Today we’d like to introduce you to Dakota.
Dakota, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was born and raised in a very small town in Northern Oregon. The Pacific Northwest will always be my home and rain (even in San Diego) will forever comfort my soul. I was raised by my mom and dad, and sometimes by my two big brothers and big sister. We lived on a small farm with goats, chickens, horses, turkeys, and rabbits. I showed most of those animals at the county fair in FFA. I was a big nerd, but I embraced it. After graduating from high school with only 47 fellow students, I went right to community college to start earning my criminal justice degree. While in college, I worked at Walmart. Working at Walmart was just as bad as you’d think it was, but I was only working part-time and I was working with my big sister, so I had a great time. While in college, I met my now husband while he was in Oregon visiting his family but was going to Navy school in Chicago. Things got serious very quickly, and we decided to get married six months later. Looking back on it, it sounds super crazy and I would probably advise other people against it, but it was truly the best decision. My husband found out he was going to be stationed in San Diego, so we got married so I could move down here with him. Right after moving here, I worked for a law firm that I really disliked, and now, I work for a non-profit organization that I love. I also went back to school last year and decided to major in psychology with a concentration in forensics. Lastly, my husband and I are about to celebrate two happy years of marriage!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I moved to San Diego in 2017. I drove myself and all of my belongings about a thousand miles from Portland, Oregon to San Diego, California. Here, I knew nobody and was very far from my family. Adjusting was difficult. even after finding a job, I was still bored and lonely. It’s important for us humans to have friends and people we can bond with. A few months after I had moved here, while my husband was away on one of his many underways, I decided I wanted to start dancing again at a studio. I searched Groupon for a dance studio, but want to try something new, I bought a Groupon for a burlesque studio. Most people think of the Christina Aguilera when they hear the word ‘burlesque,’ but they would be wrong. Burlesque is the art of the striptease. It can be a comedy, hip-hop, ballet, tap, jazz, anything. After I took one burlesque ballet class, I immediately fell in love with burlesque and that specific burlesque studio. I’ve met so many amazing, strong, inspiring women in classes and they are all so unique and now each has its own place in my heart. I have role models who perform burlesque who inspire me with their hustle and self-love. And I have met an amazing burlesque teacher who is always there for me and I very much look up to. As I am writing this, last weekend, I performed in a burlesque production alongside my best friends. My husband has been deployed since October and I don’t think I would have been able to survive that long here alone. I got to where I am today because of dance. My advice is to find something that makes you happy and run with it. I think every person should have something they love to do and get excited about. I have never felt so fulfilled and happy.
Please tell us about your work.
I am a new burlesque performer. I started dancing burlesque in July of 2018 but I have been dancing for ten years. Before last year I mainly danced contemporary and jazz. Now, I dance burlesque, ballet, hip-hop, and I love exotic chair and exotic floorwork. I danced in my first ever burlesque show in February as a part of a student showcase at Glitter Tribe Studios. Last weekend, I danced in my second ever show as a part of a group called Music Box Revue in Lola Demure’s Burlesque and Variety Show! It was a Star Wars themed show (May the 4th be with You) and we were the Cantina Band so we were wearing masks to look like the aliens. We came out in black turtlenecks and gray slacks but we ripped them off halfway through the dance to reveal sparkly showgirl outfits – but the masks stayed on. It was such a blast. I’m slowly starting to perform more when my schedule allows, but I’m enjoying taking classes, going to the many wonderful burlesque shows in San Diego, and meeting such unique and confident humans.
Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I think the biggest barrier to female leadership today is the way society is set up. For generations and generations, it was acceptable to deny women the right to hold positions of leadership in the workplace and in government. It wasn’t until fairly recently that it has started to be taken seriously and talked about nationally. We’re starting to see more and more women take positions of leadership. There are a few women talking about running for president, which is awesome. I think we’re moving in the right direction, but progress isn’t happening as quickly as we want it to. The last place I worked has primarily women in managerial and executive positions. I’m not saying that as a way to say that there are no barriers to female leadership, but to say that it is starting to be more common, and we should celebrate that. Another way that society sets us up horribly is that many of us aren’t taken seriously, and most of the time it’s because we’re women. One time, while grabbing coffee with a male boss, someone told me “Have fun with your dad.” We were wearing business-formal and I was carrying a clipboard. I just think he wouldn’t have said that to me had I been a guy in a suit with another guy in a suit. Unnecessary comments like that remind me that there are some barriers that are going to be hard to break.
Contact Info:
- Email: dakotaburlesque.biz@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakota_just_dakota/
Image Credit:
Scott Lipner (Stanton Street Studio), Starla Dawn Photography, Cascadia Ballet Project
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