Bio
Despite having been an artist & performer for many years, Vivian came to burlesque only fairly recently. When she was asked to perform a short burlesque routine for Albuquerque's notorious "Pornotopia" in 2009, she had believed that performing would be an occasional thing to do for fun. Little did she know that what started off as a lark would quickly become an passion and a livelihood.
After the close of Pornotopia's run, Vivian took as many burlesque classes and instruction as she could find in order to learn more on her own. She paired these with historical research, how-to DVDs, and books, along with constant practice, in order to hone her craft. She also sought out other Albuquerque burlesque performers and troupes in an effort to join in as many shows as she could, and thus gain more experience in the art form. Over the following months, occasional shows would arise, but they were few and far between, and not a conducive means to putting ideas into practice. Discouraged by the slow pace of Albuquerque burlesque as a whole, Vivian decided to host her own show under the title "Miss Vivian Presents...". The very first show, a benefit to Animal Humane New Mexico, was successful enough to convince her and her host venue, Low Spirits, to plan additional shows. Drawing from the first half of the twentieth century, the format included burlesque performers, side show artists, Vaudeville performers, and more. As each show grew in popularity, it was decided that a brand name was needed so that the shows could have a much more solid base to grow from. Thus, the Gilded Cage Burlesk & Varieté, a performers guild, was born.
Since forming the guild in 2010, Vivian began bringing in performers from throughout the Southwest into Gilded Cage shows, and helped to bring the art of burlesque to a much wider audience in Albuquerque than ever before. After just a few events, several performers expressed interest in becoming permanent fixtures with the group, hoping to find a home with a group that performed and traveled regularly. In mid-2010, the Gilded Cage core artists voted to solidify as a troupe, and have since adopted a refined structure aimed toward growth and development as Albuquerque's premier burlesque troupe. In the ensuing years, they have redefined burlesque in their city.
Vivian has a full year of both local and out-of-state shows planned, and fully intends to bring the best of New Mexico to as many events as possible. She was awarded the title of "First Runner-Up to the Queen of Burlesque" in the Southern Fried Burlesque Pageant, held in March in Atlanta, Georgia. This win means a great deal to her, as the judges included Living Legends Gyna Rose Jewel and Tiffany Carter, Dirty Martini, and Jo "Boobs" Weldon. In April 2011, she performed in the Main Event competition at The Great Boston Burlesque Exposition, as well as the Show Me Burlesque Festival in St. Louis, Missouri, and in the Colorado Burlesque Fest in July. 2012 brought several multi-week, multi-city tours as well as her forays into the international spotlight when she earned a spot in the prestigious Montreal Burlesque Festival. As 2012 continued, Vivian received her first requests to appear in national festivals as a Headlining and Feature performer. The Gilded Cage troupe also welcomed the first international performers ever to appear in Albuquerque at the second "ABurlyQ! Burlesque and Sideshow Spectaculár!" burlesque weekender.
2013 promises even bigger shows, with even more performers from across North America signing on to Gilded Cage events. The troupe is also remodeling a 2,807sf facility, which will house New Mexico's only publicly accessable burlesque studio, The Gilded Cage School of Burlesque & The Vaudeville Arts. After taking off the late winter and early spring season to develop the dance studio, Vivian will return to the road on two tours, with four Headliner spots at four unique, national burlesque festivals. She is currently planning a tour to Italy, Germany and Switzerland. "I'm driven by demons" says Vivian, and if the success of her career is any indicator, that may well be true!
Press
La Loca Magazine
In addition to mention in numerous small weeklies around the country where she's performed, Vivian was recently named the Cover Girl for online Rockabilly resource, La Loca Magazine. You can visit www.lalocamagazine.com for photos and interviews.
Venue
Dia De Los Muertos is a yearly celebration honoring those who have passed away. Originating south of the border, the tradition carried northward into the United States with the Mexican people long ago. Each year, members of the Gilded Cage pay homage to this, one of the Southwest's most spectacular events. Vivian MirAnn is featured on the cover of the Albuquerque Journal's Friday publication "Venue", on October 28, 2010, while driving her 1950 Ford F3 in the South Valley's Marigold Parade.
