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The two-day festival will feature national and international burlesque performers, as well as local RVA favorites.
The RVA Burlesque Festival is dedicated to celebrating the art of burlesque. Striving to cultivate awareness while continuing the support of the thriving burlesque and performing arts community in Richmond, VA. The weekend of entertainment will promote the values of artistic expression, inclusivity, diversity, and empowerment.
The festival will be taking place at Dogtown Theatre (109 W 15th St), March 25th and 26th. Tickets for the performances are no longer available online you’ll have to show up at the door. Bring your masks because they’re required for all shows and workshops. Speaking of workshops they still appear as available on the website so if you’re interested check them out.
In 2017, Jacqueline Boxx became the first performer to ever compete in a wheelchair for a title at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender. Her mobility aids are as enticing as her activism, and she packs an aesthetic and emotional punch, whether she’s bringing classic tease, nerdlesque, or neo-burlesque to the stage. Her background before disability involved trapeze, circus, hooping, cabaret, theater, bellydance, swing dance, ballet, and numerous other kinds of performance art, including touring with The Dresden Dolls as part of their Brigade. Her mobility decreased gradually and these performance outlets lessened as well, until she burst back onto the stage in 2015 with a renewed feeling of partnership with her disabled body. She has headlined and been featured in burlesque festivals across the globe, including being invited onto the Burlesque Hall of Fame stage twice. Jacqueline has also taught workshops and lectured on panels about mindful movement and burlesque basics wherever she goes.
Her acts are all related in some way to her experiences with chronic pain and limited mobility, and she strives to bring attention through glamour and spectacle to disability. She is: Miss Disa-burly-TEASE!
Zyra Lee Vanity, also known as Toronto’s Urban Desire, is a multi award winning international burlesque entertainer based in Toronto, Canada. She’s performed at several festivals and cons throughout Canada, Central America and the USA, including the Las Vegas Burlesque Festival, Anime North, The New York Burlesque and Montreal Comic Con. In 2018 she won “Belle of the Ball” at the New Orleans Burlesque Festival and “Best Burlesque” at the Arizona Burlesque Festival. In 2019 she was crowned Panama Queen of Burlesque at the Panama Burlesque Festival and was a featured performer at the “Capital Burlesque Expo”.
Zyra Lee Vanity was voted as one of the top 10 burlesque figures in Canada via 21 Century Burlesque Magazine. She is known for both high energy as well as smooth, sharp & sensual burlesque routines. Her acts captivate and enchant crowds through her choice of various dance & movement styles as well as unique & beautiful costuming. Zyra Lee Vanity is also known for mixing Afro Caribbean culture with vintage burlesque glamour. A master of nerdlesque, classic and neoburlesque Zyra proves herself to be versatile in the art of tease.
She’s opened for notable burlesque figures such as Dita Von Teese at Northbound Leathers 25th Anniversary Show, and was a production collaborator for the 2018 Toronto Burlesque Festival. She’s been featured on Playboy Radio, Sex City Radio and was a keynote speaker at Catalyst Con West. She is also a member of Toronto’s “Les Femmes Fatales Women of Colour Burlesque Troupe” and the founder of “Lee Vanity Productions” a production company focused on hiring and producing burlesque shows for queer people of colour.
Richard Hayes is the co-founder of RVAHub. When he isn't rounding up neighborhood news, he's likely watching soccer or chasing down the latest and greatest board game.
“It is our desire to shine the full light of truth on this situation so that the full weight of justice may be brought to bear upon Pierce’s disgusting actions.” Rev. Aaron Houghton, Pastor, Forest Hill Presbyterian Church
Posted on the Forest Hill Presbyterian Church
To all the grieving, mourning hearts,
There is no more sacred trust than that which a parent gives to those who care for their children.
That is the sacred trust which has been tarnished by the heinous and atrocious actions of Martiko Pierce.
It is our desire to shine the full light of truth on this situation so that the full weight of justice may be brought to bear upon Pierce’s disgusting actions.
When the allegations were initially brought to the attention of the Child Care Committee and the Child Care Center leadership they were shocked and enraged. Pierce’s employment was immediately terminated and he was escorted from the premises by police. The Child Care Center Committee took the investigation seriously, knowing that their full participation with the detective in charge of this case was paramount to her pursuit of truth and that truth was integral to the ultimate enactment of justice. While the investigation was ongoing, Detective Mills asked the Child Care leadership and committee not to share details of the case with the public for the sake of the integrity of her investigation.
Please know your children’s safety and privacy have been the utmost concern of the leadership of the Child Care Center. The detective continually informed the Child Care leadership and committee that if she had reason to suspect a child may have been implicated in this case, she would contact their parents or guardians directly. This was an integral part of the investigation, but from the perspective of those families, not being contacted felt like radio silence, not like relief, not like respect, not like reassurance.
Now that charges have been filed, an arrest has been made, and the details of the investigation have been released to the press, the information that Child Care leadership is able to share feels like too little, too late. The investigation is still underway to see if there are more charges that need to be brought against Pierce. It remains the commitment of the Forest Hill Presbyterian Church Child Care Center to reveal the full truth so that justice may fully be enacted.
For many years and many families, the Child Care Center has been a vital extension of the ministry of Forest Hill Presbyterian Church, a mission of love established by former members whose children and grandchildren still worship in our pews. Pierce’s deplorable actions are not representative of this long standing ministry. It is appalling that his behavior, his choice, and his evil deed has become wrapped in the name of this congregation that has served this community with compassion and love for so long.
Please keep those directly affected in your prayers, and hold in the light of love all the families of the Child Care Center, its leadership, and the members of the Forest Hill Presbyterian Church congregation.
The sacred trust tarnished by Martiko Pierce may never be restored. But I do trust that there is healing for all of us, that we shall find the best way forward by doing the difficult work of attuning our hearts and minds to the will of God whose love insists upon justice, but also on the restoration of that which has been devastated by sin.
May God find us where we are, how we are, and guide us to what is good and healing.
Thank you, and may love lead your way to peace. Rev. Aaron Houghton, Pastor, Forest Hill Presbyterian Church
Summary of allegations that we know so far.
Big Bugs officially opened today and will be at Lewis Ginter until August 28th. The exhibit is included in your normal Lewis Ginter admission.
Bee and Flower – Materials used: black walnut, black locust, red cedar, and black walnut. All wood either deadwood or harvested sustainably. Size: Flower is 5ft 5 in in diameter and 9 feet tall.
Did you know that 75% of the earth’s flowering plants and over 70% of its food crops depend on pollinators to thrive? Think about a world without coffee and chocolate?! That’s pretty powerful! This summer, we are putting the spotlight on bugs and birds in a BIG way. Artist David Rogers’ Big Bugs: The Pollinatorsshowcases larger-than-life sculptures highlighting the importance of pollinators and preserving their habitats. Big Bugs is part of M&T Bank Pollinator Power which also includes Butterflies LIVE!
Visitors of all ages and abilities will explore the wonder and craftsmanship of these ten oversized pollinator sculptures created from combinations of found or fallen whole trees, willow limbs, twigs, branches and other forest material. Discover giant ladybugs on a branch, a 17-foot-long daddy longlegs, a giant dragonfly, a beautiful hummingbird and more!
Ladybugs on Branch – Materials used: red cedar, black walnut, and black locusts. Size: Ladybugs are 2.5 feet L, 2.5 W, and 2.5 Dia. The Sticke is 9 feet long and 34 inches wide
Humming Bird Flower – Materials used: rainbow popular, black walnut, red cedar, black locust Size: Hummingbird is 3.5 feet long and 3.5 feet wide Flower is 5 feet 3 inches wide (there are more flowers out of frame) and 8 feet 3 inches high.
Dragonfly Materials used: red cedar and willow Size: 17 feet long and 17 feet wide
Daddy Long Legs Materials Used: red cedar and willow, Size: 17 feet long, 17 feet wide, and 10 feet high
The artist David Rogers is a renaissance man. As a child, he was in the woods near his home in Long Island, New York exploring and building. Treehouses and fascination with insects of all sorts caught his interest pretty much like most kids that spend time out in nature. Traditional school wasn’t the right fit for David but hands-on learning certainly was the right fit.
Working for a boatbuilder, cabinetmaker, and rustic furniture maker gave him a foundation for all the works you’ll see at Lewis Ginter. Welding which he picked up in boatbuilding is crucial in building the supports for all the bugs. The largest at Lewis Ginter is 1,200 lbs of black locust. Wood alone would suffice for keeping such weight and unique form standing so skill learned many years ago came into play. Knowing the properties of wood and the finish required was a constant across all his previous “real jobs”. On pieces that have more curves such as Spider and Web and Bee and Beehive use willow which was a crucial ingredient in previous what he called “Victorian Rustic” earlier works. Big Bugs made their debut in Dallas in 1994. The works found their obvious niche in botanical gardens and soon after hit the road. Lewis Ginter Gardens was one of the first to appreciate the exhibit and they made their first appearance here in 1999. Since that start in Dallas the bugs have traveled all across the country and appeared in close to a 100 locations. As David told me, “You don’t have to have a lot of good ideas. All you need is one really good one.”
David loves every aspect of his work even the mundane task of driving a truck full of big bugs across the country for the next exhibit and it shows. He’s quick to smile, and laugh and enjoys talking about his work and the role that insects play. Giant insects could be something that inspires fear like a creature from a bad 70’s monster flick. These bugs with their warm tones, natural materials, and inviting setting instead give a feeling of creativity, curiosity, and exploration. You can check out more of David’s work on his website.
While we were there the last piece Spider and Web was going into place. David had help from his wife/assistant and several Lewis Ginter employees.
A close-up of the armature on the Spider Web. Other works have similar armature but this is a rare case of being able to see it directly. The willow you see has to be replaced about every three to 5 years.
Artist David Rodgers attaching two web halves.
The Spiderweb which is 12 feet by 12 feet is moved into position.
Knot tying skills come into play as the work was set into position.
We weren’t able to stay for the finishing touches you’ll have to head to Lewis Ginter and check that out on your own. Big Bugs will be in the gardens from Friday, May 27th to Sunday, August 28th. You can purchase tickets to Lewis Ginter here.
On May 20, 2022, the owner of a 2009 gray Honda Accord reported that their vehicle was stolen from the 900 block of West Broad Street (Virginia license VYB-3548).
VCU Police detectives reviewed VCU’s security camera footage and saw the individual below walking in the Broad Street corridor, near the intersection of Bowe and Broad Streets, prior to the theft.
Footage shows an unknown male stealing the vehicle at 12:36 p.m. that same day. At the time it was stolen, the vehicle was still running and unlocked, with the keys in the ignition. Police are still working to recover the vehicle.
Detectives are releasing photos of the individual in an attempt to identify them. Anonymous tips will be accepted.
Anyone with information pertaining to this incident can contact the VCU Police Department 24/7. For emergencies, call (804) 828-1234. For non-emergency tips, call (804) 828-1196. Students, faculty, staff and Richmond residents can download the free LiveSafe mobile safety app on a smartphone to submit tips, screenshots, photos and videos directly to VCU Police; tips are monitored 24/7. Tips can also be submitted to Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or on the P3 Tips mobile app.
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