As we near the next DIY BurlesKoala competition, it seems a great opportunity to take a look back at past competitors and see how they took on the budget burlesque competition.
Lydia Grim, QLD
Lydia Grim is a Brisbane based burlesque performer who competed in the 2020 DIY BurlesKoala competition. She describes her usual burlesque style as “eclectic, story weaving, exploring the weird.” I asked Lydia about her experiences competing in the 2020 DIY BurlesKoala Competition.
Why did you enter DIY BurlesKoala?
LG: I love to create and enjoy a challenge. DIY is go to for all aspects of my burlesque; costuming, music editing, choreography. I enjoy doing it all. I also LOVE bringing a new act to life, so I’d go broke if I was paying for someone else to bring my crazy ideas to life every time I had a new whim.
Where did the inspiration for your act come from?
LG: I have a background in ballet, so I thought about my interests, different materials I could use in interesting ways, and what that might inspire. I also love a good pun, so instead of the White Swan from Swan Lake, my main material being the phone book, I created the Whitepages Swan. When I found the piano cover of Hotline Bling, it all just came together.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in creating your DIY act?
Creating my big articulated wings! I’d never shaped PVC piping before so I taught myself some new tricks along the way.
What was the biggest achievement or win you had in creating your DIY act?
All the different parts of my act coming together and complimenting each other.
What was your favourite aspect of competing in DIY BurlesKoala?
Winning. Just kidding! Getting to put my work out there and reaching a wider audience then usual. I love sharing my weird around.
If you were to enter again, what would you do differently?
A few more rehearsals! I’d injured my foot leading up to the actual performance so couldn’t practice quite as much as I would have liked.
What advice would you give someone considering entering?
Think about your act as a whole, don’t just focus on what costume you can create for cheap. Explore different materials and construction methods, experiment! And DIY doesn’t have to look cheap or like a craft project (even though mine definitely looked crafty!).
Have you performed your DIY act again, and if so, where/ when? If not, do you hope too?
I performed it for Burlesque Muse 2021, where I unfortunately sweated through the cardboard box holding my wings together while waiting to go on stage. Hopefully I perform the act again, but it needs a few repairs!
Have you since upgraded your DIY act? If so, what changes have you made? If not, are there changes and upgrades you plan to make?
I added more feathers to the bodice, and more crystals, and just tweaked the fit a bit.
What is one DIY trick, skill or experience you learned/ had during the creation of your act that you are most proud of?
I hadn’t used my main two materials to create costumes before; paper and foam packaging sheet.
DIY BurlesKoala 2022
Lydia Grim will perform her handover act at the DIY BurlesKoala 2022 competition to be held in her home town, Brisbane QLD. Lydia will also sit on the judges panel to help choose the next Great DIY BurlesKoala.
Buy tickets to see DIY BurlesKoala on Saturday 3 December 2022 at Metro Arts, Brisbane. Tickets available now.
Follow Lydia Grim on Instagram and Facebook.
