By Doug Gray, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – Friday, August 6th sees a break from the norm for Rio nightlife as burlesque hits the city in the form of American dancer Siren Stiletto. Since the cabaret club in the port region of Centro closed its doors several years ago there has been a large glitzy, glamorous hole in the entertainment calendar for most of the year, which this week is addressed by Stiletto, aka Maggie Scott’s, debut Rio show.
A performer from a young age, Scott sashayed around the house as a kid in high heels and silk scarves “until someone paid me attention.” Her desire to perform has only increased further since then, and where better to unleash it than in Rio, a city famous for its incredible annual display of costume and glamor.
“Nothing can compete with carnival,” she suggests, “but I see the carnival experience as a sign of what makes people happy. It is a gorgeous showing of creative costumes and the celebration of all the beautiful things in life, which are the same characteristics of burlesque or cabaret or variety shows.”
Scott has performed in venues across the world but is clearly excited at the prospect of a first Rio-based show this week. The list of cities runs from the glitz of Vegas (where she performed at the opening show of Miss Exotic World) to the understated style of London’s East End (where she won the prestigious Tournament of Tease), and her dream is to perform in every major city in the world. “Is that asking too much?” she asks with a glint in her eye.
Burlesque has again found its way into the mainstream in recent years via music videos by pop stars Rihanna and Christina Aguilera, and the high-profile artiste Dita Von Teese, who rose to fame on a sense of nostalgia for the glamor days of high society life in the early twentieth century that Scott undoubtedly shares.
“My idol is Dixie Evans, a chorus girl in the 1940s who recreated herself as a Burlesque performer and now runs Miss Exotic World. She is a vivacious woman in her 90s full of glittery stories about Frank Sinatra and the more glamorous days of entertainment. She is amazing.”
Glitter and glamor are undoubtedly the watchwords for Siren Stiletto’s shows, which bodes well for this Friday’s star turn at the Botafogo Social Club.
“The more Burlesque the better I think,” she concludes with unbounding enthusiasm. “Who doesn’t want to have a bit of glitter thrown into their lives? We need more glamor in everyday life. I adore it when the audience dresses up and becomes part of the show! Doesn’t wearing feathers make everyone more festive?”
Catch Siren Stiletto on Friday August 6th, 2010
Botafogo Social Club
Rua Martins Fereira 48, Botafogo – 9PM
Tel: (21) 2527-4044