The things I wish I knew when I started performing
The things I wish I knew when I started performing. How long is a piece of string?
I wish I knew a lot of what I know now.
The $5 shows. The shows that 3 people turned up to. The outdoor performances where the wind below me away. They did all teach me some invaluable lessons. I wish I had some of this expertise – but I wouldn’t take back some of those opportunities.
If you don’t want to experience the outback burlesque experiences, but benefit from some of my learnings:
Don’t feel the pressure to create a new act for every show you do. No one minds seeing the same act again. And especially when you are starting out, it can be better to have one or two acts that you can continuously refine and hone – rather than a lot of rushed numbers that may not reflect who you are as a performer.
Don’t waste your money on costumes. I like the advice that (I think), Amber Ray gave once which was to build up your costumes. You don’t need to spend $10 000 out of the gate. She said that after each paid performance opportunity she would often reinvest a portion into her costume. This also means you are probably performing in something commensurate to your income level.
I don’t recommend going into debt to be a performer. Remember a good costume and 10 000 Swarovski crystals don’t equate to a memorable performance.
Practice your hair and makeup in advance. Especially if you are wearing a headpiece – make sure that sucker stays on! It’s also worth just practising repeatedly and getting confident in applying stage makeup. This means a bit less stress on performance days.
Powder your face – even if you have dry skin! It’s amazing how much shine you develop on stage, even with a dry complexion. It’s a boring tip, but a good one. I rarely wear powder in real life but I notice the difference in my stage makeup when I have powdered properly.
Don’t bother with individual false eyelashes. They look so bitsy. They take forever to put on. Just get a strip lash and call it a day.
Practice in your heels. Should be self-explanatory but you see so many new performers that look like they are about to topple over in their Pleaser’s. I’m not the tallest high heel wearer alive. I would also almost always rather see a performer in a lower heel or a sturdier heel than looking uncomfortable, in pain or not moving freely around the stage.
My best thing I wish I knew???
You are worth it. You are worth being paid. You are creating an experience for your audience which they will remember. Practice and work hard – but make sure you are appropriately compensated for your time.