Skill Focus Strikes Back

Posted on by Thor

On May 6th, Skill Focus Burlesque held a dress rehearsal, or rather an undress rehearsal for their upcoming Fringe show, “Skill Focus Strikes Back“. The rehearsal was at Dancer’s Edge Studio (7351 Aloma Ave, Winter Park, FL). A large white curtain hung in front of the stage becoming the modesty curtain for performers as they got into costume. There were still under aged dancers in the back studio so someone stood at the door blocking the view of anyone trying to glance in. Last year, Skill Focus was a last minute substitution at the Fringe and Ruby felt it was a hot mess, but this year she wanted her troupes ready for a blitzkrieg.

Skill Focus will be performing three unique shows at the Fringe this year in the green venue. Sci-Fi-A-Go-Go has characters from Star Trek, Star Wars and other intergalactic adventures. Classic Consoles features video game themed characters and Arkham Asylum has Batman characters baring it all. Ruby Darling asked all the dancers to join her in warm up exercises. Everyone stretched and practiced some kicks. Then every performer in turn got into costume to perform their routine.

The guys were up first. My favorite routine had Nekkid RoboJoe wearing so many sweaters, that he resembled that kid in his winter clothes in “A Christmas Story” who couldn’t put his arms down. He needed help getting the last sweaters on. When he began his routine, he flexed his muscles and the sweaters made him resemble a very warm Hulk. His thin black pant legs looked like burnt match sticks supporting a huge marshmallow. As he struggled to remove the sweaters one at a time, Ruby shouted out, “No triangle face!” Although it might be a struggle, she wanted it to look sensual. I was laughing till my sides hurt. It didn’t matter what was at the center of the Tootsie Pop.

Stage Kitten Miss Terri Guest helped in a Classic Consoles number holding the Pong Ball in a heated Pong match. She strutted back and forth with Vanna flair.  Suddenly she bent over in pain. At first I thought it was part of the routine but she sat beside me with tears in her eyes and Ruby asked if she could help. A stray ligament caused the pain and another stage kitten had to take her place. The show must go on. After Miss Terri recovered, she had a pointer for all the performers. She said is is much sexier to unbutton blouses and shirts from the bottom up. I’ll have to remember that the next time I unbutton a dress shirt. I tend to forget to unbutton the sleeves and end up straight jacketed until I can yank my hands loose. Definitely not sexy.

Who: Skill Focus Strikes Back

Where: Fringe, Green Venue in the Rep


When: Sci-Fi-A-Go-Go

May 16 at 11:15PM

May 21 at 8:45PM

Classic Consoles

May 18 at Midnight

May 24 at 7:15PM

Arkham Asylum

May 19 at 9:30PM

May 25 at 10:15PM

Fan Service Finale:

May 26 at 7:45PM

Tickets:  $10 + Fringe Button. 18 or older only.

Avengers ASSemble

Posted on by Thor

I went to a rehearsal for “Avengers ASSemble.” This will be a burlesque show put on by Skill Focus: Burlesque, themed after the recent blockbuster hit.” The cast, featuring, Ruby Darling , Rosita Sparkles, Cherry Bob-omb,, Syber Digit, Shy LaBuff , Nekkid RoboJoe and Stephen Focking were going to assemble at Theater Downtown (2113 North Orange Avenue.) When I arrived at 9pm, Ashley Small, the Skill Focus stage manager, was the only person in the theater’s lounge. She looked like she was in charge, so I asked her if I was in the right place. The room was a furnace, partly because I had just walked several blocks from Ethos Kitchen.  She informed me that the cast had a multilevel stage to work with and that tonight would be an undress rehearsal of sorts.

Cherry Bob-omb went into the theater, and I decided to follow and check out the stage. The theater itself was thankfully cool. I immediately found a seat and started sketching the complex set with it’s multitude of levels. The cast assembled all at once and they quickly got into costumes. Syber Digit was the first out of the dressing room and she had on an awesome Thor outfit, complete with a large hammer. She relaxed on the set and I was exited to sketch my namesake. Ruby came out in her black wig and a stunning red and gold, Iron Man themed outfit. She asked the cast at hand to pose with her and I sketched frantically. I was self conscious about how much time I was taking, so my hands flew.

Stephen Focking had a vintage WWII helmet painted blue with the letter A inscribed on it. He found a  large Tupperware lid in the dressing room and he used it as his Captain America shield. Each performer in turn went through their strip tease. Each item of clothing was telegraphed and the gyrations accentuated. This troupe has a wonderful way of taking an age old tradition and making it fun and playful. You will scream, holler and cheer as they shake it down Marvel style! The performance will be at Theater Downtown on Saturday May 12th. Doors open at 10pm and the show starts at 11pm. Tickets are $10 at the door or in advance.  There will be an after party in the lobby with the cast.

Video Game Burlesque Rehearsal

Posted on by Thor

Rehearsals were running late at Theater Downtown. After the Vaudeville acts had been rehearsed, the second show, a Video Games Burlesque was run through. Chan Sterling worked as the MC in a white lab coat, a deep grey ascot and big black rubber boots. Ruby Darling appeared at the end of the runway in a sultry black and white dress that came down tight at the knees forcing her to walk like Morticia from the Addams Family. 0n the day of the show, she would be entangled in wires and deliver a menacing monologue. I’m not sure what video game the scene is from, but the burlesque dance that followed was easy enough to understand.

Jolie Hart and her boyfriend cuddled in the front row. Jolie performed an amazing high energy retro dance routine that had her gasping for air when she burst back stage. The blood covered chair at the end of the runway was for Cory Violence and Shy La-Buff’s Bio-Shock burlesque number. Shy wore a strange bunny’s mask and wore a tattered green dress that Violence would later rip off her in shreds.

My favorite number of the rehearsal was when Ruby Darling sang “Soon or a Later” to Nekkid RoboJoe. As she sang she got some Duct tape and taped him to the chair he was sitting in. When the number was over, she dragged him off stage. This routine would certainly have the audience roaring.