Once upon a gallery showing (Patreon)

Lili vonSchtupp (whose birthday is today) is the Godmother of Los Angeles Burlesque, working hard to bring attention to our dirty niche of the entertainment industry. When I got into burlesque in the summer of '07, I knew more about Seattle and New York burlesque than I knew about my own city's scene.

Lili created Monday Night Tease in late '06 from something that was called Tease at Threes. She had Scarlett Letter as a producing partner for a spell, and she had an incredible knack for bringing big ideas to the stage.

Lili wanted to do a gallery showing featuring live stage photos from Monday Night Tease. She asked a handful of us to perform at the gallery opening, and she said it was a private event so we didn't have to wear pasties. I stripped down to a heart-shaped patch over my vulva, fishnets, and dance shoes.

There were snacks and booze after the performances that evening, so I served fudge while mostly naked. I stayed away from the storefront windows so I wouldn't draw gawkers. This is an edited snapshot Chris Beyond took of me and Anastasia von Teaserhausen that evening, which was ten years ago today.

Being naked in a public space takes a lot of trust. I knew many of the people there, and they watched my back. I know that any of them would protect me from grabby hands.