Digging Deeper: Discover Dance Reflection by Vivine Scarlett

Vivine Scarlett - Dramaturg supporting Resident Artist Dainty Smith in the development of her work The Lady Comes Home for DISCOVER DANCE 2025.

She bends and flows through to a push, then pulls before a release of emotions that tell a story through dance. . . .  This is Dainty Smith an actor, burlesque performer, playwright, producer and curator who continues to discover dance to tell her deeply vulnerable stories that resonates with everyone. She is the founder of Les Femme Fatales: Women of Colour burlesque troupe, the first burlesque troupe for women and femmes of colour in Canada.

 I have heard of Dainty seeing her name associated with events and was formally introduced to a quiet, sophisticated, confident Dainty through Nova, who partnered us for the 2025 Discover Dance Series.  As part of my process, I attended my very first Burlesque show which was produced by Dainty’s company Les Femme Fatales.    WOW…who was this person, the Dainty who hosted the show was a loud, sophisticated, bossy, leader who commanded and led the show with humour, sexiness and grace. Her performance in the show was a combination of theatre, storytelling, and seduction done with confidence that celebrated the scope and intricacies of female sexuality. The evening displayed a variety of performers who offered a myriad of narratives that captivated the audience in countless ways.  I have since attended two other Burlesque shows, intrigued by the different expressions revealed through this dance form.

Discovering Burlesque, introduced me to a form that embodies an inner confidence and how to hold space.  Dainty has made the choice to create “The Lady Comes Home” as an expansion of her continued discovery in her own dance journey.  The piece digs deep allowing her to find clarity and intention that feed the very core of the work.   The clarification of her story line opened the door for expansive exploration using expressions that supports the building of the piece. 

Working with Dainty has allowed me to rediscover my connection to dance and the role it brings in healing and rejuvenating one’s dance spirit that fuels my life’s journey.   We often shared our personal dance stories and how we found ways to cope, shift and express all kinds of emotions in all kinds of ways, making us who we are today.   She has informed me on Burlesque history, dance techniques and costuming broadening my own personal education and perception of the form.

It continues to be a pleasure working and watching Dainty embrace movement in its entirety as she uses her training, experience and intuition to guide and express dance in its flowing glory. Dainty has fully approached this piece incorporating her all to the development of “The Lady Comes Home”