The only BIPOC burlesque fest in the Pacific Northwest returns.
by Patheresa Wells
What the Funk?! isn’t just a burlesque festival. It isn’t just a funk music revue. And it isn’t just a reclamation of the beauty found in BIPOC bodies. It is a blending of music and melanin that pays tribute to the Black American music genre of funk while simultaneously showcasing the artistry of burlesque performers of color. What the Funk?! An All POC Burlesque Festival returns for its fourth year at The Triple Door Aug. 24–26, 2023.
“Funk music is a Black American genre of music,” said Mx. Pucks A’Plenty, founder and co-producer of the festival. “The way that funk music can instantly change someone’s mood when it hits their ears is magic. It is Black joy in music form. It has been protest music, baby-making music, the soundtrack to many a cookout, and so much more. … There is so much story in this music, and burlesque truly is another way to tell a story with our bodies; it is powerful and transformational to witness.”
What the Funk?! 2023 will offer attendees powerful performances and the chance to learn through workshops, as the festival prioritizes knowledge sharing for everyone involved. Plus, attendees can watch as the new Grand Master Funk is crowned on closing night. This year’s festival highlights over 50 burlesque performers of color from around the U.S. and Canada. Headliners include Chicago-based Po’Chop, Joy Rider from Montreal, NYC starlet Miss AuroraBoobRealis, and NOLA-based Phathoms Deep.
Live funk music from The Chancellors will accompany all opening night acts. Workshops will be held Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Theatre Puget Sound, covering various topics, including stage presence, healing relationships with money, improvisation from the soul, intro to acro dance, and more.
There will also be four Pacific Northwest feature performers. Seattle’s own Chesty LaRue and Sin de la Rosa; Vancouver, British Columbia-based Monday Blues; and representing San Francisco, Sgt. Die Wies. Emcees P. No Noire, Goddess Briq House, and Rebecca M. Davis will warm up the crowd with help from special guests Shimmy LaRoux and Samson Night.
When speaking about the empowerment that comes with the burlesque art form, special guest Samson Night said, “Every time that I get to step onstage, I’m challenging societal standards of what it is to be Black, of what it is to be a Black man, of masculinity/femininity and of the influence that presenting my version of those things have on my audience. That in and of itself is an automatic statement of power, of self-love and acceptance.”
Night got into burlesque by accident. As a super fan of the style and an actor for almost 30 years, Night says he eventually realized he had been hiding himself, and hiding from himself, whenever onstage. Yet when he’s performing burlesque, he can “honor every piece of who I am as a person; as a Black man.”
“[Burlesque] is a space where I don’t have to adhere to the tropes of Black masculinity as they play out on screen, in scripts and traditional stages,” Night said. “A space where I can write my own multilayered story of who I am fully.” Night says being part of BIPOC-focused burlesque events has given him some of the most substantial artistic experiences ever, because they are “equal parts fashion show, theatrical exhibition, musical showcase, family reunion, and homecoming wrapped into one!”
The reason What the Funk?! exists is because co-founder Pucks was tired of being told “no” in the larger burlesque world. So, they created a place for performers — like Night — who needed space to honor themselves, their bodies, and their skin. To be able to be told “yes.”
“This idea was born from what I call oppressed pettiness. … What the Funk?! is … the only all-BIPOC burlesque festival in the Pacific Northwest, but not for long,” said Pucks. “Victoria, B.C., will be home to a new all-BIPOC burlesque fest in 2024, and we couldn’t be more excited for a sibling fest! One day, the hope is that we won’t have to have all-BIPOC burlesque festivals, that producers will stop tokenizing performers of color, and will actually do the work when it comes to producing shows that offer genuine representation. The hope is to do such a good job with What the Funk?! that we put the festival out of business one day, that our efforts aren’t in vain.”
There’s no better time to attend What the Funk?! than right now, as it’s poised to change the world of burlesque at large!
Tickets are available through The Triple Door Ticketing. For tickets to workshops, fill out this Google Form. And to be notified of future events, follow the official Puckduction Instagram.
Patheresa Wells is a Queer poet, writer, and storyteller who lives in SeaTac, Washington. Born to a Black mother and Persian father, her experiences as a multicultural child shaped her desire to advocate for and amplify her community. She is currently pursuing a B.A. in creative writing. Follow her on Twitter @PatheresaWells.
📸 Featured Image: Burlesque performer Shimmy La Roux at What the Funk?! Fest in 2022. (Photo: Keith Johnson/Parade Images)
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