Innocent Ivy & Porter Starboard

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Interview Details

Date: Saturday July 25th 2026
Location: Burlington @Brio Coffeeworks
Length: 39:10
Episode Number: 72
Show Notes Link: vermonttalks.com/innocent-ivy-porter-starboard/
Short Link: vermonttalks.com/72

Transcript

What’s

Becca: new, 802? I’m Becca Hammond, and you’re listening to Vermont Talks. Vermont talks may include graphic or explicit content. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome. It’s the 72nd episode of Vermont Talks, and I’m here today with Innocent Ivy, the tease you are tempted to tangle it, who has been involved with Green Mountain Cabaret for almost 14 years, putting on high quality performances that highlight burlesque as a notable form of artistic expression.

Ivy’s dry draglesque, I love this word, counterpart. Porter Starboard Starboard has been hitting the stage and show coding for the last three years. On top of showing off their draglesque skills. Porter is also an MC in the greater Burlington area.

Both Ivy and Porter have made appearances throughout half of New England, bringing their burlesque, draglesque and art of aerial skills on the road with a welcome Ivy and Porter. Thank you. This is okay, draglesque. Dragles. Love this word. I feel like we need to immediately talk.

Ivy: It’s a very like upcoming word for sure. And that’s it’s not like it’s I’m pretty sure I’m not like the person who coined it or anything. I honestly just started applying lesque to drag because I started out doing burlesque like 14 years ago at this point. Um and uh like almost like the majority through my burlesque career. I’ve been debating, like, I’ve been doing some like drag, like dabbling and drag here and there. Like I did like a Freddy number, I did I did another like a military like men’s number, and I was like, maybe I should make like a drag persona. And I had actually uh I had talked amongst some of my performers, and and you know, when you crowdsource, you get mixed reviews of like, yeah, totally go for it, make a separate drag persona. Some people are like, oh, it’s gonna be a lot of work, like you’re gonna have to like manage both and I was like, I’m like, you know what? That can’t be too hard. And I’m I’ll guess that in a minute. Um but I finally was like, yeah, you know what?

I’m going to establish a drag persona. And that one is incredibly new. It’s only like Porter Starburn is only like three years old at this point. Um Ivy’s now 14. We’re getting somewhere.

Um yeah, no, it right now I’m I feel like I’m going to manage it at like a medium easy level. I have like both my personas together on Instagram, even though people are like, oh, you should do it separately because it can be confusing, which I understand, but at the time right now, it’s hard for me to like manage even just having like an extra like persona to do on Instagram and then doing work life and everything else.

Becca: It’s splitting. Your whole life in two on Instagram is so painful.

Ivy: It’s So much to manage.

Becca: Right. Like you’re you’re a human. You’re allowed to have multiple. You can do whatever you want to be, right?

Ivy: You don’t have to content bucket your whole life. Exactly. It becomes, it just becomes like too much. So, and plus right now, like Ivy and Porter are doing like just enough where it’s okay to have like one profile for both of them. So this is so cool. Okay.

Becca: I think I think Alexis Stential Crisis might have mentioned your MC work and just helping organize because there’s so many events for one. Ed keeping them going in a fun way, like that MC job is so important at those events.

Ivy: Oh my gosh. There can be like I I was actually listening to the episode with Lexus, and I was like, I’m like, yeah, there is a lot that goes into being MC. Like you have to make sure, like, especially if you’re the one like producing and managing the show, you have to make sure that people get their tech sheets into you on time. You have to make sure you have their music and you have to have the music ready to go for whoever’s doing the music.

Right. Um, and you basically have to, like, for me, like the shows that I’ve been em seeing, I’ve had to make sure that on top of like just em scene and being like distracting the audience while the next performer is getting ready. The other thing is like I have to assume that the next performer is ready. I can’t really go back to the like, are you are you good to go over there?

Becca: Like, right. You can’t really be doing that stage managing.

Ivy: I literally need like some sort of like visual, like from like the performer and be like, hey, hey, or or like uh from like or the stage hand even, the stage hand be like, we’re good to go, you know.

Becca: Oh, and the MC just sets the like tone of the thing. Right, of the entire event.

Ivy: And if you’re having a good time, you’re making the jokes, and it’s just

Becca: it that kind of like bubbly experience. Every time I’ve seen a drag choice. it’s just It’s just fun and joyful and bubbly. But that’s that’s it. The MC sets that.

Ivy: And M scene is like, it’s still like pretty brand new to me. This is like my oh goodness. I’ve only like MC’d a few times at this point. Um, but it’s pretty brand new to me. Like where I went through my first like experience of ending up laughing at myself with the audience, which felt so good. It’s wonderful when you could share like experience with them. Like they’re laughing at something you said, and you’re like, yeah, that was ridiculous, wasn’t it? Let’s laugh together about it. Right.

Becca: Well, that’s it. It’s all just joy and fun. Right. But it you know, I love drawing shows so much, but uh so I kind of want to touch base on Green Mountain Cabaret because Green Mountain Cabaret is a serious, like this is more serious than I could ever have. Like seems so much fun, but for me, I I am not like a dancer, and Green Mountain Cabaret seems like a real serious dance group.

Ivy: Yeah. So for a while we were a troupe, and then uh recently we became a collective. So we’re in currently in the business of like, hey, we’re gonna list out some shows, and our crew, like our current crew that we have will be scheduled for each whatever show that we have going on, and then um we’ll pull in some guest performers too. Um kind of back in our troop days, we would have literally group numbers for every single show that we had, and for a while we had one like a show like once a month, which was like really intense when you’re putting out new numbers like constantly.

Becca: Yes, yeah, choreography and coordinating choreography.

Ivy: It can be like overkill, because then you also have to make sure everyone can like attend that rehearsal before the show, and and like the rule used to be really strict, it had to be like you couldn’t miss any rehearsal for that show.

Um obviously things have like changed over time. Um But if we ever do have a group number, what happens now is we’ll say, okay, who is available for this show? Are you able to attend these days for rehearsal? It would be really helpful to have everybody.

Becca: Um that’s nice, yeah. Right. So yes, because they’re there’s such serious Vermont’s kind of isolated. We don’t have dance like they have in the bigger cities like New York, because it’s really interesting to learn about those groups and how extremely competitive they are and like their entire life is just dancing for those events, which is absolutely amazing. It’s it’s impressive artistry, and it’s hard to know where the lines when to come in and what it actually works.

Ivy: Even coming in as an artist, like uh, you know, you could have like a couple years of experience and be like, okay, like and and it’s really more about like having the confidence to sell. Like, it’s like, okay, I’ve only been doing this for like two years, but like look how amazing I am.

And everyone’s like, oh wow, yes, amazing. Or you could be doing this for like, say, 14 years, and depending on like the confidence level, like it’s it’s it’s about being able to present what you have for a brand. Showman.

Becca: Yes, it’s the showmanship. Because that’s it, you don’t need a lot of experience if you can fake it.

Ivy: Exactly. The whole fake it till you make it there.

Becca: Fake until you make it, not too disregarding. Because that’s their serious dance. I kind of want to just talk about burlesque and dreadless. Yeah, yeah. a whole Because the dance is this is kind of traditional.

Ivy: This isn’t really it’s so like Green Mount Cabaret is very like neo-burlesque. Like, I think a lot of what we started out from came from learning about like classic burlesque and neo-burlesque is bringing it into like the new age. Like burlesque used to kind of be about like, oh, well, we’re gonna be like taking our clothes off, and then it Green Mountain Cabaret became about like, oh, well, what’s the storyline? Like, why why are we taking our clothes off? Like, like, like, oh, oh, oh, I’m like out in space, and and this thing is is attacking me, and the only way to break free is to take this thing off. Like beautiful, right?

Becca: It just it develops the whole plot.

Ivy: Exactly. And like It’s a sense. But now we’re also back to like, hey, like, you know, we don’t need like a sort of a storyline is nice. That’s just just a bonus feature at this point, which makes it extra special.

Becca: Right.

Ivy: Um memorable too in some ways. Right, exactly. If there’s a plot, when you have when there’s a plot, you’re like, oh, this is feeding so well.

Becca: Nice. So it elements of uh uh actual acting are coming in.

Ivy: Yeah, interesting. That’s really cool. Which is it’s really funny because like I actually didn’t do a whole lot of acting. Like I’ve I’ve done dance my whole life. Like I did eight years of ballet.

Wow. Um, I yeah, that was uh that there was so much that was like literally what my dance world was based around for a while, and then I did like four years of cheerleading. So two very like intense kind of dance sessions where you’re like, oh, you have to have your body formed this way, you have to have your chest upright, chuck your butt in, and look like the most thinnest perfect angel in the entire world.

Becca: And coordinate it at the

Ivy: exact same time is at the exact same time. Make sure you can move your muscles while you’re incredibly tense. Like okay. neat, I love that. Um, but then like, you know, I got I studied like some hip hop, some tap, um, and then like you know, taking like Ariel silks, and what was great about burlesque was like I learned that everything could just be loose. You didn’t have to have you have to have like the tucked butt, you don’t have to have like yes, chest up to like do like your little shimmies, right? Um but like it’s not like you have to have your body, you can like I mean, obviously you’re not gonna like perform hunched over. Right.

You’re not gonna like, but at the same time, like literally it’s whatever the form you wanted it to be is like if you’re performing a character where you where they’re like, oh, life is so hard, we’re hunched over, this is why this is happening. That makes sense. So it’s good to have that. That’s really interesting. It’s an open art form, which is fantastic.

Becca: I don’t see that said I’m not a dancer, so it’s it’s interesting to think about the the nuances of that and how specific you have to place everything in certain times of forms of dance.

Ivy: It’s it’s funny because like I like taking those eight years of LA, I was all about choreo things having to be on the one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. I was very like everything is mechanical.

Becca: Um then, but that makes sense in the way it’s taught, and like that art form does make a lot of sense like that, but that’s a

Ivy: it’s

Becca: right, but it’s a separate art form. Yeah, it’s exactly. when it’s yeah, when it’s burlesque, everything is very like loosey-goosey, and I had to learn about like fluidity, like I mean like refluidity and ballet, but at the same time, everything

Ivy: every teacher that I had felt like it was like, okay, arm here on one, arm up on two, arm down on three, like which became very overwhelming very quickly.

Becca: Yeah, yeah. That makes sense.

Ivy: So being able to be like when we’d like run numbers by each other in remote cabaret, everyone would be like, oh, like the musicality is amazing. And I’m like, what’s that? Musicality. Like moving to more than just the beat of the song. Okay, let’s go.

Becca: Yep, that makes sense. Let’s yeah, I can see that with ballet because ballet it’s so structured, it’s almost like reading sheet music. Exactly. The way that it’s segmented.

Ivy: Right, right. It’s almost it to me, it’s like it’s like you would take like marching band music, and that’s ballet. Yeah.

Becca: Like, yeah, no, I took I definitely see it especially, yeah, it’s the way they count. Right. Yes. Yes. Because there’s no like half. I’ve never heard of a dancer doing it on like the half beat.

Ivy: Yeah, exactly. Hard same, hard same. My experience of ballet has not been like, oh, half beat here, and like kind of just make it up from here. Like, I’ve had all my teachers have been like really strict about where everything is, when Right, right.

Becca: Which they’re teaching. I I totally get that. Dance is so cool. There’s there’s I feel like I went through that period of like dance is the coolest thing ever when I was like 14 or 15 in Berkshire, Vermont.

Ivy: Oh, that’s valid. Right, where I’m like, wow, I can watch these movies. Yeah, exactly. And I’ll attempt to dance with them. But that was you know, that’s kind of like my exposure. Yeah, it’s fascinating. There’s so much to it. There’s so many types of dance and how serious people get.

Becca: Literally, like in in burlesque today, like for like new burlesque, you can literally incorporate like any of those like dance art forms into whatever it is you’re doing. Right.

Becca: Which is so fantastic about it. Spicy, the spice of life. Exactly. So aerial okay, tell me about the aerial silks. Aerial silks, because I think I know they’re they’re very long silks hanging from the ceiling, right? Yes, yes. Okay.

Ivy: Um, okay, so I started that. I guess I have to say all the way back in pandemic.

Becca: Um Yes, we’re six years in now. every time. Um I started that back then, and because I’d been wanting, I I actually like when my friends got me into aerial, and I was like, I’m like, okay, like I’ll give this a try. And we had this like thing called like aerial bar where it was on like a uh okay, what it’s called a sling. So instead of the full silk hanging down, the other half of the silk is like kind of tied up to the top of it, so you have this kind of like little hammock thing. Yeah, but you’re doing all these like exercises for like your core, and I was like, okay, this is fantastic, like core workout right here. But also, I want to learn how to do the fancy, like, look at the shape that I just built on a silk. Um, and I took that, started taking those classes, and um I’ve I actually actually had to like take a break for a little bit just because like money things are expensive. Yes, they are. Um and then I finally started going back again. And where did you say taking? Oh uh, so it’s at murmurations on Flynn.

Becca: Oh, cool. Okay. So that’s it. I’m outside of this community. So I did I know that they put on dance numbers. Yeah. You know, the flame will do dance numbers. Oh, absolutely. But it’s not like as big, I don’t know. I don’t hear about them this too much.

Ivy: So I love figure where you’re doing it. There’s literally like there’s there’s silk set murmurations. There’s also silks at lines as well. But lines. Okay, cool. So like every like I actually just started like booking like just single practice sessions with with bread rum.

Um at lines, so as I can at least practice what I’ve learned in class at murmurations. Um and I’m glad that I’ve gone back because going on these silks again, it’s like riding a bike all over again. Like muscle memory is a very real thing. Yeah, thankfully. Yeah. Like I started doing clients, and I was like, I do remember this.

Becca: Okay, when did you get into burlesque and drag?

Ivy: Uh so I got into burlesque 14 years ago.

Becca: Um, and can I expand a little bit on my question? Because I’m realizing I’m lacking depth. Like when in terms of like in your life. Uh yeah, like were you was this like a college thing? And not to cry too hard.

Ivy: I just totally fill this in easily. I I’ve got all the other loaded things that I wanted to add on to this too. Um so I this was like maybe a little bit just out of college. Okay. Um great time to get in the store. Right? That’s great time to do it. Not worried about having to go to classes or anything. Yes. Got the whole world ahead of you.

Becca: It’s like free, but like these are the first years that you’re free to like do what you want.

Ivy: To be honest, I’m definitely someone who’s like very comfortable with my body. Like, I don’t even know. I just like I had running jokes even in college that like um I had running jokes about me being like a nudist in college. So I was like, I’m like, well, you know what? Burlesque, this only makes sense. Let’s just do it.

Becca: And Jason.

Ivy: And the only reason like I got into it was because like my sister um was like, she’s like, hey, like my friends organizing this was Alexa Luthor who started Cream Mount Cabaret. She’s nice. Um my friend is starting this cabaret troupe. Um and I was thinking we could try out for it together. So my sister and I tried out singing science fiction double feature. Like she played it and like harmonized with me while I sang and stripped at the same time. Nice. Um yeah, and then family.

Becca: It was pretty fantastic. Um and then from there, like I I became like I didn’t get to be a sugar shaker right off. I actually started off as a stage cat. That makes sense.

Becca: See, that I have heard I asked some of my friends about about this whole concept. So I’m like, I don’t know enough about this. Like, do you guys know anything about it? And one of my friends said Green Mountain Cabaret used to be very strict and organized.

Ivy: Yeah, you had to try out, but

Ivy: you Yeah, we had like format and everything.

Becca: Right, very super serious. So that makes sense. So you kind of came in and just started helping out.

Ivy: Exactly. Yeah, so like some of us would like start out as sugar shakers, and then some of us would start out as stage hands, and then like as time went on, like you graduate to becoming a sugar shaker.

Becca: I love the term sugar shaker. I’ve never thought of that, but that’s adorable.

Ivy: I know. I think I was really smart. Like, because I I feel like

Becca: there’s other cutesy names that have been applied to some of these very serious dance streets. Right. I don’t know what that means. Like as an outside observer, you’re like, that’s just adorable. Like, what is you’re a you’re a sugar shaker? What is that? That’s a serious title.

Porter: That’s a badge of honor to be a sugar shaker.

Ivy: Yes. Very I mean, to me it is for sure. It took me like a while to earn it.

Becca: So like it’s earned. So, yeah, you put in the work and you put in the time. Exactly. That respect. I think that’s so impressive. I love watching anything synchronized anyway. So absolutely. So cool. So cool to me that this, I love that this is in Vermont. That’s what I guess.

Ivy: Yeah, so it’s nice to have these. And like honestly, like, even for like stage cats, you can either be like stage cat, stage Tom, just stage hand, like literally any any term is pretty much there. That’s awesome. And okay.

Becca: there’s so many questions I want to ask, but I want to keep it flowing.

Ivy: I got you. I got you.

Becca: The, I get This name perfect here. Porter starboard. Yes. You had mentioned that you kind of wanted you you split at this point. Yeah. It’s going to be its own persona. Yeah. Let’s talk about Porter Starboard a little bit. Okay.

Ivy: So when I finally decided that I needed to come up with a drag persona, I was like, I’m like, okay, like what what am I gonna do? And I came up with like three possible names. One of them was like, I’m like, okay, well, like, should I make it related to my burlesque persona? Should I do like a Vinny Vines? I’m like, oh, gross.

No. But but like I even like I put Vinny Vines and like Porter Starbird and like one other name out on like to my troop to be like, hey, I’m trying to figure out what I want to do for a drag name. Like, what do people like?

And most people like Porter Starboard. And I currently have my own boat right now, and I’m very into like nautical things. Like awesome. Um so I was like, I’m like, you know what? I feel like Porter Starboard would be like more appropriate anyway.

Porter: So it feels like such a it reminds me of David Bowie for some reason, and I don’t really know why exactly.

Ivy: I guess I can see that. It’s kind of like not like Starman, but like um uh uh oh my god, why can I not think of this? Um like like major tom, like and like the ship. spaceship.

Becca: It reminded me of like nautical, but also like not someone.

Ivy: Right, like right sailing through space.

Ivy: Yes, exactly.

Becca: Modern modern sailing. Exactly. Exactly, modern sailing, basically. No, we’re all sounds. Yeah, exactly. At this point, we’re all sailors through space. Oh, that’s so funny. Okay, so when you’re being Porter Starbucks, I never know how to refer to this.

Ivy: Like, so I apologize about the naming wrong. Um Porter Star, like you say, I I will like lose it out like I’m like Porter Starboard, and like star, you know how to say starboard. Like, I it’s it’s it’s a play on like port or starboard, like the boat term.

Becca: So yeah. Do you do are you doing both personas in the same night?

Ivy: Or is it one event? Oh, hell no. Okay, because I literally had like one person, so I I sometimes what I’ll do for like Pride events is numbers like separately, like one for Ivy and then one for Porter. And I had one time where one of the Pride events was like, Oh, oh, we’ll take like both your Ivy and both your Porter for the show. And I was like, I’m like, do you do you know how impossible? I mean, it’s doable, but it’s really more impossible because um getting into Porter takes like two hours, maybe an hour and a half if I rush it. Um that means getting out of like Ivy makeup, putting on fresh makeup for like Porter all over again. Yeah, that that takes there’s no way in 20 minutes I can switch from one to the other.

Becca: That’s kind of what I assumed, but I wanted to double check.

Ivy: Well, because like I also do like facial hair for Porter, and and like glues involved in that, and and I had literally there was like one Pride event the other year. I like my friend came down with me. Thank God she was with me, because otherwise I feel like I would have been moving slow. Um, but she came down with me, and we were like, I was like rushing makeup, and she was trying to be helpful, and at one point I went to get the glue out to like put my beard on, and it spilled everywhere. So we both were like trying to clean up the glue that had spilled all over the station. And this is like really sticky stuff. This isn’t just like your average like Elmer’s glue, like, nah, this is like hardcore, like you put your fingers together, and you’re gonna have to like move them apart to get unstuck.

Um it was a nightmare, and we were both like in the bathroom just doing this as hard as we could, like rubbing our hands together, like oh, it was it was awful.

Becca: There’s so much that goes into like I I know I talked about it with like Sistential Christ, but there’s so much goes into drag and doing it well, like you can have ass drag. You can.

Ivy: You can’t even if that’s what you want to do, but it’s also not as impressive on stage when it’s all about showmanship and just and putting on that show, right? Um So there’s a lot of work going into this. Yeah, um, along those like lines. Uh so one of this this drag thing that I follow is it’s called King Key. Um he does this whole thing about how all drag is valid, but like not all dragons, like bookable. So it’s about like if you really want your drag to be bookable, it’s about elevating and practicing and dedicating the time to put it together for for the showmanship.

Becca: There’s such a wow effect so often. And those are those are the performers you remember, right?

Ivy: When you walk out and you’re just like, oh, yeah.

Becca: Like this person is serious about this because Oh, absolutely.

Becca: Oh my god, I love like secret doubts.

Ivy: And the drag queen is. And it’s all about like it’s all about like how do you make the audience feel with your numbers. Um I I did in my Porter persona, I did this number to um the song’s called Doctor by Treslo. And the song is about like feeling suicidal, essentially.

So like I put out a content warning beforehand, because kind of gotta. Um, and when I did that number for the first time, uh uh like my friend like Dominique Ganju was like, oh my god, that number was so touching. Wow. And like other people came up to me and were like, oh my gosh, like that number really like felt for me. And and so it’s it’s about the effect that you have on your audience.

Becca: Oh yeah, because it’s it’s a show, but it’s also an art form. Your storytelling, like this is it’s serious. Yes. Yeah. That’s it. There’s a lot to it. It’s right. Something people slap together.

Ivy: Yeah, and and like not every number has to be like pow pow dance flip tricks. Like it, it’s it’s about like literally taking the space and like holding your space. Like you, like you can literally kind of just stand and hold still and people will be like, this is intentional. And I don’t know what it means, but this something is happening, even though they’re standing still right now. Something’s happening. Right.

Becca: Right, because it’s it’s thought out. It’s not I don’t know. I’ve I mean you could do it with no choreography at the plan. But I just don’t think it would have the same thing. There’s effect on the audience that and and that’s the thing is I’ve never been to a show where they clearly had choreographer everything.

Ivy: I I don’t know gosh, I don’t know about a lot of like my fellow performers now, but I know in the past um I’ve seen some performers who are like they’re like I can’t, I have to improv it.

I can’t really like come up, like plan something in the head, otherwise I’m gonna be like in my head the whole time. Like I’ve seen performers be like, no, it has to be improved, like when I get up there, I’m like, okay. Um but we have had shows where we like do improv numbers, like so. We’ve had like um like karaoke like burlesque shows where where someone will like come up and sing a song, and whatever song it is that they’re singing to, you have to dance to that number. So I had to dance to every time you touch for like a karaoke show, and I was like, I’m like, like, oh, oh, was not anticipating this.

I’m definitely wearing my slow number costume, and this is a very high energy number. Yes. I think I can make it work.

And this was supposed to be like a number where I was like dripping like syrup all over myself too. So I’m like, I’m like, oh well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to violence.

Becca: Right. Dancing. Oh my god.

Ivy: Oh my god, no, seriously though. That beat. Yep, yep. It was it was I like I didn’t even get everything off in time, but I was like, I’m like, well, you know what? I I did what I could. Because I was like, I’m like, oh god, I forgot how long the song is too.

Becca: So I was like, right? it builds up.

Ivy: It builds up, and then there’s like a whole like dance, like intermission for a minute. I’m like, my god crap, what? I’m like, I’m like, I got everything else off. I’m like, now I have all this time. And then like it ended up being like, oh, now I just use all the time because I was so worried about having too much time. Whoops. Improv. Yeah, improv.

Becca: That’s super fun. That’s what I haven’t seen. One of those. Or I will say, maybe some, because there’s always a mix of artists. Yeah. Maybe some of them were improving, but then other people were so choreographed, you know, choreographed that I didn’t realize that they were even.

Ivy: Right. No, like fit really well. And um, I know like something Alexis had brought up pri like prior was like it’s good to have a number where it’s like half choreography, like half improv, because you can at least like when you’re doing your choreo, you’re like, okay, well, I intentionally mean to do this up here. And then if I have like some time and space where like you just want to connect with the audience, maybe, or or like, you know, someone comes up to you to like give you a tip, and you’re like, ah, well, this is where I can improv how I’m gonna take the tip, or like something like that, you know.

Becca: Uh that yes, the creative ways of grabbing money.

Ivy: dollar. I think that’s like they’re not like

Becca: I feel like I’ve had friends of mine who kind of assume that it’s more just like going to a strip club. Oh yeah. Yes, a sh a show. It’s like artistic.

Ivy: Yeah, like It’s funny. It’s joyful. full, it’s not I I don’t know. I never feel sleazy going to a drag show personally. That’s that’s a plus. Like, I I I’ve definitely like come across people who are like, when I’ve mentioned burlesque to them, they’re like, oh, you mean like the movie? And I’m like Yeah.

Becca: I don’t think I’ve seen this movie.

Ivy: I’m guessing from your reaction with like Sharon Chrissy Magularo.

Becca: No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. That’s fine. I’m like, I’m like, ah. Eh? Mm.

Ivy: Uh yeah. Well, but but like like but this is like act, like you’re going to some like where someone’s like taking out their clothes with a purpose, not just like because in the movie, like Christina goes to like work this like burlesque club joint, and it’s like, okay, great, yes. And there’s more to it than just that.

Becca: Like, right. Well, that’s it. It’s one of those things that if you don’t bother to learn about it, right? It’s really easy to make

Ivy: Yeah,

Becca: you can make all the assumptions, yeah. And not understand. Because that’s it, it’s way more like a dance. It’s core. Right. Or almost like theater. Like, there’s like feeder aspects to it, especially the very choreography choreographed pieces to specific songs, like you said about having like this huge amount of meaning, or like there’ll be absolutely.

Ivy: Or you’re like, that’s what I’m saying. the most about The shows I’ve gone to are these, like, wow, that was like really powerful. Like that actually spoke to all of us. Yeah.

Ivy: And everyone’s like cheering up about that kind of a moment. Yes. that doesn’t That doesn’t happen at strip clubs. You know what I mean?

Ivy: Right, right. Because like strip clubs, you’re kind of just you’re just there for like, you know, like they’re just gonna take their clothes off and you’re like, I mean, not like obviously they’re they’re there. Like if they that’s that’s their art too. Like, and and burlesque is pretty much like you’re basically a stripper.

Becca: Yes. I’m not shaman. Oh my god, some of the strippers are the most athletic, talented. Oh my gosh. I’m not saying I I just think that there’s this like uh, you know, per this kind

Ivy: of like attitude. to play. It’s one of those um just

Ivy: I had like the the first time I um wanted to put a costume together for it was like my first number that I like debuted on the stage, and I was trying to get my mom to help me put costume together, and I’m like, I’m like, hey, could you help me sew buttons into this skirt? And she’s like, well, where do you want them? I’m like on the sides of my skirt, and she’s like, what is this? Like a Chippendales thing, and I’m like, yes, kinda like that. Let’s just go with that for now and we’ll just kind of continue from there. Uh yeah.

Becca: that Art takes so many different forms. And you you can be as serious as you wanna be, you can be as cheesy as you wanna be, and it’s all valid.

Ivy: Exactly.

Becca: That’s all about it, exactly. Loving it and you’re having fun doing it.

Ivy: That’s and like that’s really like where like where the audience like falls in love with you the most is because if you’re having fun, then they’re having fun.

Becca: Oh yeah. Yeah. I need to get to another correction. Another bur draglesque shows.

Ivy: Drag less specifically. Uh okay, so there’s a lot of like burlesque shows that are coming up

Becca: so I was actually saying let us list through. Um, so one thing real quick before we go through all the shows. Newcomers. I always try and touch on this because every now and then someone will stumble up across this episode. I literally wow, I really interested in this.

Ivy: So at People’s Pride, actually, I had somebody come up to me like after I performed my solo, and I was literally trying to run so as I could change to get into my my group number attire. Um so they’re like, oh my god, you’re amazing.

Like, how do I get into this? And I’m like, how about we walk and talk? And I will tell you the things that we can do.

Um, and so as I have here, um we do have like Green Mount Cabaret has like a newcomer’s burlesque show. Um this one is gonna be in early December. Um I actually don’t know if I’m allowed to show you.

Becca: Oh, that’s okay. So that’s why I just wrote them down in case, but also like I’ll say at least like

Becca: there’s a is there a contact sheet? I think I saw something of contact um online.

Ivy: Yeah, you can actually like follow Green Mount Cabaret on Instagram or they’re on Facebook. Usually like they’ll announce like when they’re taking applications for for like their their newcomer show.

Becca: Um just to say, like if if you want to join Green Mountain Cabaret, that’s one way of doing this. If you want to get into drag and draglesque and burlesque exactly in your own way, that the whatever, right?

Ivy: And like I know involved. Yeah, and then like I know um, I know Emoji does like the cherry pop shows for people who want to do drag. Nice. Oh, that’s great. And there’s always like the the drag newcomer show name.

Becca: Oh my gosh. Yeah, yeah. Like, like it’s also for like if you want to like try out a new drag number and see like what everybody thinks of it. Right.

Ivy: Like it’s a really good like experimental stage, and and like the this like newcomers, it’s like it’s good for for people who are like, you know, I’ve been thinking about it, but I don’t know if I could do it, but like let’s give it a try and see what happens.

Right. Um and like we do, like Green Man Cabaret does have like a show mid-August coming up where it’s gonna be like uh uh one of those, hey, do you is there a number that you wanted to try out? Like bring it to this stage, like that will be a lot of fun. And I’m I was debating actually trying out my hosting in in that area.

Where did I say that was happening? The the open stage, it’s um it’s gonna be August 11th at Big Heart social in regens. Um then in um in mid-September, we’re gonna have a pirate themed pride show happening. That one’s gonna be a main street landing show. Um pirates. Yeah, yeah.

Becca: That is the best drag idea I’ve heard in a long time.

Ivy: I love it. It’s gonna be fantastic. Um, and then we’re also gonna have like our our annual Halloween show happening at the end of October, um, up in Montpelier, and then December, uh December at like mid-December, it’s gonna be our anniversary show. Green Mount Cabaret has been around for about 14 years now. So that’s amazing. Yeah.

Becca: And all of this, so Greenmountain Cabaret.com, right? That’s that’s that there’s a newsletter sign up. If you are interested in this, go sign up on the newsletter. I always suggest people do that because Instagram can magically disappear someday. Absolutely. Go sign up on their actual website, greenmountain cabaret.com.

Ivy: Absolutely. And we’re always putting the link out for like tickets to the show as well. So feel free to check out our show links as well.

Becca: Yeah, follow along. And Ivy, we’re gonna give your very long Instagram. handle.

Porter: Oh, shit. I’m sorry. Instagram’s where everyone goes. It’s innocent underscore ivy dot porter underscore starboard because it’s gonna be like we talked about, which is totally fine. And then you get to see everything.

Ivy: And so one spot. you can see all the the Porter Starbird activities, all the innocent Ivy activities.

Becca: Which I’m gonna have your Instagram linked on the show notes. I’m gonna have Green Mountain Cabaret linked on the show notes page. So if you go to VermontTalks.com slash 72, you are gonna immediately get to all of this good stuff, as well as a transcript of this episode and all of the other images. I’m gonna have images of all of these fun things. Perfect on this page. So perfect. And we’ll I’ll get you in touch if you can’t remember these names. Greenmountain Cabaret.com, though. That one’s pretty straightforward.

Ivy: That’s that’s pretty straightforward.

Becca: Yeah, we’ll get you there. And we’ll get you to IV’s Instagram profile. And I think I think I’ve got to cut it, which is really sad for me because I feel like we could talk for two more hours. So valid. But thank you so much for coming on the show.

Ivy: Thank you for having me. I really appreciate this. Super fun.

Becca: I I love all forms of art, so I’m really appreciative that you came to talk to me today. And I think that’s pretty much it. I think we covered everything. Yeah.

Ivy: Um, do you do you wanna do you want to a Porter Starboard voice sample at all?

Becca: Or yes, I was gonna say, I love this blurb here at the end.

Ivy: Oh my god, wait, what did I put? Oh, it’s gonna yes. Um, Oh, yes, yes. Okay, do you want me to read it off? Yes. Okay, so Burlescan Drag are art forms that have many flavors to them, like sultry, silly, exaggerated, under exaggerated, and these are art forms that are like meant to send messages to the audience. Um, my like Porter Starbird’s been very like comedic. So he’s this very like Irish, Scottish pirate. who, like, he kind of talks like this. So when he’s hosting, he’s like, folks, here’s what I have for you tonight. Yes. That is that is his voice. Thank you, Porter. I think we are dudes. It’s it’s no problem at all.

Becca: Of course. Of course. Thank you. Thank you so much for much. Thank you. thank you, everybody, for listening today. Please. Please check out. my stuff. This is so fun. Uh have a great day, everybody. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks so much for listening to the end of the show. Subscribe to Vermont Talks on your favorite podcasting platform. You can find me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, all over the web. Contact Becca at Vermonttalks.com if you’d like to be interviewed or if you know someone who should be. Thanks so much to Jason Baker for creating the show music. The views and opinions expressed by the guests are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Vermont Talks. Any content or statements provided by our guests are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, anyone or anything. And that’s what was new in the 802. Have a great day.