Wanting to start her own burlesque troupe, Cates started with Craigslist her quest to make an indelible mark on the Denver burlesque scene.
After bouncing around different parts of Colorado, including a stint with the Girlie Show in Fort Collins, Cates (known on stage as Lucy Britches) settled with her boyfriend in Denver and got started. Using Craigslist as a jumping-off point, she put out an ad asking for not only dancers, but everything else a good burlesque show requires.
"I'm looking for a variety of all different sizes, looks, types," says Cates. "I am also looking for drag kings/queens, and maybe even to try to team up with some boylesque. I think the more variety the better. I've even had responses from comedians, jugglers and magicians, so as many interesting things as I can find.
"I had a total of 20 responses, fifteen from girls, so its just a matter of how many will actually show up for my auditions," Cates finishes.
As far as the actual content of the show, Cates wants her history with dance to be a central component of the show and its troupe members. "I want my show to focus on choreography -- maybe not a requirement for all dancers, but at least a core of people that can learn dance pieces within the show," she says. And for those who lack that background, Cates says, she also wants to educate, teaching a burlesque class to "help people with their confidence."
It's worked, after all, for Cates. If there is one thing that she has taken away from her experience with burlesque, she says, it's this: "I love the response i get from people, and the lingerie is nice of course. It's been been a nice way for me to tap into my creativity and the performances reach people in a way i didn't expect."
Cates is currently seeking performers and aspires to get out there with her new troupe as soon as possible. If you are interested in contacting her for how to join, you can reach her by email.
