Interviewer: Laurie Kurutz
Interview Date: October 15, 2021
Location: Portland, Oregon; interview conducted over Zoom
Duration: 0:53:31
Hai Fleisch introduces herself as a Burlesque performer, producer, costumer and fabricator. She defines Burlesque as a performance art that incorporates elements of playful sexuality. Her style of Burlesque runs the gamut from Ziegfeld-style glamour to campy pop-art tributes. She shares that she was attracted to Burlesque for the autonomy of creating her own art. She likes the idea of transforming into a character or expressing a side of herself that isn’t normally seen.
She describes the Burlesque scene in Portland at that time as small but growing. She describes using MySpace as a social platform to develop her Burlesque contacts and network.
Fleisch remembers that the local alternative Portland press was antagonistic towards the Burlesque community in the 2000s. Because the strip club scene was so strong in Portland, there was some bit of rivalry between Burlesque and the stripping community. She reports that the rivalry has stopped and the Burlesque scene has grown and become more diversified.
Hai Fleisch details the pre-Covid business side of producing the Sign of the Beast Metalesque Festival: reviewing applications from performers, getting sponsors, negotiating contracts with venues, the marketing, and all the business aspects of being an event producer. She explains the organizational management of booking housing and travel arrangements for performers.
Fleisch describes how the Covid pandemic completely shut down the thriving live Burlesque shows in Portland, as some people pivoted to producing virtual shows. She shares being so impressed with the video productions some people made to continue their Burlesque performances. Hai goes on to explain the difficulties in being dependent on social media platforms to market your work.
Hai Fleisch strongly believes that the art form of Burlesque is empowering and confidence-building in teaching her how to organize, manage, and produce a large international Burlesque Festival. She celebrates the creative freedom of Burlesque and wishes the public would let go of their preconceived notions about it, and their judgment about it.
Dublin Core
Title
Description
She describes the Burlesque scene in Portland at that time as small but growing. She describes using MySpace as a social platform to develop her Burlesque contacts and network.
Fleisch remembers that the local alternative Portland press was antagonistic towards the Burlesque community in the 2000s. Because the strip club scene was so strong in Portland, there was some bit of rivalry between Burlesque and the stripping community. She reports that the rivalry has stopped and the Burlesque scene has grown and become more diversified.
Hai Fleisch details the pre-Covid business side of producing the Sign of the Beast Metalesque Festival: reviewing applications from performers, getting sponsors, negotiating contracts with venues, the marketing, and all the business aspects of being an event producer. She explains the organizational management of booking housing and travel arrangements for performers.
Fleisch describes how the Covid pandemic completely shut down the thriving live Burlesque shows in Portland, as some people pivoted to producing virtual shows. She shares being so impressed with the video productions some people made to continue their Burlesque performances. Hai goes on to explain the difficulties in being dependent on social media platforms to market your work.
Hai Fleisch strongly believes that the art form of Burlesque is empowering and confidence-building in teaching her how to organize, manage, and produce a large international Burlesque Festival. She celebrates the creative freedom of Burlesque and wishes the public would let go of their preconceived notions about it, and their judgment about it.