Tuesday 11 January 2011

Day 218-219-Burlesque Boudoir


There is a small corner of my world few have seen. It is a place where I let my hair down, a space where I allow chaos to reign and  a home I built for the other me


This space is riotous, messy and whimsical. It is pink, loud and showy. A niche for a nautch girl, the boudoir of the burlesque, needless to say, I love my little corner of the world.


All the personality of this room is contained snugly in what I call my dancer's dresser where I lay some of my most outrageous accessories.


There is the tribal necklace I bought from Pakistan


and the matching bangle with attached rings for each finger.


And then there's  this dramatically risque choker from Rosanna for the last Christmas. Imagine wearing nothing else but this around your neck.  Is this what they call Neo-burlesque? Whatever it is, it suits my room to a T.


Just like the mesmerizing necklace I won at Eva's giveaway. I can just imagine using the blue swirly circles to hypnotise my prey.


Then there's the girly side of me that I don't even show myself....


YET, I just can't stop it from surfacing


again


and again.


This is the place I keep the things I love,
store the memories I treasure


dream my impossible dream.

All the places  I want to go


All the things I want to see


My excesses


My indulgence


All here in this little corner for a dancer.


The Showgirl In Me

Ever since I was little, I had performed, be it acting, singing or dancing, sometimes all three. My very 1st was in kindergarten when I played a little cat in a Chinese musical. I remembered asking the teacher for the lead role, the chick, but she said no.


This picture was taken when I was 11. It was my first big performance because it was inter-school, meaning we got to perform in a public theatre, attended not only by our parents, but  other important people. Of course, it was an Indian dance. Again I got a role I didn't want. I played  a boy because I was tall when all I wanted was to wear the pretty sari. I was the last girl-boy on the stairs with the blue bandana that look kind of greenish in this picture.


I finally took control of my own dancer destiny and became a choreographer when I went to university. Ewa, this is Big In Japan, an item I choreographed for the hostel Talentime. I was the center girl with long hair, playing the vamp instead of the demure, partnering who I wanted and wearing what I fancied.


Here is us again, minus all the glam. The trophy I was holding led me to believe we won a prize, probably 2nd but I really cannot remember.



This is a newspaper cutting of an article on Beauty World, the first homegrown musical production in  Singapore  back in 1988.  My biggest break in showbiz and I played a cabaret girl from the 60's. This  was the best role for loads of  fun and laughter because being in the chorus meant you have lesser pressure and way more friends. This production went for 5 runs and I was in 3 of them, including the one where we toured 4 cities in Japan. In this picture, I was the 2nd girl from the right with a pink kebaya top and an orange sarong plus a matching kerchief covering my mouth.

Chinese New Year is round the corner and of course, I did some spring cleaning. This year I decided to work on my dressing room, dusting forgotten corners and an almost forgotten past. Thanks to Ewa, I am sharing a small part of this past with you.

52 comments:

Papillon Bleu said...

Thank you Sans for showing a bit more of you again.
Now I want to come and play in this very girly room! You will have to show me a dance. :)))

I have a biiiiiiiiiiiig smile on my face now.
xxx

The Old Maid said...

Gosh, Sans, I really really love your "light pen" as we call it here, you write so easy, with humour. I almost hear you and your friends laughing and see you having a lot of fun during Big in Japan dance! Thank you so much for sharing your colourful showbiz past with all of us!:)
Love your Burlesque Boudoir - it is all you, isn't it? :)Colour, pretty things, memories, dreams and sense of humour.:D Great things to see and enjoy.:)

The Old Maid said...

Ps.:"not photogenic" ?! You probably haven't seen not photogenic face yet, dear Sans! You are so pretty on all the photos!:)

Flora said...

I do not want to be you when you're dusting :-)
Seriously, your room looks like a dreamy place, full of strange and fascinating objects, for a girl victim of his own passions...

rosanna said...

Hi dear, a naughty corner as well as a dancer's one ? a place to be ourselves, no mask on our face, no polite smiles to hide our thoughts. A little corner to be wild and enjoy it. I love your corner, mine is always in my mind but it gets out anytime time I buy something out of the line;o) like the chocker that now we both will use ( btw it's really flattering when you wear it).
Or like my new lipstick Dior Rouge Sex Appeal which makes me feel a bit like Dita von Teese even though I use it to go to work. But it also makes me feel braver :o))
My dear,ti voglio bene more and more.

Dark Squirrel Victoria said...

I Love your girlie room Sans! The Anna Sui bottles are great. You truly have a gift with words. Thank you for the peek at your childhood and passions.

Victoria ♥

Michelle said...

What a wonderful girly corner, with so many wonderful excesses of love and passion.

Also great to know about you and your past!

Thank you for a view into your world. :o)

Michelle xxx

Ara said...

Thank you for sharing this space with us Sans!!! What a wonderful room to retreat too! And I didn't know how much you were into preforming - no wonder your stories are so fascinating! You're a natural! Hugs, ara

cockerina said...

the door opens makes me a little embarrassed.
I seem to peep, to spy secretly, and I'm afraid to enter, almost wanting to steal your secrets ...
Instead you throw open the door to the world and show everyone who you are.
you are fantastic!
thanks! Caterina

Daydreamer said...

Dear Sans! Your Room is a treasure trove of beautiful adornments! No Wonder you want a Maharajah's Palace Dollhouse! And no wonder so many of your dolls are Sari draped Dancers! We all end up living some of our dreams through our dolls....
It's wonderful to see that you HAVE danced some of your dreams! Congratulations on all your successes! (I have no excuse for MY hidden stash of bling other than that I always wanted to be a Princess - and the costumes only come out for Halloween....I keep thinking I will find excuses to dress up!):):) And thank you for opening your heart (and your door) to share with us this glimpse of your beautiful girly-world! As ever, you are an inspiration!

Marta said...

Hola Sans ¡¡¡¡ tienes un rincĂ³n genial, con cosas preciosas, me encanta. Lo que mĂ¡s me ha ilusionado es verte en las fotos y saber que bailas ¡¡¡ que suerte ¡¡¡¡ y ademĂ¡s eres muy guapa ¡¡¡¡¡ Un beso grande ¡¡¡¡

GB said...

LOVED it!!! I could spend hours lolling in front of that vanity admiring each bead, each treasure. Reminds me of my mom's treasures---she's very girly-girl with lovely saris and lovely trinkets---I was a bit of a tomboy, the rebel, but I could spend hours sitting at her dresser playing with her things. I now have a tiny side table where I display some of my treasures--jewelry is a new found love for me and i love hanging my pretty things. I need to do a post on this soon. :)

Thanks for sharing. Would you think me odd if I came back here time and again to sift through your dresser? I clearly NEED that trip home.

Patty said...

Sans, WOW!!!! Everything is so brilliant and colorful! It is like a little treasure room! I really love those old cigarette? cases! And that bag with the image on it and the striped fabric is stunning!!! Thanks for letting us have a peek at your little corner!!!

Papillon Bleu said...

Hi Sans, it is me...again! :-)
I don't know if you have received my e-mail. I have given you my impressions about The film.
And, no I haven't read the book you mentioned but I will have to!
XXXX

Ascension said...

Hola Sans
Lo mejor de todo es que ya cuando entro en tu blog, lo leo todo en castellano y no tengo que irme a traducir jejejeje
Eso hace que disfrute mas de tus fotografias.
Muchas gracias por dejarnos entrar en tus pequeñas "locuras" que a mi me parecen realmente adorables.
Lo importante es que todo lo que tienes en esa habitacion te hace feliz y yo que me considero tu amiga disfruto viendote feliz cuando hablas de todos los detalles que guardas.
Me ha encantado verte en tu faceta de bailarina y actriz.
Un post lleno de "fantastica locura", no cambies!!!!
besitos ascension

Rosamargarita said...

Eres una artista, no solo bailarina, cantante y actriz, eres ARTISTA reflejas el arte en tus cosas, en tu entorno, no sabes hacer crochet? quien necesita saber crochet cuando se tiene eso que tienes tu?
Un abrazo

Unknown said...

awwww!!! another corner to raid when we next come over!!! *rubs grubby hands together*

(don't panic! you know i won't....XD )

i so love these little glimpses of your life. more so because i've gotten to know you so much better...:) like little stolen pieces of chocolate ley, i donno how to describe otherwise??? XD

<3!

bastrota said...

You are a very interesting woman, Sans. Your secret pink place is the place for a dreamer and for someone who loves memories and several kinds of treasures.

And I love your pictures with you in a dancing group. You wanted to play an other role sometimes? I think it is much more difficult to play a boy than a girl - when you are a girl.

Thank you so much for showing this, Sans, and for showing a piece of your very special personality.

Hugs and greetings
Marion

Sound Horn Please said...

I am sorry for not dropping by earlier Susan- i dropped off blog world for a while. Do you own that old travel case with all those travel stickers? Absolutely LOVE it!

And spotted the 500 BC bag! Loved another peek into you that I got here! Wish you an AWESOME 2011!

love,
divya

Sans! said...

You are welcome anytime to play in my room, Patricia but I bet yours are even more fun? I can just imagine all your knick knacks :).

But about the dance, be careful what you ask for :). Maybe just for laughs. I am trying to remember what were some of my most memorable roles. One time I played a nurse. I was supposed to have a single line in that whole 2 hour show consisting of one single word "scalpel" (repeating after the doctor when he was doing an operation) and even that they cut eventually.

I also played the witch in a Halloween dance about Snow White which we performed at a sort of gay club. I think it was to Sister Sledge's "It's Raining Men" teehee! All I did was let my long long hair down and then run from one end of the dance floor to the other with outstretched hands acting very scary. See what happens when you are not the choreographer of your dance? *shake head

Sans! said...

Ewa, THANK YOU! It's so strange that I have been playing Big In Japan on my blog and it was only when you mentioned dancing to this song that I remembered ever choreographing to it! :). Right after this, I had asked my uni friends who stayed at the same hostel if they remember this dance and they all said yes! Funny isn't it, that I forget? :) But now that I have posted about it, I guess I will always remember it.:)

Now Ewa, interesting observation about whether this room is the real me...Of course, I will deny it to high heaven :)

Sans! said...

Sorry Ewa, I was interrupted just now because my brother had remote access to my laptop and could read everything I was writing just now:).

Just wanted to let you know that last night, I went out with 2 of my dancer friends , both were from the same university hostel as I was. One of them , Winnie, confirmed that we got 2nd because her group came in 1st :). But the other friend Yuch said she only remembered Big In Japan and not her dance...mwahahahahaha.. REVENGE! Can you hear my E_V_I_L laugh? Yes, as you can see, I am that competitive, even if it is 20 years later! ;p ;p

Sans! said...

Teehee, Flora, yes , you are absolutely right about this place not being dustable! Someday, I have cobwebs in my hair because I used something that I haven't used for a long time and didn't notice it was that dirty! :):)

I am so used to looking at a blurred mirror thinking it was because I didn't wear my contact lens (last thing I put on after my makeup) so I was shocked to see in these pictures that the mirror is REALLY old and blurry with stains from my very humid home.

This is a dark room and all my pictures were taken with flash which brought out all the flaws and more. I see how old some of these pieces are things I could not bear to throw away even though they were already broken , never used and full of cobwebs! :)

Sans! said...

Rosanna, I just walked into my boudoir to try your necklace on again and you are absolutely right. Somehow, it rested around my neck and on my collarbone so nicely, it felt like I am wearing a dress. I put my hair up and I swear the necklace made me feel a little like Audrey Hepburn even though my hair is pinned up , I am wearing my specs with a band and my t-shirt is loose and grimy. Good thing, my mirror doesn't show the ugliest pair of pink striped shorts ever or the delusion would have been broken sooner! :)

All the things I can do in this room and my delusions of grandeur.:) I think we all should try and make a little space in our life for a dressing room or at least a dresser. My mum has one all her life and I remember every single one of them including a red velvet one with a matching stool. One of our favourite playgrounds is that dresser :).

And if you want to imagine something ridiculous , you can imagine me sitting on the floor in front of my laptop , specs , grimy t-shirt, ugly shorts with your choker around my neck, typing all this down :).

Sans! said...

Vic, I am allergic to perfume with alcohol content so I only use very few brands :). And I love bottles in the shape of body parts, any body parts :) plus I am a collector. That's why I collect JPG's Summer Fragrance and Anna Sui's Dolly summer perfume. They are both alcohol free :). The bottles of the girls are called the Harajuku Girls by Gwen Stefani. :)

Natalia's Fine Needlework said...

Dear Sans! You are more talented than I knew. It is so interesting to know more about you. You amaze me with each your post - incredibly creative and talented. What happened next? Have you changed your carrier?
I am so happy to know you got my box. I e-mailed you a message, check up your e-mail box. Kisses, Natalia

Piikko said...

Darling Sans, thank you so much for showing your secret room. Well, it's not a secret any more:D We all are having relaxing time in there now..and dancing!:D
Hugs, piikko
♥Sans, thank you so much for the most wonderful gift you sent me♥
There are some pics on my blog.

Ana Anselmo said...

It is lovely to know more about you, Sans!!!! it almost like to be with you and talk...I think I am trying to find some old picture and put in my blog.
Love from Lisbon
Ana

Carol Mittlesteadt-Kubrican said...

Sans, it is so interesting to read about your amazing and creative life! You have inspired me to devote a little corner of my bedroom to a "burlesque mini boudoir". Yours is a cheery place to let your hair down and be you! Thanks for sharing a bit more about you!

Papillon Bleu said...

SANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have forgotten to let you know that I have received my beautiful parcel!!!!!
Thank you!Thank you so much! I love it!!!!!!!
This will be perfect for one of my secret projects!!!!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXO

Sans! said...

Patricia, xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo!!! :)

Nothing like a XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX to cheer me up ! :)

You know now that I am just dying to see your secret project?

Sans! said...

Wow, Michelle, its been 10 days since your comment! Sorry I have been missing but it is really good to see you here :).

This is truly my girly corner. Maybe even a deep dark secret one. So much so that today, when a girlfriend of mine brought her burly male friend to my home and showed him my girly corner, I nearly fainted from utter horror. hehe. It's a side of me I don't show for fear few could be fooled when I put on my serious demeanor again.

Sans! said...

Ara, I am glad you are here to see this side of me (performer)that I have abandoned until only last year. :). Many of my classmates left their "real" jobs to pursue their passion (theatre, dance, sing) . I am maybe one of 2 who didn't :). I wasn't talented or brave enough .

I like that you associate my stories to this part of me :):).

Sans! said...

Caterina, I must have been crazy!! :):):)

Truth is, you guys have made me so comfortable and safe that I am throwing caution to the wind! I think maybe once a year I will do something a little nutty like this. :)The rest of the time we wither talk India or mini :).

Sans! said...

Haha Betsy, I wonder if you see like me the blurry mirror, rather dirty boa feathers and blings that have lost their shine :). How apt that this is a side of me that was of a bygone era. I know it may sound a little sad but it really is not because although I am glad and proud that I once had this glorious past when I was a cabaret dancer (teehee) , I am happy that I had moved on to other things.

Yet, the seedy cabaret side of me never really left as you can see. And I am happy with that too. :). I really hope I can show that side of me more in my later projects.

Sans! said...

Marta:) gracias por estar aquĂ­ para compartir el pasado secreto de la mina. Ahora usted puede decir a todos, usted tiene un amigo que Singapur fue una vez una bailarina de cabaret :):). jajajajaja

besos :)

Sans! said...

Gagan :) my gosh, I got my girly side from mummy too. If you think my trinkets are garish, wait till you see my mum's collection! She had these huge chunky rings from the 60s that were the same except they came in 6 different colours! Huge rhinestone pieces that I love to bits. And she had a pair of heels made entirely of lucite that went clak clak clak everytime you walked in them and they were my absolute absolute fav! Except she was a tiny size 5 while I am a monster 7 so I wore them only when I was between 6-11 and only at home. Mum has the best retro costume jewelleries!

But like you, I was never a girly girl until recently. I think the first time I have pink on me was less than 5 years ago.haha! Now that I discovered I have this side of me, I quite enjoy it. In fact, I rather love it :).

Sans! said...

Patty, that box is a small wooden painted dowry box that I bought from Sri Lanka :). Inside that box are more garish necklaces. Apart from watches, I don't own any real jewellery..haha :) Anything valuable is kept at my mum's :) because I never wear them ! :)

The bag is from an Indian design house called 500 B.C. I love kitsch!My idea of dress up was a pair of baggy unflattering pants and a kitsch bag :).

Sans! said...

Patricia, if you are reading this, I replied to your email about The Fall :). And if you can, go grab that book by Jostein Gardner.

Sans! said...

AscensiĂ³n, como se puede ver, aunque ya no soy una bailarina de cabaret, que todavĂ­a no han cambiado:). Gracias por aceptarme por lo que soy y el lado loco de mĂ­. :):)

Todos ustedes me han hecho tan a gusto que estoy ahora publicar fotos de mĂ­ mismo. Yo no lo puedo creer en algĂºn momento !!!!!!

abrazossssssssssss y besossssssss

Sans! said...

Eres tan dulce, Rosamagarita! :):) ¿CĂ³mo te las arreglas para hacer una inseguridad sobre una habilidad (ganchillo) suena como algo bueno? :):)

Gracias por estar aquĂ­, querida Rosa:)

I am extremely moved by your comment :)

abrazosssssssssss

Sans! said...

Cindy :) every time I spring clean, I become a little intro and retrospective ..teehee! I can't believe that there are still some nooks and corners you haven't seen even though you have been here so many times! :). That goes to show how polite you are!

Just saw that your incredible mini piped cookies were featured in Team Mids and Betsy Niederer's article. Soooooooooooo proud of you, babe!

Sans! said...

Marion, I remembered now that I was in a mixed primary school with both boys and girls and yes, the most difficult part about playing a boy when you were an 11 year old girl was the embarrassment! And you know how boys could be , they were not polite about their laughter at what they thought was a ridiculous attempt by us to look, act and dance like boys! Why my teacher didn't pick real boys then baffle me. But maybe in those days, it was unthinkable that boys should dance?

Sans! said...

Divya, would you believe that that travelling trunk is a paper cardboard stool? I have another one of books so the stool looked like piles of books stacked and placed in a corner :).

And yes, that's a 500 BC bag. :) Did I tell you I have another one full of Hindi cursed words? I was told since I can't read Hindi. :)

Sans! said...

What happened next, Natalia is that now I am absolutely passionate about minis :). I found out in the last 2 years that I have skills I never dreamed I had . Yet, I still can't really do simple things nicely like wrap a presents or tie a ribbon or sew neatly. :)

Sans! said...

I have just gone to your wonderful post, Piiko , on my ribbons. Thank you!

Sorry I couldn't read it earlier, I was convalescing but it's nothing serious :).

Sans! said...

Ana!!!!!! I really hope you do. I think this community of ours have been so dear to me, that I am prepared to share a little more of me everyday and I will absolutely love it if I can read more about you :).

Sans! said...

Carol, will you show your mini burlesque boudoir? :):) It's so good to see you here :).

BiWuBär said...

Hi Sans,

finally I did it... I've visited and joined your beautiful blog. Don't know why I didn't do it before, purely crazyness, I think... I've seen so many comments from you and referring from close blog-friends to you that I really had to become a follower. If you like to visit me some day, you can find me on http://biwubaer.blogspot.com/

Greetings from Germany
Birgit

Norma Soulet (AZArtist) said...

Hi Sans,

This is my first time to your blog and I love everything i have seen so far! My friend, Ascension from Spain told me all about your blog. :) I love your little corner and all the great and lovely treasures you have in there. I can imagine it is like stepping into your own private world when you are there. I love my studio too. It is great to surround ourselves with things that make us happy. :)

Please visit my blog whn you get a chance and leave a comment. :)
Thanks and hugs

Sans! said...

Awwwww Birgit, I like you already!!!! :):) Felt like you have been here for a while cos you are so candid :).

My internet connection is being temperamental again so I couldn't surf much today. But you know I will visit you with every new post and we will be like old pals in no time..haha!

Sans! said...

I am so happy both you and Birgit leave your blog addresses for me, Norma. So nice to pop over to your blog and saw that pretty mask you doodled. You must have a really fascinating studio. Will you show it one day? I love visiting studios but beware, it may take me a while to leave :).

Talk to you soon :)

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