As the daughter of a traditional Indian dance instructor, Padma C. has been performing on stage since she was 3, and she exudes a confidence that reflects years of experience. This confidence, she found, resonated even when she began dancing on a far less traditional stage. To kick off her performance at New York City’s Asian Burlesque Festival last month, the 26-year-old walked directly to the center of the floor in a pink and white lingerie set, lightly concealed by a rose-colored Indian dupatta.
Padma, who asked to conceal her full name to protect her identity at her day job, is among a growing number of AAPI women delving into burlesque, using the art to cultivate a new relationship with their ethnic identity — especially the parts that feel confining or oppressive. Being immersed in the burlesque community, I’m told by several Asian American burlesque performers, also gives them an avenue to subvert race-based stereotypes that pin them as subservient and docile.
Padma felt trapped growing up. She described herself as the rebel of her culturally conservative Indian-Greek family; as a teen, she loved wearing heavy makeup and revealing clothing. Her mother would hear rumors about Padma’s behavior from the “auntie brigade” — the clique of mothers who subsist on gossip — at their local Hindu temple in Flushing, Queens. “‘Did you see her? She was wearing this type of shirt. She was also walking with this boy. You have to check her phone.’” Padma said, mimicking the women’s petty comments. “It was exhausting.”
When she moved from Staten Island to Manhattan at 19, her exploration of the city’s nightlife led organically to burlesque. She recalls seeing the dancers on stage at the Duane Park supper club express her bodies in a way that felt both empowering and somehow, accessible. “Each performer was sensational,” she recalled.
But Padma didn’t want to abandon her traditional performance background entirely. Indian dance was how…
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