Behind the Sparkle: Once Upon A Time, A Fairytale-Inspired Neo-Burlesque Act
Once Upon A Time is my newest neo-burlesque act, crafted from fantasy, female power, and a giant wearable book. Using performance art, costume creation, and storytelling, my fairytale-inspired routine explores sensuality, self-expression, and the magic of transformation. This is not your childhood bedtime story. This is burlesque.
In the delicious liminal space between my work as a sex coach, yoga teacher and women’s empowerment advocate, the concept of Courtesan has long been seducing me.
In the colourful professional and personal life that I lead, am I lucky enough? Bold enough? Let’s just say, I’ve got connections in places some people don’t. One of these places is a very well-respected adult play space that hosts elaborate themed kink parties… and I had some conversations with them about casting for a performer for an event.
The heroine’s journey in neo-burlesque form
The conversation led me into a delicious meander through the twisting paths of the concept of Once Upon A Time. What is this fairytale we’ve been spun, where is our heroine courtesan who exists for pleasure, by her rules and no one else’s? I felt like I was starting this journey in a thorny path and instantly, the Lana Del Rey version of Once Upon a Dream came to mind. Giving air of mystery. But I knew this was a complete story and it needed a beginning, a middle and an end.
The faintest twinklings of hope and the idea of a deep, male voice telling the tale of this maid who was told to be good.
Costume Creation: The Book as Stage
And ping, there it was. I say ping, but this thought process was half an hour as I drove to my dance class one Monday evening in January ‘25
The whole concept was a story so I knew I had to house the story in a book. And what if pleasure was the plot twist?
What if a woman could be the heroine because of her sensuality and not in spite of it?
As a perimenopausal woman myself, I knew my heroine was to peel back the layers of societal expectation to uncover what was rightfully hers all along and she would delight and revel unapologetically in the pleasures underneath!
The book must look like an old story book, the pages in graduating opacity - cotton, muslin, chiffon, then organza - to signify the peeling of the layers, eventually revealing a heavily rhinestoned and playfully coloured corset.
I knew so clearly how the costume should look and move….but it did not play ball. In fact, I was still at my sewing machine days before the debut and had a last minute change to the number of costume panels which served as pages.
So you could say I had some disasters with it!
Let me tell you, if you thought wearing a giant disco ball restricted your movement for dancing and performing, I can confirm a giant book does the same.
The Soundtrack of a Sensual Fairytale
The music itself takes you on the journey of the story, as does the communication of the character throughout. At each stage, conveying different emotions. I am a neo-burlesque performer in the UK and I sit more naturally with a slightly comedic or sassy style so the character development in the first two thirds was a little more challenging for me but I find it helpful to keep in mind a word or phrase that I want to communicate.
Stage Debut and Audience Reaction
In honesty, I felt nervous to debut this act because the venue and its members can appear intimidating, but I very quickly reminded myself that I am quite thorough with my casting information; they knew my lighthearted style of performance before they booked me - I instantly relaxed.
I should not have felt nervous – the audience in June 2025 responded wonderfully! Extremely welcoming and warm and they played along with all the engagement points! There is limited footage of the act, due to the privacy restrictions afforded to the club members but the feedback I received from the host was wonderful. I lifted the energy in a great way and served as a great ice-breaker and conversation starter for people who didn’t know one another well.
What’s Next for This Act?
As the fifth act in my portfolio, this act will evolve. I am already in planning stages of developing the costume for greater ease of movement and for more pronounced and deliberate audience engagement points. And I’m looking forward to seeing how it grows with me. I’m also keen to explore the idea of costumed meet & greets or walkabouts because I think that would work marvellously for conversations - even in corporate events.
Why I love it
One of the reasons I love my act, Once Upon A Time, is because it showcases my creative thinking and my ability to translate costume ideas into tangible, wearable pieces that not only look good and carry the important message that weaves through my work in empowerment, sexuality, and women’s pleasure.
I adore the under layer reveal because it makes me feel empowered and puffed up “look at me!!” And judging by the verbal feedback I had on the night, that’s what I successfully conveyed to the female audience members!
“Once Upon A Time” is perfect for immersive cabaret, kink events, or any stage craving a sensual, story-led performance with heart and humour. To book this act or enquire about custom appearances by Sasha le Swank, get in touch.
with sass & sparkles,
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