Why I am no longer with the Columbus Burlesque Collective
Most people know me and the exceptionally "nice" person. Well that is going to change...drastically. I think I am so nice to people that they take advantage of it to the point where they feel they have the ability to treat however they please and I would bend over backwards for them. That time is over. Recently, I ended my connections with the Columbus Burlesque Collective. It was something that was in the making and the most recent events are the cherry on top of everything else that has happened. My "relationship" with burlesque has been a turbulent one, a relationship which has lasted just three years now. My first troupe experience the troupe leader was very emotionally and verbally abusive towards myself and other performers. The amount of harassment and verbal abuse/bullying (if you want to call it that) has been out of control for quite some time.
So now, I am a "coward" well I am going to explain how all of a sudden I am now a "coward" according to the Columbus Burlesque Collective.
One: They are blaming me for shows and the inability to get bookings at different venues other than the one monthly show. Yet, out of the almost 40 members of the Collective, I was the only one who stepped up and produced It's Boob Thirty for the past 6 months. I wasn't even asked if I wanted to do it, it was just plopped on me by Stephanie and Michelle. I only kept doing so because at the time I thought Stephanie and Michelle were friends and people I could look up to as performers and learn more about the business. I don't profess to be better than anyone when it comes to performing; I just wanted to learn what I could from people whom I thought were good at what they did. What people didn't see was members of the Collective literally sabotaging shows, refusing to help out, commit to perform then back out last minute. Most of them would even refuse to attend or promote the show if was producing it...out of spite. They are not mentioning the fact I put my OWN money...maybe over $600 worth or more into making flyers, keeping the site updated, spending my OWN money to advertise for their shows, all while working 12 plus hour shifts at a hospital. Not one single person from the Columbus Burlesque Collective offer help or support while I am putting my own time, effort and money into producing their show.
Two: The blog, "It's Not Always Glitter". I know most of them hate me because of that blog because it does in fact expose them for the horrible people they actually are. I do not know how anyone would believe that they are the "victims" knowing and seeing proof of all their actions and comments towards not only me but others as well.
Three: hypocrisy. The entire mission statement of the Columbus Burlesque Collective as since they are promoting support and love induced environment towards other burlesque performers. One of those is refusing to book Collective as a whole at certain venues because of what they promote and supposedly majority of their members being "banned". Well this upcoming weekend shows are being booked at the very foresaid venue and coming to find out that most of them have been in talks with the owners for quite some time.
This past July, was the breaking point. I asking several times "hey, we needed performers" and for almost a month one member knew and had performers and neglected to tell me. Her response was, "oh we were waiting to confirm " about the show. Now, I have been producing shows WAY before burlesque you do NOT go to a venue with no performers and try to produce the show only to back out later. It's looks unprofessional. What do they do? Of course, make drama out of it.
Any attempts of communication with most of the members of the Collective has been futile in that most of the responses are bitchy, snotty, rude and just unprofessional; honestly, I am glad to finally be rid of the Columbus Burlesque Collective. I was given advice some time ago and was advised that even if I wanted to continue performing burlesque to distance myself from the Collective and various other local performers. They are all so negative and stressful to the point where it is affecting my health is a bad way. The stress from them constantly harassing me, and my friends to the point where they no longer have social media accounts.
They're bitter because they are all aging and their burlesque careers are coming to an end. In fact beginning to wonder if they even had burlesque careers at all. They all have been asked not to return to most venues outside of Columbus, if anything most people and other performers complain to me about them, their egos and their unprofessionalism when dealing with shows. Why they act the way they do towards me will never understand, if anything I wish them some kind of peace in their lives. They're all angry and bitter maybe because their lives didn't turn out the way they had wished accept it deal with it.
People want to whine about this and that going on in their lives but recently two of my very close friends have been in the hospital and a family member is terminally ill with cancer. I am focusing on those close to me and my own life and making it better as well pursuing my own dreams...I am entitled to that too. Be adults, most of these women are pushing 50 if not 50 years old. Accept responsibilities for the actions for their own lives and just deal. I honestly feel sorry for them all, but I also refuse to allow them to keep me from being positive and giving my talents to others and trying to use that to empower women.
So now, I am a "coward" well I am going to explain how all of a sudden I am now a "coward" according to the Columbus Burlesque Collective.
One: They are blaming me for shows and the inability to get bookings at different venues other than the one monthly show. Yet, out of the almost 40 members of the Collective, I was the only one who stepped up and produced It's Boob Thirty for the past 6 months. I wasn't even asked if I wanted to do it, it was just plopped on me by Stephanie and Michelle. I only kept doing so because at the time I thought Stephanie and Michelle were friends and people I could look up to as performers and learn more about the business. I don't profess to be better than anyone when it comes to performing; I just wanted to learn what I could from people whom I thought were good at what they did. What people didn't see was members of the Collective literally sabotaging shows, refusing to help out, commit to perform then back out last minute. Most of them would even refuse to attend or promote the show if was producing it...out of spite. They are not mentioning the fact I put my OWN money...maybe over $600 worth or more into making flyers, keeping the site updated, spending my OWN money to advertise for their shows, all while working 12 plus hour shifts at a hospital. Not one single person from the Columbus Burlesque Collective offer help or support while I am putting my own time, effort and money into producing their show.
Two: The blog, "It's Not Always Glitter". I know most of them hate me because of that blog because it does in fact expose them for the horrible people they actually are. I do not know how anyone would believe that they are the "victims" knowing and seeing proof of all their actions and comments towards not only me but others as well.
Three: hypocrisy. The entire mission statement of the Columbus Burlesque Collective as since they are promoting support and love induced environment towards other burlesque performers. One of those is refusing to book Collective as a whole at certain venues because of what they promote and supposedly majority of their members being "banned". Well this upcoming weekend shows are being booked at the very foresaid venue and coming to find out that most of them have been in talks with the owners for quite some time.
This past July, was the breaking point. I asking several times "hey, we needed performers" and for almost a month one member knew and had performers and neglected to tell me. Her response was, "oh we were waiting to confirm " about the show. Now, I have been producing shows WAY before burlesque you do NOT go to a venue with no performers and try to produce the show only to back out later. It's looks unprofessional. What do they do? Of course, make drama out of it.
Any attempts of communication with most of the members of the Collective has been futile in that most of the responses are bitchy, snotty, rude and just unprofessional; honestly, I am glad to finally be rid of the Columbus Burlesque Collective. I was given advice some time ago and was advised that even if I wanted to continue performing burlesque to distance myself from the Collective and various other local performers. They are all so negative and stressful to the point where it is affecting my health is a bad way. The stress from them constantly harassing me, and my friends to the point where they no longer have social media accounts.
They're bitter because they are all aging and their burlesque careers are coming to an end. In fact beginning to wonder if they even had burlesque careers at all. They all have been asked not to return to most venues outside of Columbus, if anything most people and other performers complain to me about them, their egos and their unprofessionalism when dealing with shows. Why they act the way they do towards me will never understand, if anything I wish them some kind of peace in their lives. They're all angry and bitter maybe because their lives didn't turn out the way they had wished accept it deal with it.
People want to whine about this and that going on in their lives but recently two of my very close friends have been in the hospital and a family member is terminally ill with cancer. I am focusing on those close to me and my own life and making it better as well pursuing my own dreams...I am entitled to that too. Be adults, most of these women are pushing 50 if not 50 years old. Accept responsibilities for the actions for their own lives and just deal. I honestly feel sorry for them all, but I also refuse to allow them to keep me from being positive and giving my talents to others and trying to use that to empower women.
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