Interview With Angie Pontani
by Cary
Classic Burlesque has become a huge phenomena lately, what about it first captured your interest?
I've always been drawn to classic styles on entertainment. I grew up on a diet of MGM Technicolor Musicals and The Rat Pack. It's what I always wanted to do, that's what entertainment and show business is about to me. When I struck out to actually become a performer at 17, Burlesque oozed out of me. It was natural. I didn't want to be a serious dancer in a unitard, I didn't want to be on Broadway and I didn't want to be an actress. I wanted to be my own version of Rita Hayworth 24/7. Burlesque is very much that. At that time I didn't even know what the word burlesque meant, it wasn't until a writer for the village voice came to see a show and said, "that's burlesque", that's when I looked it up and said, "oh, yeah! this is burlesque".
What kind of performance do you put on?
Classic, traditional high-glamour strip tease.
At what kind of events do you perform?
I have a running show in NYC, "This Is Burlesque". We have been doing 4 shows a week for over a year and a half now. Aside from that, I have performed everywhere from a private party for Sting to events for Esquire Magazine and The Superbowl.
What's it like performing all over and experiencing the different scenes?
It's amazing, I'm fortunate to get to jet set quite a bit and experience amazing things, the kind of behind the scenes fun stuff that you wouldn't get to experience if you went on a trip somewhere as a tourist, but going somewhere a a performer you can get to spend time in a place and kind of see it in another light.
Where is your favorite place to perform?
Truthfully, right here in Brooklyn. It's kind of like performing in my back yard (which i did from ages 3 -16 dancing on a Italian marble picnic table). I know most of the venues here very well and Brooklyn audiences are wonderful, loud, energetic and exciting. Outside of NYC, I would have to say Australia, Australian audiences are the other side of the equators version of a Brooklyn audience.
Has anything crazy ever happened at a show?
Lot's of crazy has happened it depends on what kind of crazy you want. There is good crazy, like meeting John Waynes son after a show (I'm a western nerd), funny crazy like when my corset string got caught in a zipper so badly in the middle of the act the guitarist in the band accompanying me had to stop playing to help me get untangled, there is annoying crazy, like I show up at a venue to do my bathtub act and they tell me that I can't use water in the bathtub, it's a glass bathtub and the water makes the act. They were not negotiating one bit, so we agreed to not use water, but then did it anyway, and then there is terrible crazy, like the time someone tried to bum rush the stage in the middle of my number with a block of torrone. Torrone is this Italian candy the I LOVE, I had mentioned that I love this candy on my site or in an article or something and so this guy rushed the stage with torrone, but no one knew it was torrone or why he was rushing the stage and he just got football tackled by security and removed from the club. I felt bad about the whole thing, but I did get the torrone and it was fantastic! It's a crazy business and affords lots of opportunity to nutty things to happen.
Are there any other creative mediums you work in?
This is all inclusive for me. I make a lot of my own costumes and if I don't make them, I work very closely with my designer. I love to paint, I did a whole series of watercolors of famous Western characters. I admittedly am not fabulous, but it's fun. Other then that, I cook, crochet and get very into nail art!
What are your favorite types of outfits to perform in?
I prefer classic costumes, fine fabrics, custom corsets, rhinestones, satin's, lace. I'm a girly girl and when I set to make a costume it's usually inspired by a classic film, or what my Barbie had in her closet. I like things that accentuate and exaggerate the female form.
What are your least favorites?
I don't have a least favorite in my costume closet. If I don't like a costume, it affects my performance. I can't really get down with off the rack costumes. I like to have things custom made, make them myself or if it does come off a rack, I have to alter it to make it my own.
What kind of music do you like?
I'm in love with Quincy Jones, when I perform to his music it's amazing. He is a genius, he composes music like nobodies business, it's perfect. Most of my choices for my acts are jazz or blues, even Edith Piaf, it just has to be good and for me, timeless.
What do you like to do for fun?
To really unwind, I love to play softball. I have a league I play with in Brooklyn, some seasons we are amazing and some seasons we are the worst, but it is such a blast to get out there, get dirty and play softball. How un-burlesque is that!!!
See more of Angie Pontani at:
www.angiepotani.com
www.myspace.com/angiepotani
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