Meet Candida Valentina of Queerly Beloved Revue

Today we’d like to introduce you to Candida Valentina.

Candida, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Dancing had always been a passion of mine but in 2008 it morphed into something different when I was approached by a go-go dancer at a club asking if I wanted to have my own gogo slot, I did that for a little over a year. After taking a hiatus from dancing, I moved to Atlanta in 2015 and simply just felt something was missing in my life, and that was performing. I did what I could and worked my way into the ATL burlesque scene and that’s when everything changed. I performed at various venues and with different productions and troupes, but I longed for something more. I longed for a space in which all LGBTQIA performers could showcase their talents for all to enjoy. This is what gave birth to Queerly Beloved Revue. After pitching my idea of an all-inclusive Queer variety show, we found a monthly, now weekly home at My Sister’s Room and occasional themed shows at Red Light Cafe which would include Drag Queens, Drag Kings, Singers, Burlesquers, cirque performers, Belly Dancers, Poets and so much more.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not, much like anything in life, you have to fight for it, both good and bad. Being new to Atlanta, trying to make my way into an established scene wasn’t always fun or easy. I sent out inquiries and applied to many castings only to be turned down or just flat out ignored, but that didn’t hinder my desire to keep moving forward. Luckily after some time, I was able to cross paths with some pretty amazing people and that opened one door which would eventually open another. When I finally found the courage to embark on my Queerly Beloved Revue journey, the challenges shifted a bit and we had to overcome skeptics. Even now after many successful shows, some critics still remain. However, I’ll continue to fight the fight that all Queer is valid and that the “policing” of the term needs to stop.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Queerly Beloved Revue – what should we know?
Queerly Beloved Revue is a production that seeks to include any and all performers of the LGBTQIA community. We are known for having a diverse cast of performers that can dazzle you with their singing abilities, their poetic pose or flair for amazing performance abilities. We’re proud to be Queer and to work to have representation from every aspect of our vast and amazing community. We’re not a burlesque show or a drag show, we’re a Queer show looking to show everyone how talented and diverse we truly are.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think the most important quality that all of our performers collectively share is enthusiasm for their craft. Whether it be a drag performance or an unbelievable cirque routine, each performer oozes a sense of confidence in their craft which makes for an extremely entertaining show

Contact Info:

• Website: www.candidavalentina.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/queerlybelovedrevue
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/queerlybelovedrevue
• Twitter: www.facebook.com/candidavalentinaofficial
• Other: www.instagram.com/candidavalentinaofficial

Image Credit:
Julie Hunter – Naturally Boudoir, Charles Bailey – CB Photos

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