Interview With Hula- La
"Lovely Burlesque & Hula Hoop Dancer with a flair for puns Hula La!"
How did you discover the hula- hoop?
I could never hula hoop as a child and I never ever imagined that I would be a professional hooper one day. I discovered hoopdance almost five years ago when I was going through a particularly difficult summer. I noticed that about twenty minutes or so into my practice after all the endorphins kicked in I felt much happier and on top of the world. It gave me a challenge and something to aspire to. I was already working as a striptease showgirl on the road and I decided to incorporate it into my acts. A quick search on the internet led me to Christabel Zamor from Hoopgirl.com. I will forever be grateful for finding her and her approach on the hooping lifestyle. She is such a positive and uplifting person.
Classic Burlesque has become a huge phenomena lately, what about it first captured your interest?
I think it is mostly the costuming, theatrics and creative input that the dancers put into their work that captivate me….at regular strip-shows the dancers always seemed so boring and generic to me…with burlesque it appeared to be so much more based on concepts, tricks and personality.
When I was 13 years old I saw some video clips of Bettie Page and Cherry Knight dancing late one night on TV and I was completely amazed. I didn't know exactly what it was then but I was fascinated by it. Whatever it was that they were doing I knew I had to do to when I grew up. Shortly after seeing those clips I was on vacation with my mother in Palm Springs and saw a small exhibit on Tempest Storm and her ‘Burlesque’ costuming. I was able to put a name to that style of dance I had seen…. ‘Burlesque’.
When I was 13 years old I saw some video clips of Bettie Page and Cherry Knight dancing late one night on TV and I was completely amazed. I didn't know exactly what it was then but I was fascinated by it. Whatever it was that they were doing I knew I had to do to when I grew up. Shortly after seeing those clips I was on vacation with my mother in Palm Springs and saw a small exhibit on Tempest Storm and her ‘Burlesque’ costuming. I was able to put a name to that style of dance I had seen…. ‘Burlesque’.
I grew up near Los Angeles and worked as a Go Go dancer in my late teens and I remember always seeing fliers from promoters for ‘The Velvet Hammer’ and for ‘Lucha Va Voom'. It was during that time that I discovered Courtney Cruz, Kitty Diggins and Dita Von Teese. When I looked further into the scene I saw this whole exciting world that unfolded before me. Shortly after I began touring with a California based striptease group and around the same time ‘The Suicide Girls’ came out and hit the road with their burlesque tour. Slowly I began noticing more and more flyers popping up promoting events and places that offered burlesque.
What's it like performing all over and experiencing the different scenes?
I have been lucky enough to perform at least one place in almost every state in America all in different types of atmospheres casinos, bars, concerts and clubs and each place has a completely different vibe to it. I am very grateful that I was able to travel so much because it really helped me grow as a person by changing my perception on life, people, the economy and culture.
Where is your favorite place to perform?
I can't say I have a favorite spot but I do miss traveling through Montana, Texas and Tennessee the most…but of course Los Angeles will always be dear to me because I have met so many amazing dancers there who are so multi-talented and artistic.
Has anything crazy ever happened at a show?
Has anything crazy ever happened at a show?
Yes!! In Wyoming I had a lady attack me on stage and I still don't know why! I was upstage dancing and hooping and WHAM I hit the floor face down and it became a tangled body pile of her on top of me, the other dancers and the security guards. When I stood up and looked back I saw security pulling her out the door as she was kicking, screaming and throwing punches. When I got over the initial fear and shock of what had happened it was actually pretty funny because…What the hell? Who does that?
Oh and I also got arrested and cited for nudity over a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ in Kentucky. It was ridiculous it made the news headlines and everything. It’s not everyday a group of dancers pass through Kentucky in a striptease cabaret show. I guess smaller cities throughout ‘The Bible Belt’ still haven’t accepted the whole burlesque idea. After a show in Kentucky the cops raided the place saying we violated city ordinances. The cops were running around all confused by order of the commander. He wanted to charge us for something but he wasn’t exactly sure for what. So the result was a citation for the club owner and the dance group for nudity as a violation of city ordinance. Eventually all charges were dropped, I think even they realized just how ludicrous it all was in the end!
Are there any other creative mediums you work in?
I have begun to explore and toy with different mediums in my dance such as incorporating some elements of poi with line dancing and burlesque with fire-hooping. There are so many amazing ways to go about performance in the hooping, dance and burlesque communities. It’s just fascinating to see the merging of all the different styles. I’ve seen ladies like pole champion Elena Gibson do pole dancing in ballet pointe shoes and Lula Hoop Garou Lula Houp Garou in Chicago combining fan dancing with burlesque and hoopdancing. I will always have a soft spot for the ‘classic’ burlesque style but when I see dancers breaking molds and traditions by combining styles…that’s when I get excited!
What are your favorite types of outfits to perform in?
It is insanely hard to hula hoop in the ‘classic’ burlesque attire, so I prefer not to. However I’m torn because that is actually one of my favorite looks, corsets, garter belts, girdles, stockings and high heels. Of course it is easiest to hoop in as little as possible like a bikini or pasties and a G-string because it has no physical restrictions or limitations but in my humble opinion nudity and bikinis just don’t have as much appeal as classy lingerie….since burlesque is based on the idea of tease there is very little tease you can have when you’re already in pasties and a G string to begin with.
What kind of music do you like?
I have been on a pretty big psychedelic folk and Americana kick as of lately listening to a lot of Bill Monroe, O’ Death, The Meat Purveyors and Dame Darcy. My favorite music comes from Edith Piaf, The Geraldine Fibbers or The Knife but honestly I like all kinds of different stuff from Goth, electro, country, jazz, ska, metal, cabaret, hip hop etc. I hate when people stick only to certain genres or scenes of music. There is so much wonderful music out there from different categories and genres. Variety is the spice of life!
What do you like to do for fun?
When I am not traveling or making art I love to be around my family, cats and close friends but it is pretty solid and routine for me that my ‘fun’ is working with my art forms. My life consists of making music, playing the banjo, painting and hula- hooping mostly everyday for either a work out or practice. I often think that when I practice alone with nobody watching, that I do my best performances. I am free of hype, insecurities and truly without standards or expectations. I get completely caught up in the zone and moment as if I own a unique spot of time and space with my movement. It’s a wonderful feeling.
Misc information that I feel is important:
I feel that I have a particularly hard time with getting my dance style across because it doesn’t have an exact niche. I feel that some people aren’t sure what to think of my style because it is a little harder to define on terms of what hoopdance and burlesque is or isn’t. While some burlesquers have welcomed me open armed others have snubbed me because what I do is not exactly cookie cut from ‘classic’ burlesque roots; it’s usually more upbeat and very Go Go influenced and on the other hand in the Hooping community what I do is not exactly pure hoopdance either… I really just combine the three to my own liking and hope that they evenly balance themselves out into a nifty little dance fusion.
