Who I Am And Why I Do What I Do
- Oreo Munroe
- Feb 3
- 3 min read
This is my first official blog post, so I figured I would introduce myself. I'm Oreo Munroe, a BIPOC, disabled burlesque performer based in Hampton Roads. I'm a single mom and run my business by myself. My future goal is to become a producer and build up the Hampton Roads burlesque scene!
I have been a theatre kid since high school, mostly in the publicity side. I have wanted to learn dance since I was in high school. Never took a class, but I started belly dancing after high school w exercise videos and youtube. I unfortunately lost a lot of leg strength not long after due to MS. I got married and had a kid, and not long after I was separated and a single mom. The more "ands" I had, the stronger and more confident I became.
I graduated from college when my baby was 4 and started cosplay, with my first costume being a burlesque version of a video game character. I was curious after watching the Gypsy movie. I loved Gypsy Rose's story and wanted to explore my sexuality. Every cosplay I've done has been sexy and I wanted to dance, but I didn't know how. I found burlesque when I found Ginger Snaps, but Jacqueline Boxx was my "wow so we CAN dance in a chair moment". Minda Mae helped me to see the bad ass #disabilibabe that I am and she became my mentor. The rest, as they say, is history!
When I talk about being a burlesque performer, many people are pleasantly surprised that I am finding the pluck and nerve to dance in my condition. My illness has left me in a wheelchair. If restricts a lot of my normal functioning, but I still find time to be pretty and go on stage. When I was pregnant with my daughter, Bee, my MS symptoms were held back because of her healthy body growing inside me. When I gave birth, though, it was all over. The illness was making up for lost time. When I became estranged with my partner at the time, I really took a look at my life. I realized there was really no fixing my illness, at least not without a lot of years and a lot of constant physical therapy. Unfortunately, I didn't have that luxury and honestly still don't. Welcome to the American healthcare system!
This isn't a pessimistic or nihilistic view in the slightest. I pride myself in being realistic and practical. I got dealt a bad hand physically. Yet, I still love to perform, model, and I am an entrepreneur at heart. When burlesque fell in my lap, my mind wanted to say no there's no point. That was the moment I looked at my kid and asked myself “What would she do?” It took a while of continuing to research burlesque and the more I watched, the more I loved it. This was my thing, finally. As a mom, a single one especially, there is a lot of difficulty in finding your place or your identity. I found it in burlesque. Oreo is the true me. Sensual, funny, dark, poetic and always over the top!
It may seem pretty simplistic, and it probably is. I have never really been a "I wanna be rich and famous" person. When I was growing up, I wanted to be Storm and Toni Braxton simultaneously. I actually accomplished that goal, in a way, and burlesque helped me with that.
I work hard on my goals and push myself because I want my kid to do the same. Especially when it gets hard and I have my bad days, I still do something to make it work. I even have to fake it til I make it at times, and that's ok. I hope my words get out to anyone who has a sickness or is just neuro spicy and not sure how to move forward. It all starts with a first step. Look up what you can, but then put the books down and step forward. One step after another. That's all it takes.
Keep moving, start your own revolution by being yourself. No one can take that away.
Love,
Comments