My photo
Sydney, NSW, Australia
Photographer. Writer. 45yo Indo-Fijian Australian. Glam Feminist. Coconuts.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Fempowerment

UPDATED!!
As I have mentioned before, I am collaborating with my most fantastic friend, Meagan Fitton for her radio show... I'm her CamNinja! (for her show's blog).  Tonight we attended the Australian Burlesque Festival.  What a glam-glorious night starring Australia's best performers!

I am a big fan of burlesque.  You may have heard of Dita Von Teese?  Gypsy Rose Lee?  The Burlesque scene here is growing.  If you don't know what Burlesque is, read this, it may help but please don't think of it as a strip show.  It's an art and it's seductive.  And it's not about nudity.  It's about glamour, fantasy and fempowerment.

...yes that is debatable... it's that whole art vs pornography issue... but I'm not getting into that right now.  I find views on nakedness hypocritical.  What's the big deal people?  It's skin.  Bare skin is our common denominator, it's what makes us alike, not the clothes we wear. 
I find gratuitous nudity boring (movies, music videos, shopping malls...) but the naked form is beautiful to me.  I am bored of seeing naked fashion models (surely that's an oxymoron?) eg. Miranda Kerr, Kate Moss, etc but paintings, sculptures and images of eg. dancers and women of all shapes and sizes are just so breathtakingly beautiful.
   


...And before you ask... no... I could never be a burlesque performer.  Although I am an extrovert, I am far too private about my sensuality.  Yes I have a dance background and I am told I am a "lyrical evocative performer" and I know I am damn good dancer on any dancefloor! (modesty shmodesty) but... burlesque requires a type of sensual theatricality that I cannot do. 
Flamenco though... that is raw.  Strength.  intense almost angry passion but it's... insular... when you're dancing you're... inside yourself... you're not dancing for anyone... you're dancing because you can't help it.

HALF UPDATED!!!  MORE PICS AFTER JUMP!!

I will be publishing some pics of the actual night but I took over 2000 images, a lot of editing is required!

A glimpse of something shocking!  Shocking pink ie...
I'm wearing:
claret velvet jacket * 80s gold raw satin skirt, front is open * shocking pink thigh-high glitter lurex socks * OTK brown boots * vintage cossack hat (my current favourite!) * revolutionary attitude


This amazing laser-cut gold/black leather necklace is by Sydney based designer, 'Doury'. 
Their website is under construction at the moment but let me know if you're interested and I'll give you contact details.





Oh one thing... Although I am very appreciative of the male form, women are just so much more visually arresting than men.  Our curves and variations make us mysterious.  I view male strippers very differently to how I view women who strip.  See?  Even how I formed that statement says it all.  Male strippers are... not my 'thing'.  It's very... disempowering.
Let me reiterate... burlesque is not about stripping nor nudity, the biggest fans of burlesque are women, the audiences are full of them, burlesque is 'marketed' towards women....not commercialy but... in the Sisterhood way.  We strip our layers to get to the 'realness'.

17 comments:

Anupriya DG said...

Ooh la la!! Am speechless!

(Hope I can express my opinion in words on the next post!)

Unknown said...

O my god !! I said- "Ooh la la" when I saw your pictures and I hit the comment button...and I see exactly the same comment by Polka Princess :)
These indeed are Ooh la la pics

Pull Your Socks Up! said...

EGAD ... I nearly fell off my perch at the sight of your splendour my lovely Dusk. Holy moly, you are one fecking gorgeous bird!!! This outfit is totally messing with my head. Every detail is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. The velvet jacket looks like it needs some stroking **faints** xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoo

mispapelicos said...

I adore and want that velvet jacket, wow. Well, the whole outfit is magnificent, my dear Dusk
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Veshoevius said...

Ohhhh! You look DIVINE!! Like a glamourous Russian Czarina from another age. Stunning outfit!

Shruti said...

You are breathtaking! Is dat a velvet jacket on you?? I guess it's you who make the clothes look good and not the other way. You have a fan in me.

Talking about the content, I didn't know what Burlesque is until now. I really appreciate your honesty about skin show. You always stand by what you believe.

Anupriya DG said...

That necklace is B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L!!! And yes, Burlesque is for those who enjoy & appreciate ART......coz a woman's body is the ultimate form of beauty as far as Aesthetics is concerned.....ne'st ce pas, my dear Dusk???

kiran sawhney said...

Everything in your blog posts, blog, pictures, content, fashion, pose, leather necklace, skirt, jacket, cap, is just so perrrrfect that it leaves a reader like me speechless and spellbound. (And I mean it. ).I gape at you with with my jaw dropping. You are a Goddess. A Diva.

Anonymous said...

I loved reading this. You have such a unique view. I love the pictures of you... and I recently watched "Mulan Rouge", which I had never seen before. I'm sure you have seen it, but I loved the theatrical element to the burlesque theme! :)
You are very beautiful and I LOVE LOVE LOVE your boots.

Vix said...

I want to stroke every inch of your beautiful outfit, everything is so tactile and gorgeous. That neckpice takes the biscuit, it is so fabulous.
xxx

citizen rosebud said...

I agree with everything you say- I think the less we sensationalize and make a fetish of nudity the better off we all will be. I admire burlesque but could never be a dancer- well, I don't dance well in general but you get the gist. BUT I love the idea of women who take burlesque classes to empower themselves and glorify their bodies- that is sheer beauty to me.

Speaking of which, you and your photos are a sense-filled delight every time. These picture are arresting in their rich colors, the varied textures and the wonderful beauty looking right into the camera. xo. Bella Q

Kahani said...

My god woman you look amazing! Love the OTK boots.. sexy without being remotely slutty or tacky.

Anonymous said...

I love the first shot - and agree totally about the concept of nudity. While I am still too shy about my own nudity in a public sense - I admire it in an artistic format.

The necklace is gorgeous!

Btw - this is Silvara from an old blog...started up again. New name, new blog...fresh start :)

Lee Oliveira said...

I always love the way you photograph yourself.. The best attitude ever.
Your skirt made me scream so loud. Love it
Lee x

LongIslandWeddingOfficiant said...

Love that outfit! Those boots are awesome!
I am following your blog now. Follow me back.
http://askerena.blogspot.com/

Leia said...

That necklace! WOWWW! Please let us know when their website is back up and running, would LOVE to order that piece.

I totally agree that the female form is a LOT more attractive than the male form. :)

doradadama said...

You are so powerful amor, you have so much strengh and courage,not to mention beauty.I also want to stroke all your outfit,especially your gold skirt, I love anything shiny and gold.I agree burlesque is so sensual,the woman form is like a wort of art, love Dita.