The Curve Is More Powerful Than The Sword

I have not really been interested in Burlesque, but have inevitably noticed that it has became more and more popular and is often also noted also in mainstream media.

Today I went to listen a lesson about the history of Burlesque at Arbis library and I am glad I did. This event was part of Nordic Culture Festival Ting.

Lesson was held by Bettie Blackheart "Queen Of The Firetassles", who is among the top Finnish burlesque performers and has been taught by the legendary Satans Angel, who was the originator of fire tassel twirling.

Bettie is the founder of the Finnish Institute of Burlesque (Suomen Burleski-instituutti) and has been one of the few people bringing this scene to Finland. Her lesson was catching with lots of history, theory and photoes of different styles and artists.

Bettie got me somewhat interested about the scene so the next thing I am going to do is to see the movie Tournee (On Tour) and then maybe go and see The Helsinki Burlesque Festival in March.

Etnoporr by America Vera-Zavala

As a part of the Nordic Culture Festival Ting, the Finnish version of the Swedish theatre play Etnoporr (Etnoporno) was played in The Finnish National Theatre in Helsinki.

The monologue is built around the question how does your ethnic background effect to your position and attitude by the society. How it is to be born in the Western country, living by the immigrant family's rules and trying to settle in the society.

The character Aisha wants to take part in Idols competition, but there are lots of obstacles due to her own and her family's background. On the side she also wants to do political and sexual revolution in the suburbs. Really strong performance by the actress Joanna Haartti.

The monologue is written by America Vera Zavala, who has immigrant background herself and is politically active in her home country Sweden. There is an article of her in latest Image magazine she describes herself as communist and tells how she brought Attac movement to Sweden.

Sweden has much longer background and experience in with immigration and therefore much more discussion, but this is valid topic also in today's Finland.