Kalani Kokonuts Michelle L’amour Miss Dirty Martini Coco Framboise Roxi D’Lite Amber Ray Scarlett James
2009 was a big year! I have been in Burlesque for a year and and after much research I realize how much Montreal was in desperate need of a Burlesque Festival. The city of Festival, without Burlesque? Lili St cyr’s most torride love had to be commemorated. I had a few “friends” at the time that told me it was not a good idea, that I was wasting my time… But my gut was telling me otherwise. So, a good morning of April 2009, I decided that I was going all in. I left my job, and started planning the biggest event of my life (Bigger than my own wedding). Oh! I was so scared! But I knew there was a need. Montreal needed to rediscover the art of Burlesque in a Sophisticated way and in the best light.
I worked on this like a mad woman, I had the support of Local photographer Andrea Hausmann who organised a fundraiser with me prior to the festival. A lot of volunteers came to participate if the making and we all, as a team pulled it off! Great headliners, amazing contest (Bonbon Bombay was the winner) and What an experience! What a school! Between the love of everyone who supported me and the abuse of some who felt there was an opportunity to make a penny, I was left utterly exhausted. There was no money to be made on the 1st time, that is for sure! But I felt like a billionaire, I was a woman in business, I was proud and I was ready to take over the world.
