It’ll be dinner and a show at Mr Watkins on May 30 as dancer Onya Bones proudly presents the Bones Brigade Burlesque.
The Weekender sat down with Onya Bones, who is known as Kate Blackman by day, and grew up dancing locally.
“They used to say I needed to stop being so aggressive and I needed to do what everybody else was doing, but now I’ve found a kind of dance where I can do whatever I want, and if I decide to do the wrong thing or something different, I can go for it,” Blackman explained.
“I can break the rules a little bit – or a lot.”
For the dancer, that’s what burlesque is all about.
“Breaking the rules, breaking boundaries,” Blackman started.
“There is the element of looking beautiful and feeling fantastic, but you can also bring humour and stories into it. It’s an art form.”
Blackman has been doing burlesque for around seven years and has run shows before, but this one is special.
“This one is my baby and I’m doing it all by myself. I feel very liberated and empowered,” Blackman exclaimed.
The show will be MC’d by Jamie Horror and will feature other dancers including Vera Masquerade, Salvador Darling, Sinn Flor Escence, Forrest Green, and of course, the Bones Brigade.
“I’m really excited to bring my own thing into Penrith where I live and where I’m from,” Blackman said.
“We don’t have enough of this out here, and the calibre of performers that I’m going to have will be incredible.
“With the Bones Brigade Burlesque and Mr Watkins, it’s a collaboration of local people bringing arts to Penrith.”
Not only will the show add to the Penrith art scene, but also to local body positivity.
“Being able to come to a show and experience women of all different body types and different backgrounds – it makes people who watch the show or hear about it realise they’re incredible as they are in their own body,” Blackman explained.
“We’ve always lived in a time where certain looks have been forced upon us, and I want to encourage everyone to feel beautiful in their own skin.”
Search for the Bones Brigade Burlesque on Facebook and Instagram to find out more and book a ticket.
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.