Today we’d like to introduce you to Fiona Fox aka Vegas St.James.
Hi Fiona, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been dancing since I was three, it was my idea; my mom said I demanded tap shoes and wouldn’t stop till she finally gave in and bought me a pair. She also mentioned I annoyed her so much dancing around the house with my new shoes that she was like “that’s it! I’m putting you in dance class.” Dance would become my first love and is still one of the most important relationships to me 35 years later.
I was in cheer and dance and in 6th grade, I made the advanced dance team and was so excited but unfortunately, I would move and had to say goodbye to the opportunity. In high school, I would audition and make the drill and dance team where I would learn to become more militarized with cheer influence. We were heavy on hip hop, lyrical, contemporary, and jazz training and I looked forward to being captain one day- unfortunately I would move high schools but transfer back and didn’t meet the requirements any longer of being eligible. I was sad to lose that opportunity. I would cry a lot about missing the chance to lead the best team I’ve EVER been on till this day. Looking back, our captain was better suited for the position at that time in my life, my first love and I were forced to break-up; I was depressed and crushed and our team would go on to be a peaceful, award winning champion team which is no easy feat in the dance world. Needless to say, I would end up choreographing a routine for our cheerleading team (who was amazing AF) and it was definitely met with backlash for being too provocative by the Southern folk spectators (can we say foreshadowing to my dance future lol).
After high school, I went to college for a little bit but left to follow dance. I had a manager who got me into several music videos for Keira LaShae which hit BET, and Q productions (Thee Selena Quintanilla Perez’s company ran by her sister, Suzette), stage performances for music festivals with Frankie J and Natalie, and led me to the dance crew Visible Sounds where we were asked to audition personally from MTV for America’s Best Dance Crew. We didn’t make it, but I knew then commercial dance would be a huge part of my dance life. Fun Fact: Suzette had us model our outfits for several sets during filming and compared my back side to her sister’s- that was *thee* most blessed comment I have received being in this industry.
I have been sober for over 3 years, but sadly my traumatic and chaotic past would lead me to a life of substance abuse and I still danced, but I was not invested in it the way I am today. Being from Texas, I had this idea that I needed to be a pro dancer for a football or basketball team and made it to the finals for the 49’ers, Spurs, Warriors, and Rockets but I never made it and now I know why today: my heart wasn’t in it.
When I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area (East Bay), I saw a burlesque marquee but my friends rushed me off to the next bar: I was in awe and the glamorous women displayed never left my mind. I was lucky enough to be a dance and cheer coach in the Bay for 42 girls (that is ALOT of team members). I loved being a coach. When I lived in the Bay, it had such a buzz to it! So much life, I LOVED the vibes of that city, but it’s not the same today. It’s actually kind of like a zombie land now but I digress.
I moved to San Diego a few years later and would take dance classes at college where I was taught by professors who were also L.A. professional performers that commuted to make ends meet. I did some college performances then finally I would land on a semi-professional hip hop dance team where I would become captain! I considered myself co-captain because the “creative” captain had more say than I did, but my official title was “captain” and I did so much work behind-the-scenes the team didn’t know about and wasn’t appreciated. Actually, I was the most hated one on the team. That was the worst team I’ve ever been on and I’m glad it’s over. I learned a lot about failure, I failed miserably, but I did love our choreography and was able to choreograph and teach a few routines. I appreciate the women I met, and a lot of them wanted to become friends after the team disbanded. There was a lot of mistrust between our team members and leadership starts at the top but I can honestly say, we’ve all grown and there is space for compassion and grace: it’s water under the bridge.
I isolated myself after that experience, I was so embarrassed by my leadership with the Queens, but I was spotted on Instagram by a professional dance team called The Rock Angels and felt like I needed to get out there again. Covid would take us out of the game but I would be tagged by a professional burlesque performer, Lola Demure, to come and take burlesque class with her and I will forever be grateful for her hustle to get me into the doors of Flaunt Dance Studio. At the time, I had a knee injury and started a dance blog called Xclusively Dance San Diego where I would cover hidden gems mixed with leading people in our community. I needed some way to stay connected to dance and had no idea I would want to be a journalist at that time.
For some reason, I joined one more dance team called Play Hard Heels and it was a great learning experience as we would go to L.A. to do photoshoots and learn from an L.A. Laker Girl, but dance team was just not for me so I headed out and took my first burlesque class. I. was. hooked. I would soon cover hidden gems in the S.D. burlesque community under a new blog name The Foxy Dancing Mama (name change came after I had my son) along with show reviews! At this time I was in my final years of University studying Communication with a minor in Cultural Dance Studies and the academia of burlesque had me in a chokehold. My obsession led me to signing up for a showgirl education under the mentorship of Coco L’Amour who owns Flaunt and at the time I was going through some detrimental family issues. My heart was broken but burlesque saved me along with the research I was doing in this genre. I made my debut in 2023 under the stage name Vegas St. James and now I run a California Burlesque Podcast soon-to-be international called Under the Lights with Vegas St. James! I promised myself I would make it to 10 episodes and I’m about to publish episode 8 and have ranked as one of the top 50 Performing Arts podcasts in the United States!
Today, I live in Austin, Texas (for the 3rd time, this city loves me for some reason) and I’m hitting up burlesque shows to meet the community out here and I’m sure I’ll be back performing soon! I’ve been so focused on the podcast but I’ve applied to some festivals so it’s only a matter of time till I make my mark in this magical city.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Yes, absolutely, nothing but smooth highways. Just Kidding! Hell. No. The dance industry is tough and I feel for the ones that are in L.A. clawing their way to the top!
As for me, L.A. is fun to take classes in, I love the city of L.A. but the dance scene is not my vibe. Mental health is real, and in the dance world, there are these high school games played by some. I’ll admit, I’ve played them too in the past, but not anymore. High School is over.
The struggles of not making certain auditions, being told I dance too much like a cheerleader, or like a guy at one point. When I was younger, my mother was a single mom and we struggled financially. Training in dance is expensive. I sacrificed love relationships for dance and social events because it takes a lot of your time. I’ve had people I supported not support me back, even people I learned from and looked up to! and let me tell you, that is the loneliest feeling until you realize you have to be your own damn support in this world.
Being a full time stay-at-home mama while making these interviews look PR polished is a part-to-full time position.
I had people tell me how to write certain genres, what my podcast needed to be about, not breaking into shows because the producers need a diverse look to get different narratives and I don’t look Latina enough.
Getting paid in “exposure” till our industry finally fought back was hard AF. Failing as a captain was soul crushing. Being promised things by leaders that weren’t delivered. Now social media being a factor and not getting the desired metrics after investing so much time and energy to building the resumé. Taking time off of dance at certain parts of my life makes it hard to get back to the desired level. Losing my co-host I built something with for 9 months for the podcast because it didn’t work out for them time wise. Losing dance friends who weren’t really friends. My mom selling her bed so that I could be on dance team. Going to dance classes with cliques and being excluded (I’m outgrowing that because I’m more focused on the art now). And did I mention, I’m shy? Yup, you would never know by the way I perform because I have so much fire, but I have to force myself to perform because performing is my favorite thing! It’s the place where I get to be me.
I have had dance instructors who were scammers and stole money from me. I haven’t experienced this because we have such a protective burlesque community but there are scam artists who call themselves producers who screw people over so I keep my eye on that but feel so damn blessed for my elders who make sure as best they can that we don’t get hurt. Also, being told I was too big to be a pro dancer at 98 pounds!? It really takes a toll on one’s mental health.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in jazz, hip hop, and heels and take all of that training into my burlesque life! Burlesque is my whole life now. I’m known for my burlesque podcast where I cover key players in the industry, history, pop culture, investigative, and politics.
As far as burlesque as a professional performer, I’m known for my fierce and passionate dancing that has so much fire and I’ve also been told I am feminine in my movements, which, to be honest, I worked so hard to be. I’m naturally heavy on masculine energy with the way I grew up so this is a win to be able to feel safe in my divine feminine energy. I’m so proud of my strong performance and storytelling ability. I make people feel things they don’t want to say out loud but that’s cool, I got you fam. I bring a sensual vibe to the party and I’ve been told I “bring the drama” so buckle up!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Focus on the artistry if you want to make it. Make time to make it happen, and you need to hear, see, and support yourself because you’ll be your biggest supporter. This industry comes with alot of individuals with a scarcity mindset and I’m sure they don’t mean to, but you’ll make people mad when you’re living for you, do it anyway. Pep talks, meditation, journaling, stretching, dance classes- it’s all on you babe.
Pricing:
- You can tip me on my linktree!
- Base pay, we can talk on zoom or email.
Contact Info:
- Website: Vegasstjames.com
- Instagram: @itsvegasstjames and @underthelightswithvegas
Image Credits
@dancewithleahmichellephotos and @svx.media
