For my first photo shoot of 2015 I had the pleasure of working with two of my favourite people and one of my favourite themes; showgirls in backstage dressing rooms. I am very excited to share these photos with you, but you will have to be patient. As a tease, here are some of my inspiration photos for this shoot. Photos of backstage showgirl photos offer a glimpse behind the curtain. A peek at the prep and primping of a performer. Enjoy!
It’s hard to believe 2014 is finally coming to a close. This year has been so full of joy and success, good times and great friends. I have a new job which I love so much and is the start of a wonderful career. I have the most amazing group of friends a girl could ever ask for, not to mention the cutest kitten on the planet. And I’ve been able to express my creativity through so many amazing fashion photo shoots and design projects. I performed in an international burlesque festival, got a giant mermaid tattoo, met two of my idols (Yaya Han and Tess Munster) and I even started this blog. I can’t believe what a lucky girl I am and I feel so incredibly thankful to have had all these experiences.
So here we go. This is my year in photos; memories from most of the big events, photo shoots, friends, lots and lots of friends and the most fabulous fashions. Thank you for following my blog and I wish the happiest New Year to you all!
On Friday December 19th you can catch me and my partner in crime Betty Quirk in an amazing cabaret show by Meryle Trouble. Just as the poster promises there will be musical ditties and a lil bit of titties! Betty and I will be doing lots of backup dancing as well as our famous Go-Go Cat Fight burlesque routine.
Tickets are $15 in advance/$20 at the door
9pm at the Flying Beaver Pubaret in Toronto
Tickets are available in advance by clicking on the poster below!
I am so excited to announce that I will be performing next Tuesday December 9th at Kitty Nights at Cherry Colas in Toronto! I will be doing 2 brand new acts that have never been done for a live audience before. I hope to see lots of familiar faces in the crowd for a fun night of burlesque featuring…
Dolly Berlin
Kage Wolfe
Kkunt Factory
Go-Go dancing kitten by Harley Payne
Hosted by Belle Jumelle
DJ Johnny B Goode
Special Kitty Nights After Dark set by Esther DeVille
Doors: 8:00pm Show: 9:30pm
TIX: $10.00 at the door
The most recent burlesque costume I completed was a fabulous sci-fi inspired retro space girl look for the beautiful Aviva the Mirage. This look consisted of a cone bra with a large standing collar, tearaway short shorts, and g-string that attached with elastic to a choker. I had a lot of fun creating this look and was heavily inspired by my one of my all-time favourite films, Barbarella. Enjoy Aviva, the space girl, Mirage in these photos from Ruth Gillson and Chris Hutcheson, as well as some of my inspiration pictures!
Early in 2014 I was working tirelessly on one of the biggest costume commissions I have ever had. My muse, Miss Laura Desiree requested a new costume for the Girlesque Festival in Toronto. Working with her dance partner, Sexy Mark Brown, Laura wanted an outfit that had three changeable bottoms to reflect the three types of dance they were performing. First a knee-length circle skirt for a romantic slow dance, then a pair of short shorts for their tap number, finally a long chiffon skirt for their ballroom waltz. I also made a bustier to go with all three looks that was heavily embellished with lace, beading and swarovski crystals. I absolutely love how these garments turned out and Laura looks absolutely lovely flowing through this dance. Please check out the video below for the full routine.
I thought I should start the week off with something fun; a little set of photos from my most recent shoot with Geoff Larkin! I made this robe many months ago for another photoshoot but I didn’t end up using it. I love the sparkly, shear fabric and was inspired by a classic 1960s evening robe look. Enjoy!
Our final Peepshow TO show by all means should have been a sad affair. It was the final time our amazing group of performers and friends would come together to put on the biggest and best nerdlesque show in town. The last time we would all gather backstage, getting ready and gabbing, swapping eyelash glue and pastie tape. The final collective feeling of putting on a show that was truly entertaining, inspiring and unique. But instead of feeling loss and despair I could not imagine a more electric evening. There was a buzz in the air from the minute the Great Hall began filling up. Every seat was taken and still people stood to watch what can only be described as one of the greatest shows that we have ever created. From start to finish the energy was palpable. Not one lull or low moment was felt and the volume of cheers and laughs echoed endlessly through the night. Every performer brought their best and the roaring crowd pushed each of us to be that much better.
I feel so lucky to have such talented, inspiring and loving friends and to have had so many opportunities to work with these amazing people. Even though this was the last Peepshow event (for now anyways) I couldn’t be sad for even one second because my mind is filled with all the wonderful moments I have shared with this group.
Thank you Leelando, Sevvy and Betty for giving us a stage to perform on, for making it possible for us to come together as a team and for working so tirelessly to ensure each event has been more outstanding than the last. Thank you to all the performers who have constantly pushed each other to be more creative simply by being endlessly creative themselves. Thank you to Rena, Mong Tho, Amie and everyone who has worked backstage throughout the past few years. Without you we would be utterly lost. And finally, thanks to everyone who has come out to support our shows. Hearing the excitement in your cheers is the fuel that drives us.
The final curtain has closed. The show has concluded. But I promise this is not the last you will hear or see of the members of the PeepshowTO family.
My wonderfully multi-talented friend Ketzia Kobrah has begun working on a video project called the Brick Wall Sessions. This series of videos features burlesque performers doing titillating one minute stripteases. My lovely friends Betty Quirk and Leelando Calrissian and I were the first few participants in this series. We each did a solo routine and Betty and I also did our go-go dancing duet. I have my videos on www.missdollymonroe.com in my new burlesque tab but you can see all the videos from the Brick Wall Sessions here! Ketzia is still looking for participants in this project, so if you are a burlesque performer, in Toronto and interested in being a part of this series please comment below. For now I leave you with this cute teaser video…
I have some very exciting news today… I finally have my very own personal website!
I thought it was about time to start expanding the Dolly Monroe empire and the next logical step was to create a website. For now it is mostly full of photos from my modelling and design portfolios, but I have big plans and many exciting projects in the works that will eventually be up on the site. I am so looking forward to what is to come and cannot wait to share more details with you lovelies.
Please check out www.MissDollyMonroe.com and share!
CLASSICALLY CURVY 