Burlesque Seattle Press

Iva Handfull, ruler of the backbend

Working at a dance club in Texas throughout the 90s, I couldn’t escape The Prodigy’s undeniably jarring single “Firestarter”. Perhaps even more memorable was the video. Vocalist Keith Flint (looking like a chubbier, more slovenly version of Vivian from UK show The Young Ones) stomped around in a tunnel; gratuitous use of crazy-eyes and tongue-licking ensued. It was annoying as hell, but the song- and the video- stuck in my brain the way a burr sticks to a sock.

Last week at Eterea Studio in Pioneer Square, Debora Spencer and POC Photo teamed up with burlesque dynamo Iva Handfull for the debut of their own “Firestarter” video. The piece is an adaptation of a fan dance Iva has been doing for years, most notably at the New York Burlesque Festival in 2009.

Paul O’Connell of POC photo, who directed and edited the video, has worked with subversive material before: in addition to editing one of last year’s HUMP! winners, he and Iva collaborated previously on a Nine Inch Nails video submission. Debora Spencer, photographer and longtime friend of the burlesque community, shot the video and volunteered her studio for the premiere.

POC dished on how the project came to be:

As far as the video goes-we came up with the idea to do it a while ago, but because of our schedules, etc. we only shot it in August of this year. Basically the original video takes place in some kind a creepy tunnel, and I thought we should do that with Iva’s act somehow. But where to film that here…? Sometime in early spring 2010, Iva did a photo shoot with Fiona Minx in this great empty space downtown. Iva was able to get permission to use the space again for the video. It probably took a total of about three hours to shoot it-with Iva doing the routine from beginning to end about six times.

Here’s a sneak peek you can view only on Iva’s Channel (click on the actual link below if you encounter viewing or sound problems):

Follow this link to IVA’s CHANNEL.

Iva’s next live appearance is at Thee 2nd Annual Cornucopia Cabaret, a benefit for Treehouse‘s “Little Wishes” program. Get tickets HERE and read more about the event HERE.

And as special Veterans Day bonus, here’s Keith Flint and his doppelganger from the 80s:

Keith Flint of The Prodigy

Vivian of The Young Ones

~ by angrytruffle on 11/11/2010.

Posted in Written by Jessica
Tags: Debora Spencer, Iva Handfull, POC Photo, Thee Cornucopia Cabaret