Algonquin College’s Queer Student Alliance (QSA) is about to shake things up at the school — and that includes some booty. The QSA’s annual Pride Week — which, as the name suggests, is a mini Pride-style celebration — will include a burlesque show.
“Looking at the schedule for last year’s Pride Week, it was basically all workshops,” says Kayla Spag, one of the organizers of Pride Week and the QSA’s fundraising and events coordinator. “[This year] I just wanted to make it more fun and inviting.”
Burlesque performer Helvetica Bold was enlisted to organize the show. It is called, simply, Burlesque Show (don’t let the unimaginative title deter you). She says that with “a wonderful array of bodies, identities and talents” featured in the show, it will be an example of “empowering, feminist, queer-positive and body-positive burlesque.”
Bold says the “incomparable powerhouse” Saffron St James will host the show, and it will include performances by Kitty Kin Evil, Master Cameron Eric Leon, Don Jovi, Sorry Sinatra, Mimi Violette, Betty Bright Eyes and Bold herself.
In the same laid-back vein, Pride Week will also include a social and game night, when folks can enjoy board and video games and snacks. There’s also a fair with representatives from community organizations on hand to answer questions.
This isn’t to say there aren’t workshops and panels as well, but Spag says this year’s offerings are on unintimidating subjects that a lot of people might want to know more about. They include a trans Ppanel; a bisexuality, polysexuality and pansexuality workshop; and an asexuality and mental health panel.
All Pride Week events are open to the general public, and Spag hopes that a variety of people will come out to learn and experience something new.
Pride Week
Monday, March 21–Thursday, March 24, 2016
Algonquin College, 1385 Woodroffe Ave, Ottawa
algonquinqsa.com
(Editor’s Note, March 22, 2016: A previous version of this story appeared with a photo of Rhapsody Blue, incorrectly identified as Helvetica Bold.)
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