In conversation with Maya Hart | Photography by Sky Sirens’ Creative Team
Introduce yourself.
My name is Mama Medusa and my pronouns are she/they. I am a drag and burlesque performer! Over the years, I’ve fused these two art forms together - and now I perform my unique fusion of Drag Burlesque! I like to incorporate different elements from different styles, such as traditional burlesque, drag, commercial dance, and using fans, chairs and props.
At Sky Sirens, I teach all sorts of things! My classes are Burlesque, Fan Dancing, and some speciality classes - Naughty Neo, Bend & Grind and Mama’s Minxes.
When did you start dancing?
I started dancing for the first time when I was quite young - I was about five years old when I went into my first class. I continued stopping and starting for a few years after that.
I had always really loved dancing. I went to a performing arts school for acting and singing - but dancing was my thing. I just didn’t pursue it until later on.
How did you get into Burlesque?
I had always loved watching Burlesque shows, and when I started Drag, I started incorporating elements of Burlesque into my performances - strip teases, glove peels, fan dancing… I added more and more Burlesque skills into my performances as time went by.
I am very fortunate to have met many Burlesque performers, which gave me the opportunity to start performing more burlesque-style things at Burlesque shows - where I am still performing a fusion of my two art forms!
How do you identify?
I love identifying as fat. I love the word. I think that reclaiming fat is really powerful.
When you’ve been called something negatively, with such charged negative connotations your whole life, being able to say “yeah, I am fat - and I am also hot, so grow up” is powerful.
I also think it’s good to use the word ‘fat’ to normalise the language for other people - as this is something I really wished that I had when I was younger. I wish that I saw ‘fat’ as just a word, and not as an insult.
Has your dancing journey been impacted by how others perceive your body?
As I said earlier, I was off and on dancing when I was younger. When I first started dancing, I was getting bullied by the other students in the class and the teacher. When I was around 5 or 6, I was going to perform in my first ever show. I was about to go out on stage, but all of the other dancers started telling me that I was fat. I didn’t go on stage.
I remember this night, in particular, telling myself that I wouldn’t ever let someone tell me that I couldn’t do anything ever again.
Because I was tall and fat, bigger than everyone else… it did impact my dancing journey when I was younger. But now, not so much. I just think “fuck it”.
Tell us a bit about creating Bend & Grind, our class designed to teach Fat & Plus Size students chair dancing.
As a student and performer myself, I know that sometimes when you haven’t seen someone that looks like you do something, you automatically think that you can’t do it. I had always thought this about Pole and Chair Dancing. I thought I would just try out Chair myself, and hope for the best. I actually loved it!
So, I started Bend & Grind because I know that I am not the only plus-size dancer thinking it. I created the class as a safe place for plus-size dancers to come in, especially if they’re worried about being left behind. When I was younger, I always felt left behind because my body just wasn’t doing things in the same way as the other dancers. Moves look different on different bodies, and just because it looks different, doesn't mean it is wrong. I want the students of Bend & Grind to see someone that looks like them doing the moves.
Your body can do so much; you just need to find a way that works for you. Having an instructor that looks like you, and has experience in a body like your own, helps a lot.
Do you have anything else to add?
If you’re reading this, and you’ve been umm-ing and arr-ing about starting a class at Sky Sirens - either for the first time or trying out a new class - and feeling self-conscious, please give it a go. Please come in and try it out. I am so proud of you for even considering it!
