ABSTRACT
A woman in a twin set steps on the anonymous stage of a burlesque club. Her eyes are glued to the floor; the costume she was supposed to wear for her act has been lost in transport and, now, an air of despair hangs from her shoulders like a cape. And yet, as the bars of a deep, thumping blues spread across the hall, a startling piece of alchemy begins to unfold. With each note the woman’s subdued walk morphs into a slow, self-assured stride. Long, muscular limbs snap into action as if responding to a drill: feet pointing, legs stretching, hips rising and falling, shoulders rolling back. For a split second she stands with her back to the audience, head in profile, hands on hips, jaw jutting out. A blonde curl quivers before her blue eyes softening the gaze she trails over the audience.
