As I said on Facebook when I heard the news, I’m tired of making these tribute posts. However, we’re all mortal, and once again, I’m reminded that we can all leave this realm at any time. A little over a month ago, I discovered that artist Theresa Mangum, who had performed burlesque as Sweet T, suddenly passed away.
I met Sweet T when I had begun to dip my toe into the world of burlesque. She often worked the front desk of the Ruby Room, and I remember getting tips on where to find fishnet stockings as I started kittening. Her partner Jes taught me how to sell merch during my first gig at the 2013 Dallas Burlesque Festival. Although more people now know about the issues with Ruby Revue, I was pretty ignorant back then and once awkwardly asked T about whether she would be at a show. She was very polite, and true to her name, her sweetness was known throughout the community. In fact, she was voted “Sweetest Lady of Burlesque” in multiple Dallas Burlesque Festivals.
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| I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Sweet T at the 2014 Dallas Burlesque Festival. Photo by Karlo X Ramos |
On-stage, T was known for her graceful performances and flexibility. It translated from classic burlesque to rock ‘n’ roll (and go-go dancing) to even a bit of nerdlesque. One of my favorite acts of her was a Big Eyes-inspired number for Burton Burlesque, as we got to the artist come out too. I took a few flexibility classes with her too, and I always appreciated how she made it accessible for everyone.
Although more recent years saw T focus on her visual art career, she always maintained connections with the Dallas burlesque scene. I wasn’t too close with her, but I saw that she was friends with many of my fellow performers and I enjoyed following her social media posts about assorted art projects. She was such a talented individual, and the Dallas creative world will deeply miss her.
If you would like to help Jes with end-of-life costs, please check out this GoFundMe.
