I am so excited to be coming back to the Ohio Burlesque Festival (OBF) for my fifth year in a row! Yes, five! Why, you may ask? Is Cleveland that exciting? (Cleveland is nice, but I do love my San Francisco home so much more.) So why?
Well, it’s the festival and the festival production team. Let me count the ways…
First of all, Bella Sin and her production team make the festival both interesting and inclusive. I am never bored at the shows, the acts are always diverse, and the performers are also diverse. The OBF shows promote burlesque and the burlesque community – in all its shapes, sizes, colors, sexualities -- all of it! Every year at the festival I see performances that are innovative and unexpected! I love that!
The headliners are always amazing and OBF tries to select headliners and featured artists from previous Ohio Burlesque Festival performers. (I was very excited to be a featured performer in the 2016 festival!) Second, is appreciation.
First of all, Bella Sin and her production team make the festival both interesting and inclusive. I am never bored at the shows, the acts are always diverse, and the performers are also diverse. The OBF shows promote burlesque and the burlesque community – in all its shapes, sizes, colors, sexualities -- all of it! Every year at the festival I see performances that are innovative and unexpected! I love that!
The headliners are always amazing and OBF tries to select headliners and featured artists from previous Ohio Burlesque Festival performers. (I was very excited to be a featured performer in the 2016 festival!) Second, is appreciation.
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The OBF production team makes efforts to appreciate the performers, provide quality, reduced rate lodging; provide quality gift bags with gifts and discounts we can easily use – including local sightseeing, free cupcakes, coupons from the festival vendors, and more. Plus, we get into all the shows during the festival for free. And we aren’t just appreciated by the producer. Bella Sin and her team work tirelessly to make sure burlesque is recognized and appreciated. Last year, the festival was recognized with a proclamation from Cleveland’s City Mayor Frank Jackson, a Scroll from the City Council and a Letter of Recognition from the State of Ohio House of Representatives. It is pretty amazing to be that appreciated by the city and the state… for taking off our clothes… (artistically, of course).
Third, the festival is growing, becoming more polished, adding more amenities. If things don’t work or there are ways to make them work better, the OBF production team makes efforts to make changes and better accommodate the performers and the show. Performers keep getting more amazing, the vendors are interesting and affordable, and the venue is cool and historic. This year there are classes, which is an exciting addition! Yay learning!
Fourth, the festival is also used as a mechanism to appreciate and celebrate the local activist community. Every year there are awards and recognitions given during the festival to local activists and local groups that celebrate the diverse work that is being done in the Cleveland community to support different groups and ultimately provide benefits to the community as a whole. It is thoughtful, inclusive, and shows appreciation for an amazing group of people who work to make the world a better place.
Fourth, the festival is also used as a mechanism to appreciate and celebrate the local activist community. Every year there are awards and recognitions given during the festival to local activists and local groups that celebrate the diverse work that is being done in the Cleveland community to support different groups and ultimately provide benefits to the community as a whole. It is thoughtful, inclusive, and shows appreciation for an amazing group of people who work to make the world a better place.
And finally – everything else. Like other festivals, there are friendships made, chances to meet with others in the burlesque community, drink, eat, shop at vendors, sightsee in the city – all the fun things that you can do with your time. But, this is mostly about what makes the Ohio Burlesque Festival special… So, if you have not been, I recommend it – whether it is to attend, to volunteer, to apply – it is just an amazing experience and not quite like any other festival I have attended. I hope to see you there!
 | Red VelvetRed Velvet, a life-long dancer, has performed extensively in musical theatre, performed throughout California, has studied and performed dance in New York, and has toured internationally. She has taught dance to adults and children. Ms. Velvet currently performs with several groups in the San Francisco Bay area. She is also a prolific choreographer, and can frequently be seen performing solo work at the Elbo Room in San Francisco or the Hubba Hubba Review at the Uptown in Oakland. Red Velvet also co-produces a monthly show, DIVA or Die Burlesque and is artistic director of the cab can troupe The Velvettes. |
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