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Lily LaRue has been wowing audiences with her classy, mesmerizing and surely sexy burlesque striptease performances since commanding the spotlight back in 2004.
Her magical moves transcend categorization as her erotic repertoire features everything from classical fan dances, to modern rock and metal character shows. LaRue emerged as an underground performer with the Hell's Belles Girlie Revue to an internationally renowned burlesque artist; she regularly performs with the Motor City’s popular variety show Torch with a Twist and she is the creator and instructor of "The Art and History of the Burlesque Strip Tease," a seminar teaching women confidence and empowerment though burlesque.
Quite simply, LaRue is one of the very best performers the city has to offer.
On October 30, she'll be shaking it up at the Metromix-sponsored Mystique Masquerade Ball at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts. The premiere Halloween event in Detroit, and LaRue’s performance in particular, promises to be something special, even if Lily is keeping the details under wraps. Still, Metromix couldn’t resist trying to get a little info in advance…just a tease, perhaps?
How did you become interested in burlesque and how did you get involved?
I saw a program on the TV and it was remarkable to me. I didn’t think something like that existed - somewhat erotic dancing but that women of all sizes can do. The first burlesque dancer I saw was Dirty Martini and she’s a large framed woman. I have a bigger bone structure, and I guess that it hadn’t ever occurred to me that I could do that – that women of different body sizes could be sexy.
How nervous were you the first time you performed in public?
Oh, incredibly nervous. The first few times I did it, I just went down to my bra. Then I went a little further, but I still go down to pasties because that’s burlesque – it’s all about the tease, leaving something to the imagination.
Have people like Dita Von Teese made burlesque something of an accepted art form rather than something that is considered seedy?
Yeah, I think she’s done a great job of bringing it into the mainstream. There’s a whole community of people who bring the show to places like Vegas – Dita’s the most famous one but there are a lot of people that have brought burlesque out of the strip clubs.
Right, because it’s the polar opposite of a dime-bar strip club performance…
Well, it’s still stripping, but its adding thoughts, intelligence, class and lots of costuming. The difference between going into a strip club and seeing a burlesque show is that you have the tease. The tease is the primary context - going though the basic glove removal, layer by layer.
What is your specialty?
In Detroit, I’m one of very few people that have fans. I’m working on a couple of new acts right now, but they are a surprise.
Are there similarly talented performers in the Detroit area?
I definitely feel that our scene has a lot of growing to do. There are performers who are certainly making their way and doing great things. You can go and see anyone at Torch With A Twist and you can see an old style vaudeville variety show.
There is a young performer named Hayley Jane that is an amazing burlesque artist. She’s really great, and what she’s achieved in a really short space of time is amazing. She’s going to explode and I can’t wait. Hell’s Belles is a great burlesque troupe, too. I started my career with them.
You’re involved in movies also – how did that come about?
It’s really strange because, not this summer but the summer before, I had my mind set that I was going to move to LA and follow this crazy acting dream I’d always had because I just couldn’t live with myself and not do it regardless of how scary it seemed. I was all ready to move to California, and then Michigan passed the film incentive tax package.
The next thing I knew, I was on a movie set as a stand in for Drew Barrymore on the film "Whip It." I decided to start in Michigan and see what happens, and in the last year I’ve worked on 10 films as either a stand in or a background role and I’ve just had my first audition for a speaking role.
You also teach burlesque classes. Can anyone do it?
Anyone can do burlesque, yeah. I was approached about two years ago about developing the class, and I was so excited about it. I developed it along the lines of "burlesque for every woman" because I believe that every woman has that sensuality in her and she can really boost confidence by using that within herself. That’s what makes burlesque great – it’s not about tall blondes with boob jobs. It’s for any women with any waist size, from the preppiest to the goth girls.
What does Halloween mean to you?
Halloween is great because it always gives me an opportunity to buy a new costume. I try to incorporate every costume I get into my show. It’s a time to dress up and play a character. Everyone gets to do that. It’s also the Wiccan New Year, so it’s a time for renewal as well. That’s not really my religion, but I’ve studied them all and I take the best bits from them.
What can we expect from your performance at the party?
You can expect the best performance I have ever given. I am having my costume custom made and custom designed by local artist Hayley Jane and she is phenomenal. I don’t want to give too much away because that’s part of the tease but it’s going to be wild. A classic tease with a modern twist. It’s going to be great.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on movies through November. I’m going to Chicago because I go there about once a month for a show, and I’ll carry on doing shows around here. I would love to start performing at burlesque festivals in New York, Las Vegas and San Francisco -- basically travelling with my show.
