Today we’d like to introduce you to Marina Elaine.
Marina, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Marina Elaine, and I am a burlesque performer, pin-up model, and vintage/antique collector! From the time I was a little girl, I’d always been fascinated by old school glamour. I longed to be in black and white alongside the stars in their films from eras past, something that reflects in my personal style as well as my style on stage.
I started pinup modeling several years ago after a photographer friend convinced me to get in front of his camera. Years of studying pinup portraits and starlets in the movies definitely helped me to pose naturally, and my modeling only grew from there. I have since modeled for various vintage shops and vintage-inspired clothing lines such as Canned Ham Vintage, Red Dolly Swimwear, Mischief Made, and Tropicana Couture, to name a few. I’ve also had my photos published in many different magazines, my favorite being a large spread in Vintage Life magazine in which I also wrote the article.
Being a model helped pave the way for me to get into burlesque. Burlesque was something I had long admired but wasn’t quite sure I had the confidence or skill to actually do. I was fortunate enough to be grandfathered in by a supportive few performers that are also close friends. I got my start five years ago as a stage kitten for Morgan La Rue’s Shimmy Shake Revue, picking up the clothes after each act and setting up props. Morgan then gave me my first opportunity to perform a little while later, and I haven’t stopped performing since.
I have been lucky enough to perform in various productions all over the state of Florida, in Georgia, as well as a trip to perform in both Boston and NYC last winter. While things have been put on hold due to the pandemic, I can’t wait to travel and perform again! My ultimate goal is to perform in every state in the USA!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Show business is never a smooth road. I’ve faced a lot of struggles and challenges both on stage and off. I’ve been in dirty, tiny dressing rooms yet still managed to put on a smile and entertain an audience. I’ve had sticky-fingered audience members steal pieces of my costumes that I spent hours rhinestoning. I’ve gotten so nervous before a show that I had a full-on panic attack behind the curtain, yet still managed to put on a great performance 30 seconds later.
I performed for almost six months while my father was in the hospital, floating between my day job, getting ready for a show, stopping into the ICU to see him briefly before I was in the car on my way to the gig. Even when I have been sick, sad, or had car troubles, I do my best to never let any obstacle get in the way of my art.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a traveling burlesque performer and pinup model known as Florida’s “Sweetheart With a Switchblade,” a tagline that ended up sticking around longer than I thought it would!
My performance style is that of classic burlesque with a tattooed twist. Think old-time showgirl and lots of rhinestones paired with a Janis Joplin song. My personal favorite acts are my feather fan dances, with my most known being my peacock feather fan dance. I work extremely hard on all of my props and costumes, hand placing each and every rhinestone, feather, and piece of fringe. I’m most proud of being able to take an idea from something small such as a color or a song and turn it into a full act that I can perform to entertain and bring joy to an audience.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Personally, I feel that being patient is the most important thing that contributes to success. When I first started performing, I was horribly impatient (mostly out of excitement). I wanted to be able to perform in every single show that I possibly could and to have the opportunity to travel. Being a newer performer, it just doesn’t work like that. You need to be able to be patient and work hard on bettering your art in order to grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.missmarinaelaine.com
- Instagram: @missmarinaelaine
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/missmarinaelaine13
- Other: www.patreon.com/missmarinaelaine
Image Credit:
Alexa Luxe Photography, John Jones, Ivan Pena, Roy Varga
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