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BIG AND BAWDY
May 5, 2002 -- Lane Bryant may have knocked on the door, but the Glamazons are about to kick it off its hinges. Get ready for the supersexy supersized girl. Yes, Lane Bryant put plus models in slinky lingerie, but these Glamazons, a troupe of five brassy and sassy burlesque performers who do a clean but hilariously naughty show at CBGB, are set to go big. They've been photographed in Time Out, appeared in a video ("Alive" by Kevin Aviance), filmed by a Taiwanese TV station and performed for night-life diva Suzanne Barsch. At their debut performance in March at Suite 16, the coquettish quintet was onstage in towels, swiveling to the song "A Pretty Girl" when they suddenly turned their backs to the audience and prepared to fling off their terry wraps. But Veronica, one of the girls, panicked when she spotted a few audience members crowding onto the back of the stage. "Oh, my God!" she shrieked. "They're gonna see my boobs!" "Girls, just let's go!" said the group's founder, Ladyfinger, whereupon the fabulous fivesome tossed away their towels and danced up a storm with their naked backs to the audience. And did the crowd ever love it. "We brought the house down," said Veronica. The Glamazons are young (25 to 30 in age) and bountiful (each is at least a size 14 and 5-foot-8 or taller). Their shows feature the old traditions of burlesque: torch songs and bawdy dancing in fancy costumes as they shake what their mamas gave 'em. The idea was hatched five months ago by Ladyfinger (real name: Meryl Finger), a dancer who had been on the road with the national tour of "Grease." After reading a story on large size ballerinas in Russia, Ladyfinger said, "I was like, 'Why can't we do it?' " She recruited her plus-size performer friend Allison Tilsen (who goes by the stage name Miss Marabou and was then on tour with "Chicago"). As dancers, the two are capable of plenty of hot moves. "I can tumble. I can do cartwheels. I can land in splits," said Miss Marabou. "God forbid that people are shocked when they see me dance. They say, 'Do that again. I can't believe you can do it.' " But they still needed additional performers for the troupe. "We wanted somebody who can move, shake it and have a good personality," said Miss Marabou. Another plus-size dancer friend who goes by the one-word moniker *BOB* (yes, that's her legal name) was offered a spot. An ad in Back Stage procured about 30 additional prospects, though many were scared off by the sexy costumes, which include bustiers, G-strings and pasties. "One girl said: 'I would never get on the stage with a bikini,' " reported Miss Marabou. "She's gorgeous. But we don't want anyone who's uncomfortable with her own body." After an intense search, they found Veronica (real name: Larissa Perez), a model and flamenco dancer, and Trixie Trueheart (Alison Ward), a truck driver and artist. And thus the Glamazons were born. Without any budget, they managed to find a choreographer, Matt Mohr; get a rehearsal studio to rehearse; and make their own costumes from scratch with the aide of volunteer work by their friend Denise Dean. After guest performances at Blu and the Gay and Lesbian Expo, the girls got a big break - their own show at CBGB last month. Family members of the Glamazon girls have had mixed reactions. Miss Marabou reports that her mom has been supportive. "She asked me, 'Do you kids get naked on stage?' I told her: 'No, mom, you raised me right. I'm wearing pasties." The troupe believes they can change how people view large women. "There are young chubby girls who might want to go to a dance school and might be held back because of their weight," said Ladyfinger. "I think we can change that." The Glamazons will perform at CBGB (313 Bowery ) Friday at 10 p.m.
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