On March 13, the Feral Showgirls present a “Bizarro Variety Show.” Rebecca interviewed the group’s leader, Rachel Micheletti, about the troupe, burlesque, her dance studio, and the magic and courage she hopes to ignite with every show.

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Interview Transcript:

Rachel: Well, a lot of burlesque involves taking some clothes off. People listening can't see me, but you can find me on the internet. I'm not a small lady. I'm not a young lady. I'm not the kind of person that you would see in a magazine half dressed. Everyone has fear about their bodies, self esteem issues about their bodies, and the more we can present the other as being a part of something important, the more everyone can feel included.

Rebecca: That was Rachel Micheletti, owner of the Hipnotic World Fitness Center, a burlesque and belly dance school in Chesapeake. She’s also the lead singer of the band Rachel & The JellyCats and runs the Feral Showgirls, a performing arts group in Hampton Roads. They're doing a “Bizarro Variety Show” tomorrow, Friday, March 13 at 7. I spoke with Rachel about the troupe, burlesque, her dance studio, and the magic that she hopes to ignite with every show.

Rebecca: Stepping into your dance studio in Chesapeake is like in “The Wizard of Oz,” when Dorothy goes to Oz and you're like, “Where am i right now?” What kind of atmosphere are you trying to create?

Rachel: I want it to be a space where people can feel brave. They come in and it's beautiful all around them. I always feel like when you feel confident, or when you're in a space that gives you confidence, you can do anything. I even try to select silly artwork and bright colors and just fun things, something that everybody can relate to, so that when they come in there, they're sort of enchanted, and they become a part of that magic, and that gives them the courage and the bravery to do things they never thought that they would do.

Rebecca: Rachel herself is doing things that she never thought she'd do before. She'd never performed until she took a belly dance class about 15 years ago with her mom. Flash forward to now and she's the lead singer of a band and running her own dance studio and troupe.

Rachel: You know we always have that requisite picture of being four and wearing the tap dance outfit. (laughs) I have that one, but no, I didn't start dancing or performing until we took that dance class.

Rebecca: Were you just born with that confidence and that drive to just step on the stage and make it your own?

Rachel: In like middle and high school, I think for the vast majority of us, it was an atrocious experience, and when anyone says that's the best time of their lives, I'm like, “Hey, you have a lot to look forward to.” I had no self confidence. I wore baggy, horrible clothes, and I just didn't want anyone to look at me, but then I started getting older, and I was seeing other people doing things that I was really jealous of, but I was thinking, I can't be jealous of something I’ve never tried to do, so I just started doing it. I just started, and practiced and practiced and practiced and that's it.

Rebecca: Were you really nervous the first time you performed for an audience?

Rachel: I had had some wine. (laughs)

Rebecca: So now, with more experience under your belt, what's running through your head before you go on stage?

Rachel: Depending on what I'm doing, I will say sort of a little prayer to one of my performance spirits. So if I'm emceeing or telling jokes, it's Joan Rivers. Always. Thank you, Joan Rivers. If it’s singing, it's Amy Winehouse and Nina Simone. I'm a little embarrassed to say, when I'm dancing, my performance spirit...Patrick Swayze. I just say, “Hey, you probably have a ton of Dirty Dancing going on, but what I need from you is just to send a little sparkly juju my way so that I can be successful tonight."

Rebecca: Rachel's troupe, the Feral Showgirls, has 28 members who perform everything from music, comedy, and burlesque to belly dance, pole dance, and juggling. I asked Rachel to describe a typical Feral Showgirls performance to someone who's never been before.

Rachel: I think the best way to describe it is sort of present day vaudeville. It's some of everything. It's some of everyone. It's just fun. It's two hours for you to forget about all of the ugly stuff that's going on outside of the doors. It's two hours of sparkle. It’s two hours of laughing. It's two hours of excitement. It’s two hours of lovely people doing things that they enjoy doing.

Rebecca: Do you have a favorite performance that you've done?

Rachel: Any performance where somebody comes up and says, “I saw you dance,” or “I saw you sing," or “I saw you tell jokes,” and “you made me feel like I could do it.” That's it. That's what I do this for...to inspire other people to take a chance on themselves.

Rebecca: That was Rachel Micheletti, the singer, burlesque performer, and dance teacher. Catch her group the Feral Showgirls tomorrow night, Friday, March 13 at 37th and Zen in Norfolk. They're doing a “Bizarro Variety Show” that starts around 7.

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