xx
Korin M
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween!!!
I just wanted to wish all of you amazing people a fabulous Halloween!
Isn't my Edgar Allan Poe pumpkin just amazing? I would share the other pumkins that we carved but they were stolen during trick or treat tonight!
Fierce photos from this Halloween's burlesque show here in Las Vegas. My lovely ladies including the sexy Lexxy Alizay aka Lex Lunacy.
What Do You Know About Gypsies?
I have received some questions about the origin of both my blog title and also my burlesque identity as 'The Desert Gypsy'. Well I am here to address the question. I am of Roma 'Gypsy' decent. My family came to this country to escape persecution during WW2. We all know that many innocent Jewish people were brutally murdered and tortured by the Nazis during WW2 and that concentration camps were a literal hell on earth for so many. A lesser know fact is that over a million Roma people were also murdered during the Holocaust. My very own family suffered this and some never made it out of the camps, the rest fled to the USA.
I won't get into the whole history of the Roma people and my families personal history but I will say that there is a large amount of racism and discrimination that has been endured for hundreds of years and is still presently affecting many Roma in Europe, North Africa and Asia.
I was not raised as a Roma 'Gypsy'. My family wanted a different life and experience for me and my brother. I wouldn't suffer poverty or racism like the generations before me did. My Mother vowed that I would never suffer like she did and I would not have the life of my family before me. Not only were they Gypsies but also fortune tellers and witches. This doesn't make for welcoming neighbors.
Though I was not raised in that life; I am still very proud of the colourful history of my family and ancestors.
GYPSY! In some parts of the world the term Gypsy is considered a racial/prejudice slur. Until I started to really research the history and current conditions of the Roma people, I did not realize that some consider gypsy to be a derogatory word. I have found that this tends to be considered negative in Eastern and Southern Europe more than any other region. I personally am proud of the term Gypsy and so are many other gypsies that I have met in North America and Western Europe. My family came to the USA from Romania and North Africa. I have traveled to see these lands for myself to help understand the history of my family.
I write this due to the recent backlash at the Roma community due to the Blonde Angel child found in Greece. There is a new interest in this culture that I have never experienced before. I feel that my recent influx of emails about my chosen title is due to this recent increase in press on the community. I am proud of my heritage. I am also proud to be part Lakota Sioux, Mexican and European. All of this has made me the unique person that I am today.
I won't get into the whole history of the Roma people and my families personal history but I will say that there is a large amount of racism and discrimination that has been endured for hundreds of years and is still presently affecting many Roma in Europe, North Africa and Asia.
I was not raised as a Roma 'Gypsy'. My family wanted a different life and experience for me and my brother. I wouldn't suffer poverty or racism like the generations before me did. My Mother vowed that I would never suffer like she did and I would not have the life of my family before me. Not only were they Gypsies but also fortune tellers and witches. This doesn't make for welcoming neighbors.
Though I was not raised in that life; I am still very proud of the colourful history of my family and ancestors.
GYPSY! In some parts of the world the term Gypsy is considered a racial/prejudice slur. Until I started to really research the history and current conditions of the Roma people, I did not realize that some consider gypsy to be a derogatory word. I have found that this tends to be considered negative in Eastern and Southern Europe more than any other region. I personally am proud of the term Gypsy and so are many other gypsies that I have met in North America and Western Europe. My family came to the USA from Romania and North Africa. I have traveled to see these lands for myself to help understand the history of my family.
I write this due to the recent backlash at the Roma community due to the Blonde Angel child found in Greece. There is a new interest in this culture that I have never experienced before. I feel that my recent influx of emails about my chosen title is due to this recent increase in press on the community. I am proud of my heritage. I am also proud to be part Lakota Sioux, Mexican and European. All of this has made me the unique person that I am today.
XX
Korin M.
Monday, October 7, 2013
"I don't want to make money, I just want to be wonderful." Marilyn Monroe
Why did I come to Vegas. Of all of the great cities in this world that I had in the palm of my hand, I chose Vegas... I've pondered over this question for the past year. For some reason though, the Universe brought me here. I look around and I saw nothing for me. I love renaissance art, theater, opera and overall culture. So here I am in a city that lacks everything that I love, or so I thought.
While living in Europe I rediscovered a love for nude art, retro lifestyle, pin up girls and in Paris I fell in love with Burlesque. As a child I was always amazed by the culture of the 1920's, 30's, and 40's. I wanted to be part of the 'Lost Generation'. The watch Josephine Baker dance in her banana dress, to hold a conversation over a bottle of whiskey with Hemingway. The flappers, prohibition, the pinups, the strong feminine upheaval to independence. There was just so much change of world views and history accompanied with a strong feminine culture to admire. Maybe my love of this time is past life related, like I have been told multiple times that it was? Who knows what the reason exactly is for a peaked interest but I can't help but love what that time gave us. When first arriving to Vegas I overlooked all of this sub culture that was remaining strong in this city.
One year ago, while sitting at a coffee shop staring at out into desert, I overheard a conversation with a beautiful young women and her gentleman friend. Now, I try not to be a nosy person but there are always those 'trigger' words that catch one's attention. She was discussing a new costume that she was putting together for her newest Burlesque performance. I listened to the enthusiasm in her voice as she talked about her life in Burlesque, the community, her shows and the opportunities that it offered her. I felt an excitement for her but then for myself. I had just realized that Vegas had something for me. Did I have the guts to perform Burlesque? I didn't know but I knew that there was something for me in that world. I didn't turn to the girl and ask questions but I took the information that I overheard and immediately went to Google.
I'll admit that at this time I knew very little about the Neo Burlesque world. I had seen Burlesque performances in London and I also saw the cabaret in Paris. The showgirls of the Moulin Rouge and The Crazy Horse were captivating, though not Burlesque. I knew of ladies such as Dita Von Teese and Immodesty Blaize but that was the extent of it. I knew more about the history of Burlesque and the pioneers like Gypsy Rose Lee than I did about the modern culture.
With my lack of knowledge, I tackled Google. I searched for current shows, information and Burlesque in Vegas. This led me to the website for the Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum here in Las Vegas. A museum dedicated to the history and development of Vauderville and Burlesque, there is no better place to start! I soon ventured down to the museum (located downtown Las Vegas in the Emergency Arts Building) to start my new adventure in this world. I became a volunteer at the Museum. I worked as a volunteer attendant. From open to close, every few weeks, I would spend my day in the museum interacting with the visitors, meeting performers and legends. During times when traffic was quiet, I would watch the multiple videos on the history and past performances. I walked through the displays reading and rereading everything on the walls. I fell deeper in love with this world. During my time volunteering I had many people, whether performers, legends or other burlesque lovers, tell me that if I love it so much maybe I try it....
So that is where that part of the story ends and the new adventure begins...
Why am I doing this? To be famous? No. To be rich? No. To be loved? Yes, I want to be loved by myself. I want to love my life and my decisions. When my life flashes before me one day, I want to see all of this.
While living in Europe I rediscovered a love for nude art, retro lifestyle, pin up girls and in Paris I fell in love with Burlesque. As a child I was always amazed by the culture of the 1920's, 30's, and 40's. I wanted to be part of the 'Lost Generation'. The watch Josephine Baker dance in her banana dress, to hold a conversation over a bottle of whiskey with Hemingway. The flappers, prohibition, the pinups, the strong feminine upheaval to independence. There was just so much change of world views and history accompanied with a strong feminine culture to admire. Maybe my love of this time is past life related, like I have been told multiple times that it was? Who knows what the reason exactly is for a peaked interest but I can't help but love what that time gave us. When first arriving to Vegas I overlooked all of this sub culture that was remaining strong in this city.
One year ago, while sitting at a coffee shop staring at out into desert, I overheard a conversation with a beautiful young women and her gentleman friend. Now, I try not to be a nosy person but there are always those 'trigger' words that catch one's attention. She was discussing a new costume that she was putting together for her newest Burlesque performance. I listened to the enthusiasm in her voice as she talked about her life in Burlesque, the community, her shows and the opportunities that it offered her. I felt an excitement for her but then for myself. I had just realized that Vegas had something for me. Did I have the guts to perform Burlesque? I didn't know but I knew that there was something for me in that world. I didn't turn to the girl and ask questions but I took the information that I overheard and immediately went to Google.
I'll admit that at this time I knew very little about the Neo Burlesque world. I had seen Burlesque performances in London and I also saw the cabaret in Paris. The showgirls of the Moulin Rouge and The Crazy Horse were captivating, though not Burlesque. I knew of ladies such as Dita Von Teese and Immodesty Blaize but that was the extent of it. I knew more about the history of Burlesque and the pioneers like Gypsy Rose Lee than I did about the modern culture.
With my lack of knowledge, I tackled Google. I searched for current shows, information and Burlesque in Vegas. This led me to the website for the Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum here in Las Vegas. A museum dedicated to the history and development of Vauderville and Burlesque, there is no better place to start! I soon ventured down to the museum (located downtown Las Vegas in the Emergency Arts Building) to start my new adventure in this world. I became a volunteer at the Museum. I worked as a volunteer attendant. From open to close, every few weeks, I would spend my day in the museum interacting with the visitors, meeting performers and legends. During times when traffic was quiet, I would watch the multiple videos on the history and past performances. I walked through the displays reading and rereading everything on the walls. I fell deeper in love with this world. During my time volunteering I had many people, whether performers, legends or other burlesque lovers, tell me that if I love it so much maybe I try it....
So that is where that part of the story ends and the new adventure begins...
Why am I doing this? To be famous? No. To be rich? No. To be loved? Yes, I want to be loved by myself. I want to love my life and my decisions. When my life flashes before me one day, I want to see all of this.
xx
Korin
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