Pastel Supernova is an award-winning Burlesque Entertainer, Choreographer, and Showgirl based in Toronto, Canada. She is also a published model, and a film and television actor.
Professionally trained in classical ballet, Pastel choreographed and toured as an international dancer for some of the world’s top pop artists, including Nelly Furtado. After performing on some of the world’s biggest stages including Italy, Macau and the United States, Pastel made her way back home to Toronto, Canada and in 2012 founded Love Letters Cabaret, dubbed as “Toronto’s most exciting, edgy and sexually charged dance theatre company.”
Her artistry and unique choreographic style has been highly praised and widely recognized. She was titled “Best Stage Presence” at Italy’s Como Burlesque Festival and is 2015’s Alternative People’s Choice Awards’ Top Burlesque Performer. FLARE Magazine recognized her as one of Canada’s most influential women.
Pastel is also a highly coveted burlesque teacher and has developed a style of instructing that blends her dance technique with performance qualities that are focused on developing confidence and grace. Her choreographic style is a mix of contemporary dance technique, Latin flare, and her own inimitable erotic flavor. She toured extensively teaching and choreographing in art universities throughout the UK and is now using her two decades of experience to work with performers of all levels.
Coming soon, watch out for her in the new feature film Becoming Burlesque about a girl whose life is changed by a Toronto burlesque company.
Today, Pastel continues to inspire people from all walks of life. As an uninhibited artist who uses her femininity as the prime stimulus for everything she creates, Pastel remains committed to helping others feel sexy, confident and showcase their best self through her craft.
We had the amazing opportunity to chat with Pastel about her career and upcoming projects. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Pastel! Thank you for granting the interview. You’re an award-winning Burlesque Entertainer. Could you share with our readers exactly what Burlesque is?
Essentially it’s an extravagant form of striptease that plays on glamour and humor. It dates back to Europe in the early 1800s and made a name for itself in the US in the 1940s. Burlesque encompasses dance, theatre, and music; it references literary works and pop culture alike and because of that, it is rich in texture and sexy at its core. It is an uninhibited celebration of self and despite its racy reputation, it is resilient and resurging now more than ever.
You’re also a Choreographer and Showgirl. What makes your performance unique?
I’m a very passionate performer who depends on my audience. That is to say, I demand as much from them as I demand of myself. I look at them directly in the eyes, I’ll stop if someone is not paying me the kind of attention I want and I’ll flirt furiously with a select few, creating fleeting moments, while I perform for a crowd. It’s an exciting game, kind of like showing up to a fabulous party and secretly making eyes with a forbidden someone all night.
You obviously love what you do. What are some of your favorite performances?
Honestly, nothing beats my performances with Love Letters Cabaret. My cast is dope and the audiences are game for whatever we give them. It always turns into a hot mess full of laughter and hugs and drinks. A few times I’ve even received emails from people whose partner’s came to my show and took that energy back home to them for a wild ‘after party’.
You were professionally trained in classical ballet. How has it influenced your style?
Like a ballet, my shows have unique characters and subtext that make it fun to watch the same performance repeatedly. Martha Graham’s technique is at the foundation of my choreographic style. It is a bit abstract, and the technique is based on the female form. It’s not full of tricks and it looks much easier than it is; non-dancers can’t execute my work but there is stillness and pedestrian movement… After all, I want to keep all eyes on my body.
What do you enjoy most about what you do? What do you love most about your profession?
I love the connections I get to make. Many people have told me about their preconceived ideas of burlesque and of me and how those opinions change after a show or class… I don’t know why they tell me anything at all but I love it because they show me they’ve been affected and they’re taking something new back into their lives. As an artist that is exactly what I am trying to do.
What has been your personal key to success?
Ask me this in a few years. I have many plans to achieve yet but determination, an open mind and many many hours alone in the studio have gotten me this far so I’ll continue to work on my craft, visualize every detail of my dream and dare it to come true.
What are some of your personal and/or professional goals for the future?
I want to have a staple cabaret in Toronto for the world to visit. Toronto is an alpha city begging for a theatre offering indulgence and extravagant raw sensuality. I want Love Letters Cabaret to have a touring company as well as a training component, a burlesque school that would offer classes covering everything from exotic dance to costuming. I want to be the pop star of burlesque.
Complete this sentence, if I had an opportunity to do anything I want…
I would knock the dreams I’ve just told you about within the year.
Connect with Pastel:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pastelsupernova
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PastelSupernova
About Author
