Exposed: The Innovative Art of Burlesque Performance
This post was written by DOC NYC blogger Krystal Grow
The nudity began before the movie hit the screen at the US premiere of EXPOSED, legendary film maker and School of Visual Arts (SVA) professor Beth B’s revealing look into the hearts, minds and most private parts of the burlesque scene and it’s most fascinating and talented performers.
Against the backdrop of a red velvet curtain, The World famous *BOB*—a key performer in both the film and in NYC strip-tease circles—bared all to “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” the iconic music that opens Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODESSEY, a fitting prelude to the ultimate reveal behind the velvet curtain and into this intimate documentary.
Using footage of bizarre and innovative performances, Beth B, a champion of the underground herself, used the shock factor of burlesque as a vehicle to explore the often complicated and personally painful journeys many performers go through in their quest to perfect their stage presence and find a home among the cabaret community.
Interviews with strip-tease superstars Bunny Love, Dirty Martini, Rose Wood, Mat Fraser, Julie Atlas Muz and Tigger! uncovered a plethora of issues that burlesque performers confront both in their acts and as individuals with complex, intelligent inspiring perspectives on sexuality, gender politics, body image and the transformative power of art.
“This film is 100 percent human rights,” Beth B told the crowd in the packed SVA Theatre. “You’re going to see some things in this film that will probably make you uncomfortable, but when you do, think about it, and think about why it makes you feel that way, and then just let yourself enjoy it.”
While the film leaves little to the imagination, its confrontational nature is balanced by the humor, candor and sheer joy the performers bring to their interviews and performances, who clearly revel in their unique position as pioneers of the peep show. “If I can blow some people’s minds, I feel like I’m doing them a great favor,” said Bunny Love during an on-camera interview, adding to the many performers who said they enjoyed challenging conventions and forcing people to reconsider their notions of normalcy.
“It’s an immediate, honest, and sometimes brutal art form,” performer Mat Fraser said in the film, a point echoed by many and confirmed by footage of Rose Wood’s shocking, blood drenched, serial killer strip tease act.
Amidst copious amounts of glitter and gratuitous use of glue, tape and tap shoes, the performers Beth B lovingly profiles in EXPOSED are both fascinating and relatable, and proves that beauty is not a one-size-fits-all concept. These performers bare all, turning vulnerability into empowerment and finding strength and support in each other and the inclusive community they’ve created through their provocative, proactive and sexy twist on the classic tease.
Krystal Grow is a freelance arts journalist, arts administrator and photography enthusiast based in NYC.
