The Golden Glamazon: from Vegas to “New Orleans”
Photo: POC
Recently returned from rocking from her Carnival de Brazil-inspired fan dance in the Best Debut category at the BHOF Pageant 2010, Sydni Deveraux, Seattle’s Golden Glamazon, took some time to write about her experience:
My performance was on Saturday night, and I was 4th or 5th on the lineup, I think. I had arrived for my call (an hour prior to the show) and got to our dressing tent (98 degrees outside-no air conditioning) to get ready. It was hot. Really fucking hot, and all I could think about was my pasties staying on. I hung out mostly backstage before my show, watching the madness. For the most part, I was super calm. I think I had worked out most of my nerves over the last month getting ready.
I gave a good show and I’m proud of myself. I didn’t buckle under the pressure, and most importantly I had a ton of fun on stage. I got to do what I feel like I’m made to do. And I totally won some love from people I respect and look up to, and met a ton of people. I was honored. Honored to be among some of the most interesting, dynamic performers in the burlesque world. Also, the experience cemented my desire to get back up on that stage again- and lots of other stages. It helped cement even more in my mind that I love being an entertainer. I have fun doing what I do.
On her first taste of the tease, Sydni credits her mom and early backstage experiences with putting a little sparkle in her eye:
I’m sure my burlesque training began then when my mom came out. Back then, in 1990-having gay parents wasn’t something that was “normal”-and my mom, doing her best to be the best lesbian thespian she could be, joined gay choruses (which she is still rocking in today). As a kid, I went to most of her rehearsals, and gay men and their drag counterparts became what I was drawn to.
Music is a huge part (the most important part) of my burlesque process, so naturally, when I heard that there was this thing called “burlesque” and that it included glamorous women dancing to the songs and legends that I adored, I had to find out what it was. It changed my life-or rather-sped me to my calling.
Next up, you can catch Sydni as special guest songbird with The Atomic Bombshells in their absolutely fantastic “Nightfall In New Orleans” summer show. Perhaps singing is another gift from that talented mom.
Click HERE for “Nightfall” tix.
Burlesque Seattle Press 