Sunday, July 19, 2015

Performing with the Dirty Birds

I was invited to perform with the Dirty Bird Cabaret, a group I used to dance with for a few years around 2009/2010. I performed the Moustache Song, and the Chair Dance. A bunch of peeps from the Quarry and Circus came, Wren and his mom with two awesome ladies came, and the show was a hoot. Here are some of the ladies (Chickadee, Lola Longtail, Amanda, Kolby)backstage at Glow.
Here's the article and photo from the Cascade Weekly:
In their natural habitat, the flock comprising the Dirty Bird Cabaret has been known to show off their colorful plumage—which could include everything from crimson bustiers to purple wigs, fishnet stockings and leopard-print stilettos—and shake their tail feathers.
On Sun., July 19, the aviary to perch at to spot the bevy of birds will be Glow Nightclub, where the longtime neo-burlesque troupe will present “Sunday Dirty Sunday” and share their varied talents—which include, but are not limited to, dance, music and comedy.
“We have a great variety of acts,” says cofounder Kitty Nuthatch, who started the Dirty Bird Cabaret in 2007 with fellow performer Lucy Goosey. “Some are ensemble dances that include such forms as jazz, tap dance and vintage go-go, all with our signature rock ‘n’ roll styling. Some include elements of classic burlesque strip-tease enhanced with our brand of tight comedic choreography. Hilarious vaudeville routines and hot live singing numbers round it all out.”
To execute these feats, Kitty Nuthatch and Lucy Goosey—along with Lola Longtail, Wendy Woodpecker, and Ms. Chickadee—will be joined by Dirty Bird alumnus and Bellingham Circus Guild performer Della Moustachella for vaudevillian fun, and Ms. Fanny Fondue, who will serenade the crowd with sultry songs and share a few of her own sweet dance moves.
While there’s an air of irreverence to be found in Dirty Bird Cabaret shows, don’t be fooled into thinking that means they don’t possess some serious skills. The founders had a decade of shared belly dancing experience with the local group Banat Sahara before starting the cabaret, and the other performers have scads of additional movement and theater training to back up their feather-shaking finesse.
That said, a sense of humor is necessary if one wants to join the flock.  For instance, if Lucy Goosey’s love of “having fun and being a ham” and “getting a workout in fishnets while drinking tall cans” doesn’t necessarily appeal to you, you might want to reconsider your aspirations.
However, those who think they might be shocked by what they see onstage are encouraged to test their boundaries and come to the show. Lucy Goosey points out that the troupe is ultimately inspired by music, another genre of performance that has drawn attention over the years for pushing boundaries and giving people the urge to move their own bodies (often against each other) and dance.
“Puritan types and hellfire-fearing folks generally frown upon all of this business, which of course makes it all the more fun,” she says.
Kitty Nuthatch agrees. “CanCan, vintage jazz, burlesque and go-go all were (or are currently) risque in their time for various reasons usually having to do with their blatant nonobservance of ‘standards of decency,’” she says. “They were kind of shocking and just obviously and unapologetically about fun, enjoyment of the body, and the sensual expression of music. I think that was a sort of version of being ‘sex-positive’ playing out within the scope of a particular era. It’s certainly a goal of mine to keep those saucy dances going.”
Back in 2009 when I was with the Dirty Birds, this was our Cover Photo.
 I love these gals.
And the article here.

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