“Put simply, burlesque means "in an upside down style". Like its cousin, commedia dell'arte, burlesque turns social norms head over heels. Burlesque is a style of live entertainment that encompasses pastiche, parody, and wit…” Love you, Wikipedia.
Yes, it’s still the weekend, and I’m still thinking of our latest stirring subject.
I knew there was more to it than just the staged events I found so appealing, something else was resonating and I realized it was my lifetime of girlfriends.
In Savannah it was Goth Night at the local upscale gay club. The girls would always gather at my house, traincases in tow, stuffed with enough cosmetics to impress a MAC countergirl. Then the long, leisurely transformation from our everyday personas to glamorous, and possibly dangerous, Queens of the Dark.
Before that there were other times, places and costumes, but the last number of years the celebrations have become more imaginative, more unique to self, more gloriously parti-colored. And I do think some of it has to do with that turning of social norms head over heels.
My girlfriends who were in from Dublin last week had a fine turn at turning dismal social norms upside down. I would like to think that some whose company they graced are still recovering.
And here they are!
5 comments:
Burlesque sounds like a right royal carnival to me! More of the same, if you please m'ladies and here's to the upside down-edness of it all.
ER..
ER, just like life, Majestic Art Itself (MAI, no not the Multilateral Agreement on Investments!) what an, ER.. Extraordinary Rendition that movement would one day be seen to be? Pastiche, hodgepodge, proof's in the pudding, towards some kind of global jam.
Talking of which, the Rozzers (for the uninitiated known here also as Jam Sandwiches) are in fact, contrary to recent reports, totally freakin' rolling in it! (money and power that is)
And they are therefore slowly, steadily coming under the media spotlight (given that crime is up, in every way including youths, knives, guns and all) and now and then in coherent, which is to say quasi burlesque fashion, I suppose. For example: Never has the police service had so much money..Yet never has public dissatisfaction with the police been so widespread
Hmm, I wonder what Mata Hari would have made of it all, or what form she would now take this day being, every since 911, what it now most palpably is. As it happens, I do indeed have my suspicions, but I will leave that - and them - for another time and place.
Ok, to business. Dear Irlandesa and Vie, this weekend having been The Day of Pentecost and also, tomorrow being the 65th Anniversary of the formation of the French resistance, whatever I wonder shall we come up with, to entertain and wholesomely lavish ourselves with tomorrow??
Methinks a mighty striptease is in order. Shall we say, between now and 2012?
Yes, I know I know, we are frail, very frail. But God is Great and Truth (and Beauty, and even Goodness I'd wager, once all the lessons are learnt) will out in the end.
Girls and boys, hidden or no - from the bottom of my heart - thanks again, to both of you.
Don't you find that many men have exactly the wrong idea of how women are with each other? They so often seem to think women are jealous of and catty with one another.
I find that they when women are friends, they are usually kind, complementary, rock-solid supportive and totally concerned with each other. They celebrate each other's beauties, they are not jealous of them.
And what happens is that they seem to become more of whatever they are - softer, more feminine, more flirtatious and a whole lot sexier. Possibly a whole lot more dangerous.
Maybe we're ALL Mata Hari.
So true,Vie.
I had always recognized the support and kindness when amongst my lady friends, but the increased softness, sexiness and danger is equally true. And, since it's a truth generally not recognized by the other sex, quite subversive.
You certainly were right when you told me they were colourful :)
JJJ: I only wish you could have seen their raiments as well. Mostly black, intriguing layers and perfect foil for their flowing locks!
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