Ciaow, for now

...or, Luna is slightly freaked out by her exams.

Not sure how many people actually read this blog, but just thought I'd let you know I'm taking a little hiatus from blogging over the next few weeks or so. As some of you may know, this is my final year and exams are looming scarily ahead. So once they are all over I will be back with a vengeance!

We have a new website in the works, so keep your eyes open for it!

Happy Teasing,

Luna



Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Interviews

I was recently interviewed by ShoGo, which is a great online resource all about shows happening in Adelaide. I chatted about Miss Burlesque, Nexus, our upcoming show Dear Santa and plans for the Adelaide Fringe.

READ THE INTERVIEW HERE

And in case you are a perusal procrastinator like myself, here are some tidbits I've come across recently:

An interview with The World Famous *BOB* by Lillie McSmith on Lemondrop, click here to read the interview. It is a very inspiring read.

An interview with Australia's own Miss Kelly Ann Doll by Britt Warner on The Neave Online Publication. I've had the pleasure of meeting Kelly Ann and she is a lovely person and a truly inspirational perform. So much sass! Click here to read the interview.

Happy Reading!

Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Sapphire in Holland

Sapphire Snow is having a grand old time in Holland!







Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Academy follow up: Vintage Hair and Sexy Chairs

Hello ladies,

Sorry I've been so busy lately that it's taken me a while to do a follow up of our recent classes at Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque Academy, so I'm combining the last two weeks!

Vintage Hair

Sapphire took us through some vintage hair techniques, and I know a lot of you left feeling a little frustrated! Don't despair, it just takes patience and practice. Soon a vintage do will become your 5 minute throw together and everyone will think you are pretty spiffy! To get you inspired, here are some of my favourite photos of vintage dos-just a few (click on the links below the images to see their source). For inspiration, typing "vintage hair" or "pin up hair" into Google images will bring you hours of perusing entertainment.


Image sourced here


Image sourced here


Image sourced here

There are a lot of online tutorials which are incredibly useful. Here are a couple you can play around with.

This works for shorter hair:



A more in-depth tutorial:



And this gal has stacks of awesome tutorials, I recommend watching them all!



Just remember everyone is different, and different methods work for different kinds of hair. It's a good idea to get a grasp of the basics and then adapt styles to suit your own hair, rather then rigidly following a particular style. At least, that's what I found works for me. There are also a lot of books on the matter, a search on Amazon will turn up many.

Just remember, practice makes perfect!

Sexy Chairs

This week I took the Academy ladies through a saucy chair routine. Remember if you are going to do a chair routine you need to have a solid, sturdy chair that is not going to fall over or twist when you try and do something fancy on it. Second hand stores are a great place to find sturdy, unique chairs. I recommend McKay's Mart on Unley Rd, they have fabulous bits and pieces. But there are many fabulous stores around.
Here are a few of the clips I mentioned in class, to get you off your arse! (or back on it, as it were....)



Mein Herr in Cabaret...my absolute favourite of all time!
I can't embed it so click here to watch the video

And here is one from Australia's own Sugar Blue Burlesque, based in Perth.



Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Final thoughts

It's taken me a while to get everything about Miss Burlesque, so I apologise for just one last post! So here are the results from the competition!

MISS BURLESQUE AUSTRALIA 2010 is Rita Fontaine!




Photos by Dominic Kieler

First runner up....Briana Bluebell!


Photo by Dominic Kieler

Second runner up...Clara Cupcakes!


Photo by Michael Kery

Other titles at the competition:
Entertainer of the Year - The Strawberry Siren VIC

Miss Showgirl Couture - Peachey Dream VIC
Miss Congeniality - Ruby Right TAS
Miss Bump & Grind - Amelie Lulu QLD
Miss Fantastic - Flavella L'Amour SA
Miss Pin-Up - Becky Lou TAS
Miss Elegant - Ginger LaMinge WA
Miss Bunny Licious - Sapphire Demure SA
Miss Revival - Ellashaye D'More QLD
Miss Classic - Danica Lee NSW
And I came away with............Miss Tassle Twirl!



The show was of such a high standard, and I think without the rigid judging criteria given to the judges it would have been very difficult for the judges! Apparently it was very very close, and I'm not surprised. I was really impressed by everyone's professionalism and willingness to help one another. It was such a fabulous experience and I was just happy to be there. I think next years competition is going to be even tougher, as I think a lot of performers were waiting to see what it would turn out like (as this was the first year). I'm able to compete again next year, and it was such a fun experience I think I will! Thanks to Jac and Cass for running the event, and everyone who supported me! Especially my lovely boyfriend Jarryd who listened to me obsessing about the show for hours, as well as talking about it for hours afterwards. Obviously not everything goes to plan, but overall it was lots of fun and full of awesomeness.

Being the mischevous minxes we are, Clara Cupcakes and I decided to hold our own crowning ceremony in the bus after the show....

Becky Lou : Miss Boobalicous (she seriously has the most amazing boobs on the planet)
Ruby Right : Miss Sweet 'n' Sour (she seems all sweet but then comes up with weird zombie acts!)
Ginger LaMinge : Miss Mingearama (she made herself a ginger merkin which made an appearance in the final group performance).
Peachey Dream: Miss Smallest Chin (erm...inside joke)
The Strawberry Siren: Miss Plague (she was drastically sick and had to be quarantined)
Danica Lee: Miss Congenial Chaffeur (for helping everyone out by running us around, so nice!)
Ellashaye D'Amour: Miss Sunshine (if you've ever met Ellashaye, you'll understand!)
Sapphire Demure: Miss Rude Head (erm...another inside joke)
Clara Cupcakes: Miss Hump-a-lot (no explanation needed really)
Briana Bluebell: Miss Mess-a-lot (she bathed in a bath of glitter on stage that ran into the audience...lol!)
Amelie Lulu: Miss Herpes (for spreading the herpes of the craft world, glitter, all over the hotel)
Flavella L'Amour: Miss Sexual Innuendo (she handles a giant snake on stage, need we say more?)
Luna Eclipse: Miss Assles
Rita Fontaine: well, she already has an amazing title...who'd want another?

Now I'll finish with my favourite photo from the show, by Dominic Kieler.




Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Miss Burlesque Adelaide takes on the final! The Show part 3!

Continued from part 2...

Peachey Dream (Miss Burlesque Melbourne) was also a wonderful person to meet. She has a witty sense of humour and many brilliant attributes. She is studying like crazy as well as forging ahead in the Australian burlesque scene, and I heart her! Her first show had her as a naughty but nice Alice in a Wonderland of booze glorious booze, and a teacup mysteriously appearing from her mouth! In her second show she was a stunning mermaid in a shell who suddenly discovers her feet.


Photo by Michael Kery


Photo by Dominic Kieler

Becky Lou (Miss Burlesque Tasmania) will always be fabulous in my eyes for introducing me to "Clitter" and for helping me develop my assle infomercials (haha private jokes are awesome!). She is also the sexiest woman I have ever met and I think I might have embarassed myself by telling her this repeatedly (I'm not a crazy stalker Becky I swear!). Playing an alley cat in her first show she made old banana peels and dead rats look sexy. In her second show she introduced us to her "twins", which are found on the most creative costume ever. I want puppets on my boobs!


Photo by Michael Kery


Photo by Getty Images

Clara Cupcakes (Miss Burlesque Western Australia) and I go back a long way. Ok, not so far back, but it feels like it! A woman of many talents, Clara is taking on the burlesque scene with a hula hooping, tassel twirling fury. She flew straight from the New York Burlesque festival to compete, lugging a stack of 30 hoops with her! I miss her and her crazy cupcake beanie! Her first show embodied a hula hooping fembot (Austin Powers anyone?) and her second show had her as the creamy filling of a giant cupcake. Love it!




Both photos by Michael Kery

Briana Bluebell (Miss Burlesque New South Wales) is a lovely lady witha bright and cheerful personality. Her costumes are stunning and so is she! I didn't get to see her first show, but I do now it included a lit up runway and "Highway to the Danger Zone" so I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it when I see the video! I did get to see her second show, and let me emphasize show. It was incredible! Giant ancient egyptian props adorned the stage, as well as hunky egyptian manservants. Briana then bathed in a pool of gold glitter. It was pretty spectacular.


Photo by Michael Kery


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Photo by Getty Images

Ruby Right, also known as Ruby Wrong, is Miss Burlesque Hobart. I didn't get to see either of her acts! I think she was on right after me or therabouts, so I wasn't hanging in the wings watching. Such a shame, because her acts sounded fabulous. Her first show seems to have involved baking and some strategically placed cupcakes, and her second act as a gore fest of zombies and sequinned intestines. Can't wait to see the video!




Both photos by Dominic Kieler

I am very happy to say that The Strawberry Siren (Miss Burlesque Victoria) was able to perform, after falling ill the day before the show. We stuck her in quarantine and she emerged a full of burlesquey goodness. I didn't see her first show, but her second show, a lyra piece, was absolutely breathtaking. I had a perfect view of the stage and it was absolutely stunning. Strawberry is also a lovely person to be around, very down to earth and humble. I hope to work with her again soon!


Photo by Getty Images


Photo by Dominic Kieler

And lastly...there's me! I feel pretty good about my performances, though they probably weren't the best. A combination of nerves and freezing cold back stage had my legs pretty wobbly, but I'm fairly happy with how I performed! I performed my "Lady Luck" act, which is fast becoming my favourite. I think I actually performed this better in the heats! I also performed a classic piece inspired by the myths of the east that were floating around in the 20s and 30s, using my favourite prop, my sword.




Photos above by Michael Kery




Photos above by Dominic Kieler

See part 4 for the results and my final thoughts on the competition!

Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Miss Burlesque Adelaide takes on the final! The Show part 2!

So finally the show got on the road (after what seemed an agonising wait! I always get more nervous in the wait beforehand then any other time), starting with the evening gown and lingerie parades. Everyone's outfits were absolutely stunning! There are too many to post pictures of, but if you want to have a bit of a gander you can find hundreds of photos here.

Sapphire Demure kicked off the night with her classic routine, though her costume gave her a case of hayfever (stage hayfever that is)! This is one of my favourite costumes of the night, so many intricate details. Her unique routine later in the night was a feat of skill, as she cut up a rug 20s charleston style en pointe! I hope people realise just what an amazing skill this is. Sapphire is such a fabulous entertainer and person, and it was great getting to know her a little bit better. She was the wildcard entry from SA and I think she put on a fantastic show.




Both photos by Mike Kery

Next on stage was Ellashaye D'Amour. Ellashaye is Miss Burlesque Queensland and she certainly is a pocket rocket! (not the dirty kind, the cute, full of energy and amazingness kind). She is one of the loveliest people I've met, with some AMAZING costumes. Plus she has amazing control over her butt cheeks, which had the audience in stitches! Her first act was as Marie Antoinette, the dignified side and the racy side. Her unique show was a rendition of Marilyn Murnoe's "Heat Wave" with some spunky back up dancers.


Photo by Mike Kery


Photo by Dominic Kieler

Fellow South Australian Flavella L'Amour (Miss Burlesque South Australia) looked gorgeous in a costume draped in pearles and sequins, and looking absolutely fabulous peeking out from behind her feather fans. Unfortunately I didn't get to see that act, but the photos look beautiful and I look forward to seeing the video! Her second act was a knockout with her serpent companion, I'm pretty sure that's not what the audience expected her to pull from her box!




Both photos by Getty Images

Danica Lee (Miss Burlesque Sydney) looked stunning in the outfit for her classic routine. Unfortunately I didn't get to see this act on stage, but again the hoots from the stage told me the audience loved it! I did get to see Danica Lee's unique show, in which she emerges as a (almost) naked and innocent Eve in the Garden of Eden, only to have to don clothes (or fabulous feathers I should say!). However once that saucy bump n grind music is on, sometimes a lady just can't help herself! Danica was lovely to work with at the event, thanks for all your help Danica!




Both photos by Mike Kery

Amelie Lulu (Miss Burlesque Brisbane) seems like such a sweet and innocent thing went you chat to her off stage, but once she's on there HUBBA HUBBA! Such a sexy kitten. Her classic routine is another I didn't get to see, but the photos look hawt! Her unique act, involving her as a giant cotton candy with a bit of a fetish for lollipops was fantastic! I'd also like to say she was wearing the most beautiful dress after the show!


Photo by Getty Images


Photo by Dominic Kieler

Rita Fontaine was the wildcard entry from Sydney, and unfortunately I didn't get to talk to her too much, as things were fairly crazy in the lead up to the event! I managed to see both of Rita Fontaine's performances however, and they were stellar! Her first act as Julia Gillard had me (and everyone else!) in stitches. The sheer creativity and balls behind it were awesome. Punchline followed punchline. Her second show was as her male character, Johnny Castrati. I can tell you now, Rita Fontaine makes a devilishly handsome man!


Photo by Getty Images


Photo by Mike Kery

Ginger LaMinge (Miss Burlesque Perth) is an absolute gem. We hung out quite a bit whilst in Sydney and not only is she a hilarious and amazing performer on stage, she is a barrel of laughs and just full of awesomeness. I miss her already! Her first show was a tounge in cheek fan dance, and her unique act involved her twirling tassels on every possible surface (knees, elbows, head!) as well as an onstage brawl with her partner in crime, Peachey Dream!


Photo by Getty Images


Photo by Dominic Kieler

So as not to bombard you with super long posts I have split this one into two parts...

Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Miss Burlesque Adelaide takes on the final! Part 1

Wow. I am exhausted! The last few days have been filled with crazy fabulousness. This post will probably be a long one, I tried to blog along the way but it was so crazy busy, so there is three days packed with stuff to tell you about! So grab a coffee (or a cocktail...I’m drinking gin!) and enjoy part 1!
I arrived in Sydney on Wednesday feeling pretty tired. Being a horribly nervous flyer I didn’t get much sleep, and the early morning flight meant I couldn’t calm my nerves with a customary swig of gin. I was greeted at the airport by Clara Cupcakes, Ellashaye D’Amore and Amelie Lulu. We waited for other burlesque babes Sapphire Demure, Peachy Dream, Ginger LaMinge, The Strawberry Siren, Ruby Right and Becky Lou. We were a hilarious ensemble with our piles of baggage. There was a giant lollipop, huge stack of hoops, my sword and many, many overstuffed suitcases. Those rhinestones and petticoats take up more room then you’d think! Cassandra and Jac were waiting with a minibus and trailer...which was only just big enough to hold everyone’s stuff. We headed off to the hotel, where we met the other finalists Flavella L’Amour, Rita Fontaine, Briana Bluebell, and Danica Lee. Everyone was pretty wrecked (some of the girls had overnight flights and had been up for almost a whole day!), but it was straight into the costumes and lippy to promote the final in Pitt St Mall. We certainly attracted a lot of attention. The poor fella trying to hand out MX just couldn’t compete with 14 larger-than-life ladies in saucy outfits. Plenty of photos were taken which I might be able to post later. It was a lot of fun but also very draining, travelling can take a lot out of you and no one feels glamorous sharing body heat in a mini bus!


Photo by Jac Bowie
That night some of the ladies went out for some celebratory drinks, but I unfortunately had a uni assignment due on Friday (same day as the final-lame!) so in a very uncharacteristic way I stayed in to finish it. I did however manage to sneak a few glasses of wine in with some others who had stayed behind. It was the first chance we’d had so far to start getting to know each other, so that was lovely (on a side note, Friday was such madness that I totally forgot to submit my assignment, even though I had finished it! Oops!).
We kicked Thursday off with a rehearsal for the final group act, with MC Cam Hot August Knight. I must admit, I was slightly concerned about how our rendition of Peter Gabriel’s “Steam” was going to go. Eighties stuff is not usually my thing! But everyone pitched in and it came out pretty great. Our costume was nothing but a white towel and I was fairly certain a bit of flashage would be occurring!
Rehearsal was followed by a photo shoot in front of the Syndey Opera House with Dominic Kieler. Everyone looked amazing, but if I had to choose I think Briana Bluebell’s lime feathery creation was my favourite! Such a great colour. Her shoes were also stunning...stunningly high that is. The photos look glamorous but she needed my hand to steady herself climbing up and down those uneven stairs! A broken ankle would not be a good start to the competition.


Photo by Dominic Kieler Photography
After the photo shoot we had the rest of the day off, so with some cheese and wine we chilled out in the common room, chatting about anything and everything as well as finishing off bits and pieces of costumes and props with every burlesque dancers friend, the hot glue gun. I was really amazed at how supportive and friendly everybody was, and I’m not just saying that! I was quite nervous coming into the competition, a little bit worried that people would be very much in a competitive mindset. I was pleasantly surprised. I also want to say a big thankyou to Danica Lee who drove many of us around to pick up last minute supplies. It was extremely helpful and really kind of her. Thankyou!
Friday arrived too quickly. The nerves hadn’t really hit me until late Thursday night, and whilst they weren’t debilitating that nagging anxiety just stuck with me all day. A great distraction was watching rehearsals in the common room. I was pretty happy I got to see so many people’s acts either on or off stage. I’m not sure the hotel management knew what they were in for when they let us all stay! There was hula hooping and puppeteering, prop spraypainting, and I managed to accidently flash my tassles to one of the staff. His double-take was pretty hilarious.
The big time arrived and all of a sudden we were in the dressing rooms of the Enmore Theatre in a whirlwind of hair, makeup and costumes. There were people everywhere. Lots and lots of photographers and videographers. At first it was fun to have our photos taken while we were getting ready, but after about an hour or two of it most of us had had enough. So many flashes! There are some fabulous shots though.


Photo by Dominic Kieler Photography
Now for what you probably actually want to read about, the show! But...you'll have to wait for Part 2 because I am EXHAUSTED! Time for bed, and I'll post again tomorrow.

Happy teasing!

xx

Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque
Adelaide's dynamite duo!
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431 949 703
Got a question about Peaches 'n' Gin or anything burlesque related? Send us an email and we'll answer it here.

Sapphire out and about

Sapphire at The Bay To Birdwood 2010

Peaches 'n' Gin Burlesque!
Adelaide's dynamite duo
info@peachesngin.com
Ph 0431949703