Brittni Young/Web Editor
On January 28 at the House of Rock, Corpus Christi’s The After Dark Revue showcased their latest burlesque performance, “The Other Side of Wonderland.” The show included various solos of the burlesque performers dressed as characters from the classic fairy tale “Alice In Wonderland”.
For those unfamiliar with burlesque, burlesque dancing is a comedic and theatrical performance performed by women in minimal clothing. The After Dark Revue has kept the original concept of a burlesque performance, but has also added their own take of the classical strip tease with a variety of solos, acts, and musical performances.
The show opened up with the debut of the Luscious Lolita’s, a trio performance of ladies in fishnets and corsets. The trio performed for the audience what they have learned through the workshops instructed by Founder and Director of the After Dark Revue Rosie Rawhyde. For seven years Rawhyde has performed as a burlesque dancer originally performing in Las Vegas, but the dancer made her way back to Texas to create The After Dark Revue.
Marla Mab, a dancer with the After Dark Revue said she first fell in love with burlesque performances at a burlesque show she attended at the House of Rock. “The moment I saw the first girl on stage I was like, I have to do this and it has been non stop ever since,” Mab said. Mab has taken her love for industrial music infusing it into her performances. Mab danced on stage as The White Rabbit in her floppy white ears stripping away her lace leggings.
“I love the natural high you get from a crowd it’s just really great when you see the crowd enjoying their selves,” Mab said.
The performers have collaborated for months to bring Corpus Christi a burlesque show that challenged the dancers to step out of their comfort zone, Mab said. The ladies rotate turns in choosing a theme for their next performance. Once a theme has been chosen the ladies gather together to find music to fit their solo dances they have choreographed themselves.
Award winning guest performers Eaton Johnson and Shelby Mine, partners and founders of Queertini Time, brought a neo burlesque, a new form of burlesque to their audiences combining drag king and burlesque. The partners began performing together with the premiere Austin, Texas drag king troupe Kings N Things before parting ways to form Queertini Time.
“From the first brainstorm where you have that tiny idea with no idea if it’s possible or if it will even work, then when you collaborate and turn that tiny idea into a full fledge piece you can entertain people with is amazing,” Mine said. The performers took the idea of a tree and gardener and presented to the audience another way of tending to your garden. To keep updated with Queertini Time you can visit them at www.facebook.com/tinitime and www.queertinitime.com.
To find out more about the ladies of The After Dark Revue and their future performances you can like them at www.facebook.com/ccburlesque or visit them at www.adrburlesque.com.