, the Rockalily Burlesque troupe offers a variety of different performances, including hip hop, rock, belly dancing, and traditional burlesque. A relatively new form of entertainment, the burlesque scene has been slowly spreading throughout the city, gaining more support with each Rockalily show.
“There are pretty much three groups in Ottawa,” explains Bambi Van Boom, an original Rockalily member. “[As a scene] it is just kind of starting and we are hoping it gets bigger.” Burlesque is a style of dance that incorporates satire, comedy, props, and even skits into its routines. The storytelling aspect of the show is extremely important for Rockalily, who feel the comedic and theatrical sides of their performances exemplify the difference between burlesque and plain-Jane erotica.
Throughout the routine, the performers interact with the audience, sometimes through subtle flirtatiousness, and other times by bringing attendees on stage and unexpectedly dousing them with Super Soakers. The goal is to get the audience engaged and motivated to respond to the ladies as they dance and strip.
Van Boom says that the striptease aspect of burlesque dancing is typically yoked together with common stripping. Though she allows that the two forms seem similar, burlesque was the precedent form which provided the inspiration for what stripping is today. As time wore on, Van Boom explains, people began to cut out the theatrical aspect of the performance and decided to concentrate on just taking off their clothing.
“Whenever someone asks me what the difference is between me and a stripper, I say ‘They make money’,” jokes Van Boom. “But smart-ass [remarks] aside, there is a little more emphasis on the tits-area of the strip in burlesque.
“It is more dramatic and theatrical; [we] incorporate different types of dance. It is more of a broad variety show than a [strip show].”
The Rockalily dance troupe prides itself on contradicting gender stereotypes and going against traditional standards of beauty. The troupe consists of girls of all different shapes and sizes, and many are pierced, tattooed, or both. Van Boom explains that the shows are about empowerment, confidence, and celebration of realistic body image.
“We don’t really like to appeal to the image of the woman being passive or docile, or taking clothes off to impress other people,” said Van Boom. “I think female audiences enjoy watching women who are like themselves onstage, having the balls to take their clothes off and feel sexy.”
Although burlesque has not yet reached the peak of popularity, Van Boom feels it is currently considered trendy and vintage—two concepts that are greatly admired by the arts community in the capital. Van Boom explains that the people who come to the shows are very responsive, cheering the girls on and getting into the performances. Their first few shows sold out entirely, and their more recent events have come close to doing the same.
“Ottawa is a very conservative town and there usually isn’t too much going on in [this kind] of entertainment, but I think that people are open-minded about it,” says Van Boom. In addition to their own shows, the Rockalily troupe often collaborate with their sister burlesque troupes, such as the Sexual Overtones, for joint events.
“We have some shows that we do on a regular basis, like our annual No Pants Dance Party,” explains Van Boom. “Pants are not encouraged and [people] are very creative with their bottom [halves]”.
Rockalily is hosting another event at Mavericks on Feb. 26 called Boudoir Babes. There will be three sets of burlesque performances, a kissing booth, and a photo booth where audience members are permitted to take pictures with their favourite performer, or even get dressed up themselves. There will also be a DJ to keep the party moving in between sets.
“Most of the girls are onstage for themselves,” says Van Boom. “Audience or not, they just love doing it.”
Tickets for Boudoir Babes are available at Vertigo (193 Rideau St.), Endhits (407 Dalhousie St.), and Tuesday's the Romance Store (1239 Wellington St.).
