It's a week before High Ginxxx presents 'Glam or XXX' (22nd February at Behind The Wall Falkirk, get your tickets now) and this is the first show I will be performing my own solo act!
Now, I don't know what it takes to put on a show (that's Lady Glitter Kiss's domain), but I do know a little thing about anxiety and nerves. I love my act, it was so much fun to create and Lady Glitter Kiss helped shape what it became thanks to her 'You're A Moment in Time' workshop. However the nerves and anxiety is so real that I've already started having nightmares about all the things that could go wrong, which is hilarious because I've always worked well under pressure, and wing it in a lot of my life anyway.
I look at these amazing people get up on stage and perform so effortlessly that I can't imagine any of them having nerves. But they do! It seems ridiculous that these acts, who can sometimes get down to just pasties and some sort of sparkly pants, and wonder how on earth they can be nervous and question their ability before and after the fact! This is why being an audience member is such an important role in each and every performance. Could you get up in front of a room full of people and strip while dancing in an entertaining way? Now, imagine doing it to a room full of people staring at you in silence...it's terrifying isn't it?! Whooping and cheering and whistling is a huge part of keeping the energy going during Burlesque shows. Even if the act isn't quite your thing, think about what it took for them to get up there, and cheer them on. Remind them that the panic and anxiety is worth it.
This is starting to sound like I'm nervous of people not cheering my act on. I'm a bit of an attention whore when I get on stage so I know I'll be fine on the night. I'll make sure I'm
as entertaining as possible, because I love dancing and I love expressing myself in my own way, and yes, that means taking off most of my clothes! Which I'm so scared but excited about too. I will have people in the audience, friends and my partner, who I know will keep me calm as soon as I look at them, so when things get too much, I know I have an anchor.
Why do more people not embrace burlesque shows though? If you're reading this blog post, leave a reply if you haven't been to a show, or what held you back from seeing one before. Let me know what's stopping you! The more knowledge we can gain, the more accessible we can make this art form to the world. Go and support your local Burlesque and Cabaret shows, otherwise we will lose them! The effort put into costumes, the rehersals, the amount of magpies getting confused with all the sparkly rhinestones, it isn't something that happens over night. Go have a good night out with your partner, your friends, your work colleagues! It's such a good laugh you'll be wondering why you didn't go see one sooner!
Love
Candy Azure
The nerves are real! Love your blog entry and can’t wait to see you perform xx