Today we’d like to introduce you to Bubble Bordeaux.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
While I express myself in many ways, the ones that have always been predominate are dance and writing.
I’ve been dancing since I was small, and my parents put me in classes as soon as the local dance school would allow (I was 5). I trained in ballet, tap, and jazz until I was 14 both in Warner Robins (Ga) and Okinawa, Japan as my military family moved around the world.
When I was really young, I always wanted to be a ballerina, but then I hit puberty and had substantial assets in both my chest and hip regions. So I figured I might find another path in dance with a form more welcoming of my new body type.
I found myself with few performance opportunities in college and beyond, but also found myself to be a confident fat woman (Yes, I identify as fat. And beautiful. And those are in no way mutually exclusive.) in a world that constantly wanted to remind me I shouldn’t be confident or happy or even just at peace with my body.
Not too long after I moved to Atlanta, I attended my first burlesque show and loved seeing performers of all shapes and sizes be celebrated, and just knew I had to learn more. A few years later I graduated from The Atlanta School of Burlesque and began finding my voice celebrating my body in both solo and group numbers. And I’ve been pursuing a journey of unapologetic fat femme burlesque art ever since!
Please tell us about your art.
I believe it is so important to curate visual diets (the things we see or visually consume) that are inclusive and encompass all different kinds of bodies. Because every person who has a body has at one time or another struggled with it. And all bodies are valid and deserving of acceptance and respect.
I strive to send that message as well as challenge people’s notions of fatness in my art through burlesque, modeling and other photos I post on social media, through the body positive classes I’ve developed, and through any other medium, I can. I’ve written articles for Cora, and I think videos may be the next thing I add to the mix. I’m just so passionate about helping people to see that all bodies are good bodies and that anyone can come to have a healthy, positive relationship with their body.
I am currently in the next phase of my unapologetic fat femme burlesque art journey by actually producing a burlesque show! I’m producing a show with my friend Oodles of Troodles in conjunction with our troupe, The Candybox Revue, called FATlanta: A Celebration of Plus-Sized Burlesque!
This is a passion project and a labor of love, and I am so excited to be bringing in fat burlesque babes of many genders, sizes, sexualities, shapes, colors, etc. The show will be March 24th at Smith’s Olde Bar, and our headliner is the incredible Lillian Bustle. FATlanta has been a dream for so long, and I’m so excited to be working on making it happen with Troodles and our CBR sparkle family. <3
What do you think about the conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
I think life has been getting more difficult for artists of all kinds over the past few years. We’re losing venues and rehearsal spaces, and as a society, we’ve de-prioritized the arts.
Without the music, dance, and theatre programs I had access to in school my education and development as an artist would have been so stunted. I think it’s important for cities to offer opportunities to make art feel accessible and important to people of all ages. I’m not exactly sure how to do that, or how to fund more communal physical spaces for artists to meet or work or collaborate. But I think it’s something that could only help and improve our communities.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People can check out my Instagram (@bubblebordeaux), facebook page, or my website (www.bubblebordeaux.com) to see fun photos (keep those visual diets inclusive, y’all!), links to events and upcoming shows, and even videos of my performances.
And right now you can check out the FATlanta: A Celebration of Plus-Sized Burlesque event on Facebook and Eventbrite, and if you’re going to be in town on March 24th consider buying yourself a ticket and supporting fun fat art! If you’re not local or not going to be in town but still want to support this incredible show, there is a ghost ticket option where you can donate the cost of a general admission ticket, too!
You can also check out the Facebook and Instagram pages for The CandyBox Revue to find out what shows we have coming up. You can also find me hanging out at Metropolitan Studios supporting an incredible local woman-owned business that celebrates sensual movement and is so body inclusive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bubblebordeaux.com/
- Email: bubblebordeaux@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bubblebordeaux/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bubblebordeaux/
Image Credit:
HM Photography
Burlesque Atlanta / Marc Turnley
Starrlight Images
Danielle Boise
Charles Bailey
Livi Rae Lingerie
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
