Under low colorful lights in the VIP area of Simone’s Bar, spectators gather around a burlesque performer dancing in lingerie. The event — Chologoth burlesque celebrating the organization’s two-year anniversary of performing at Simone’s— has drawn a crowd of over thirty people. 

 

“Burlesque is so much more than just a sexy cabaret show,” said SioBast, producer of the event. “It is a legitimate art form… it changes peoples’ lives.”

 

A burlesque event is hosted at Simone’s on the third Thursday of every month. Each performer is announced and dances their way to the center of the room as their chosen song thumps loud over the speakers — at this event, the music is mixed live by queer DJ Kombi. Performers walk amongst and interact with the audience, performing gymnastic tricks on the floor as they strip off the layers of their costumes. 

 

Hora Babylon, one performer, has a background in competitive cheer and circus performing. She’s been in burlesque for a year now — preferring it over similar pursuits, like Drag, because it allows for more artistic and thematic freedom. 

 

“I also just like the burlesque community itself, I feel like it’s super welcoming…” Babylon said. “You have to come as you are, and the community will accept you.”

 

SioBast, the founder of Obscura, was a professional salsa and latin dancer for almost a decade; she got into burlesque seeking more individual and artistic freedom — but founded Obscura in hopes of building a community that was friendly to everyone, particularly Latinx, queer, BIPOC and goth people.

 

“A lot of the goth scene here in Chicago is mostly white people,” SioBast said. “I always had these feelings like I didn’t belong there — and I just had this feeling like if I don’t belong in this place that was created for people who don’t belong, there’s something wrong with that.” 

 

At Obscura, Siobast strives to achieve inclusion by booking people of diverse genders, sexualities, and ethnicities, particularly Latin people. She wants them to have opportunities and exist as representation — not be tokenized. 

 

“I want to see more POC queer folks and goth parties, so I’m going to book them and highlight them,” SioBast said. “These are people who deserve to be awarded and celebrated.” 

 

SioBast’s mission is carrying on a proud history; in the over two centuries burlesque has been around, the art has been entwined with queer communities, feminist body-reclamation, and  parodic social commentary. For both SioBast and Hora Babylon, that holds true in today’s burlesque circles. 

 

"Burlesque community as a whole [is just] such a sex-positive and super open crowd that it just kind of attracts queer people,” Babylon said. 

 

The Obscura events at Simone’s offer a unique combination of this activistic history with a chance to celebrate Latinx identities in a body-positive, LGBTQ-friendly environment that intentionally celebrates all things “dark” and “other” — creating both a bold statement and a vital opportunity for community. 

 

Performers are welcomed to explore any artistic realm they want. At the “Fortress” event, one performer, Miss Ammunition, knelt before a table and, after practicing sterile procedure, slid two needles through the flesh of each temple. Bleeding as she danced, Miss Ammunition proceeded to twirl batons of fire and extinguish the flames by eating them.

 

During the intermission between acts, guests were invited to go upstairs for free tarot readings from a local reader. In almost complete darkness, audience members sat at a small table decorated with witchy altar items, chose between three tarot decks, and were invited to ask any questions they wanted clarity on.

 

For those who didn’t want readings, Simone’s back-room bar remained fully functional during the performance. Onlookers outnumbered available seats, dollar bills rained from the hands of enthusiastic fans, and everyone got the unique experience of a queer, Latinx, goth burlesque group.

 

“Burlesque, it’s theatrical, it’s comedic, it can be very emotional and it’s so, so vulnerable,” SioBast said. “I was repressed my whole life, and I can finally as an adult have the freedom to do what I want.”

 

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