A week ago last Friday, I attended ‘Strip, Strip, Hooray!’, Dita von Teese’s new burlesque revue. It’s no exaggeration to say I’ve wanted to see Dita perform live for years, and I’d been looking forward to seeing this show for months. In fact, I bought my tickets the very minute (literally) they went on sale. Swarovskis…Louboutins…Mr. Pearl Corsets…what’s not to love?
Yet, I left ‘Strip, Strip, Hooray!’ feeling…conflicted. And in the days I spent days afterwards sorting through my impressions from the show, my sense of conflict turned into a general feeling of disappointment which left me with the surprising realization that, despite my earlier excitement, I’m not really interested in seeing Dita perform live again.
But first of all, let’s start with the good. The show had an amazingly diverse cast in every sense of the word – body type, ethnicity, and gender. There were thin performers (Lada), thick performers (Dirty Martini), performers of color (Perle Noire), male performers (Monsieur Romeo), older performers (Catherine D’Lish), and a performer with what I think was dwarfism (Selene Luna). It was really exciting to me to see so many different kinds of burlesque represented, and our Emcee Murray Hill was super entertaining, keeping the energy high and the laughs loud all night long.
My personal favorite act was Perle Noire’s electric tribute to Josephine Baker (complete with the banana skirt!) though Catherine D’Lish’s sinuous and seductive spiderweb act was a close second. The production value was high, and the performers were obviously at the top of their game.
But what of Dita, the headliner we were all there to see? If I can dare to say it, I felt underwhelmed…like she was the weakest performer of them all.
via: The LA Times
The costumes were gorgeous, it’s true. The shoes, the lingerie, the trademark poses…they were all there, but in a way that felt formulaic and bland, not innovative and groundbreaking. Instead of the spontaneity I love in burlesque (and in live theater, period), all of Dita’s numbers – which included classics like the Martini Glass, Cowgirl, and Makeup Compact – felt predictable and uninspired, the energy replaced with crystals and corsets and set pieces. 10 days later, the most memorable parts of Dita’s acts are the costumes, not the performer or the performance.
Dita von Teese's "Opium Den" Routine
But more than all that, Dita’s final act (which, naturally, is going to be the one people remember most) left me feeling intensely uncomfortable. For those who haven’t seen the show, Dita closes with her Opium Den routine, where she’s clad in an elaborate “Oriental” costume (a word I’m using deliberately as I think it’s negative connotations are appropriate here) and smoking opium just before a set of gloved hands caress her body to (simulated) climax.
After such an enjoyable evening, the Opium Den piece came across as insensitive and regressive, the stereotypical story and costuming an unnecessarily negative finale to an otherwise good show. And I’m not the only one who felt that way. The Shanghai Pearl, a Seattle burlesque performer (and my burlesque teacher) explains the issue so much better than I ever could in this excerpt from a statement on her Facebook page:
“The ‘Strip Strip Hooray!’ show is spectacular and revolutionary in so many different and wonderful ways. However, I was stunned that the finale was an act that perpetuates harmful and negative stereotypes of Asian women. It was very incongruous with the rest of the show.
It would seem that throughout the conception of the act, all the tour planning, and all the press, not one person considered the possibility that the material could be insensitive, harmful, or offensive.
We could do well to be more sensitive and aware of our individual privileges and other people’s experiences. It is not only our responsibility to one another, but common courtesy to consider others in our actions.
There are many damaging stereotypes and behaviors that used to be widely acceptable and now thankfully, no longer have a positive presence in mainstream thinking. This change is due to people asking speaking up, taking action, and raising awareness.
Silence is the only choice that will keep us from doing better.”
Last week’s vacation gave me the chance to wait awhile before writing this review to see if my impressions of the show changed with a bit of time and distance, but they haven’t. I’m still glad I went to see ‘Strip, Strip, Hooray!’ I’m just not sure I want to go to another of Dita’s shows again.
Have you seen ‘Strip, Strip, Hooray?’ What did you think? Please share your impressions in the comments.
I’m sadden to hear that you found Dita Von Teese’s show formulaic. While I have not seen the current tour, I saw Von Teese four or five years ago at the Triple Door, and at that time I was struck with her actual connection to the audience. She seemed like an honored burlesque performer of yore–talent and titillation, with high class. Her classic moves still seemed alive, not trite–especially in contrast to some of the performers that were busy on the Seattle scene at that time. I left the show inspired and hopeful.
But that was then.
Regrettably, I have to agree with you, Treacle! Unlike Murray Hill, who interacted brillantly with the audience, Dita made no effort to connect with the audience. I had seen Dita at the Triple Door several years ago and really enjoyed that show. The highlight of the show was Murray’s “dance contest” with three audience members, which was great entertainment! However, I also really liked the second part of Dita’s cowgirl routine, where she rode the mechanical bull. Although it’s been done before, she was very sexy in that act! The rest of her performances seemed very “canned” and uninspired. I have the same feeling I had in 1973, when I saw Led Zeppelin live in Seattle — disappointed! I’ve never recovered from that disappointment and probably won’t recover from this one, either. I expected a fine dining experience, but got fast food.
You put into words my complete heartbreak over the show. I saw it Thursday night and expected a dream-come-true. What I got was sparkles. Which I do love! But that’s not what burlesque is about. It’s about loving performing, loving your audience, and loving yourself. And Dita felt so far removed from any of it. You may as well rent a DVD and feel the same. It was so impersonal. And I honestly couldn’t tell which of her acts were “tributes” or DVT originals. That said, Perle noir was thundering and vivacious and big! Everything that act and burlesque should be! And Catherine D’Lish SOLD me that spiderweb with every inch of her and ever sinewy move she made. Dirty Martini was the definition of crowd service… Everyone else was so much fun! Dita was just sparkley.
Now that you have said this, I realize that I had a bit of the same dissapointment. I went to see Dita’s Strip Strip Hooray show in Dallas almost a year ago. I remember liking everything of the show, but felt like Dita didn’t have that connection to the audience like her other performers did. It was almost like I wasn’t watching a live production. It just didn’t live up to how I was expecting it. However, I was very impressed with the production value as far as sets, costumes, and such go. I feel like she’s really particular about every little detail of her show, and it’s impressive to me that she’s the mastermind behind all of it. I think she looked beautiful, and I’m still a very big fan of hers. I probably will see her perform again if I get the chance, but I just hope that maybe I’ll take more from her performance next time.
Let me begin with I have not seen Dita perform. I had seen her out in public numerous times years back. I have been around a lot of burlesque performers over time. These ladies exude a special sexiness that is special and unique to the art. My feeling just observing Dita was of disappointment. I saw arrogance, ego and entitlement as she interacted with those around her. Someone with me at the time commented that she sure isn’t sexy in real life is she. I love burlesque, its passion, sexy playfulness, interaction with the audience. Seduction is the ultimate goal of the art. Perhaps her excitement, passion and desire are extinguished by the fame that she has gotten from her original eagerness. It is a reminder to all of us that passion is the root of what we do – when it’s lost – our performance suffers.
According to Dita’s twitter she had the stomach bug during part of her tour. Of course, I am biased as I am a huge fan of hers. In person, she is very sweet and engaging. One of the nicest people I have ever met.
Miss Stacy Blaise
I saw her in Paris and can confirm. Dita is as flat as a pancake on stage, and it was a disappointment.
I don’t know if I should be commenting here because I have never seen her shows but to me Dita always seems so distant and stand offish. I love her look as she is gorgeous and I love Burlesque but she seems to have the personality of cardboard. Hearing everyone say that she wasn’t connecting with the audience doesn’t surprise me. I am disappointed for everyone who went and themselves was disappointed by the show. At least there were other elements of the show you could take away with you that you enjoyed.
Very sad to read your review, what a shame that you felt so disappointed by her performance after wanting to see her for so long! Good thing the rest of the performers were inspiring enough for it not to have been an entirely wasted evening! I think it’s possible that fame & fortune have robbed DVT of the humble charm she was so famous for. I seem to hear a lot of stories of her ego and arrogance now that she is probably the most famous burlesque star of our time, it’s a great shame that she has lost touch with the art of burlesque and the importance of connecting with the audience.
Disappointing indeed.
Thank you for bringing awareness to the topic of Asian female stereotypes. As an Asian American woman who has always wanted to see DTV’s live performance, I am disappointed by the fact that she chose to do this act. To your point, not only is this offensive as it perpetuates the Dragon (or phoenix or whichever animal you like to choose) stereotype, it is harmful to Asian women everywhere. It is aggravating to see how culturally insensitive her + team chose to be. To me, it says: Yes, Asian women are sex objects, and oh yes, I do think China, Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia and The Philippines are one big happy country! To your point, it bothers me that no one on her team tried to stop this performance (which is why I am very very appreciative of you for bringing this up). I have forwarded your blog entry to several Asian American activist groups – which hopefully can shed more awareness to this tasteless topic. Thank you.
I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m gratified that people are actually talking about the Opium Den act now. It’s something I’d only seen pictures of before, but even seeing the pictures I was deeply uncomfortable with the act. I’m glad that the other performers in the show were fantastic, but it’s hard to get the taste of a racist closing act out of one’s mouth.
I haven’t seen the show. My comments are based off your review.
I’ve seen the Josephine Baker act and though some may call it a tribute I find it to be an unoriginal Samba act in a banana skirt. It misses the goofiness and wild abandon that Baker displayed in the original act itself. This is my opinion of the act. Not of the performer. I haven’t seen the Opium Den act, but I’m really surprised that anyone would find it offensive. “Oriental” should be used to describe fabrics or furniture. It can indicate region or quality ( one definition is “of superior grade, luster, or value”).
If Dita came out with tapped eyes then that would be offensive. So may burlesque performers have done Geisha acts some of them with full on Geisha makeup. I’ve seen numerous performers don an “Afro wig” or put on black face and I’ve watched audiences laugh heartily. I could either get pissed or I can judge the act for what it is ( is it a female empowerment statement about the 70′s, or just an excuse to think you’re cool & edgy for wearing an Afro wig). I get peeved when I see a “belly dance” burlesque routine, which hasn’t got an authentic bit of belly dance in it. Tell me Dita’s act was crap because she didn’t do much or you weren’t entertained by it, that I would understand. Tell me Dita’s act was crap because it was “insensitive’ to Asians, I would argue that smoking opium in a geisha outfit isn’t a comment on the Asian community. We all know that Opium Dens of the 20′s serviced all nationalities. Would it be less offensive if she were dressed like a upper class British woman who’d recently moved to Hong Kong and found herself in an Opium Den? Many of us have Cowgirl acts and most of us have probably never worked on a farm or ridden a horse, but we sure look cute in boots. I didn’t see Dita’s Opium number so maybe the act live would make me feel differently, but the information in this review doesn’t give me a reason to see the act as offensive.
Burlesque comes in many styles. Some high energy dancing (Perel Noire’s Baker act) and some slow & seductive (most of Dita’s acts). There’s the old Sondheim song from Gypsy which the burlesque girls say, “you gotta have a gimmick”. Rhinestones and expensive costumes is Dita’s. Rightly or wrongly.
The comment about her sense of “entitlement” on stage is weird. Maybe it’s one of those you had to be there kind of things to understand. But one of the things I teach is when you are on that stage you better own it.
I was curious to see what your reaction would be, since I don’t think we’ll have a chance to see Dita live. Then came your tweet after the show, and I thought, ‘uh oh’. My original thought of her was as a bit detached as you describe, until I happened to see her interviewed on whatever celebrity TV show a few years back, and she was nothing like I’d expected – in a good way. After that, I saw her having more warmth. I guess since we were happy someone who was as big a fan as you are was getting to go, we’d live a bit vicariously through it. Just sorry it was disappointing to you, but I guess we’ve all been there at one time or another.
I haven’t seen Dita live, but have always seen her as beautiful, and have wanted to see one of her shows… BUT in the last year or so after following her on Facebook, etc… I have found her personality to be quite dull and in interviews she endorses products (such as Cointreau)… Just seems a bit… Fake? I can’t see much personality, but maybe it’s me?
I’m rather surprised at the ‘Asian’ views here – no one has said that Dita’s cowgirl routine is offensive to Texans! The opium den routine is stereotypical in the same way the cowgirl routine is.
But on to Dita herself. I was lucky enough to see her in Paris a few years ago and she is what she is – trading on her beauty and her costumes (which she is the only burlesque performer in the world to be able to afford). Was I disappointed? No, I saw what I was expecting (however my colleague much preferred the more comical (and I guess sexy) routines routinely performed in small London clubs.
Comparing cowgirl routines, black face, and furniture to races of people and the stereotypes they bare simply for being that race. Really?
As linked on TLA FB:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/shanghai-pearl/its-complicated-more-on-cultural-appropriation/380708325309457
I have been fortunate enough to see Dita perform twice, here in New Orleans. Part of me agrees with what you are saying. A burlesque dancer friend of mine even told me that she could do a better act than Dita, if she had her budget for costumes and sets. I can’t say that I disagree. The first time I saw Dita perform, she had Perle Noir on tour with her. I do have to say that Perle blew Dita out of the water that night, and I’m not just saying that because she’s a home town girl. She brought all of the energy that Dita lacked. The second tour, I would say Medianoche stole the show. On the other hand, I have been a fan of Dita’s since I first discovered my love of all things pinup back in 1999-2000. In my fangirl eyes she is perfection and I would definitely pay to see her perform again. Is she the best out there? No. I think that even the woman herself would admit that. But I do think that she is the best at constructing a show and getting her name out there. People will always pay to see her, simply because she is a “name” and has helped put modern burlesque where it is today. Long story short: she’s not the best, but she still blows me away. xo