Ten years ago I entered the wonderful world burlesque. The setting was the gritty old Jewel Box Theater inside the Rendezvous Cafe in the city of Seattle. The show was a recital of recent graduates of Miss Indigo Blue's Academy of Burlesque, which routinely offered a six-week course in the art of the tease. After developing a persona, learning the craft, and picking a burlesque name, students graduate in the form of a recital in front of an audience. One of the graduates that night was my friend Joy who went by the name Ruby Caliente. Ruby had asked me to take photos of her act. It turned out to be one of the most pivotal moments of my life and would lead me to many incredible experiences as a burlesque fan, photographer, and performer.
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| Me in 2003 at which point I didn't know nuthin' about no burlesque (photo by Carla Loo) |
