2020 and 2021 in photos

A new year means Instagram Top/Best Nine.  I realized that I never shared the one from 2020 so here's both years:.

2020 seemed all over the place although I could see the shift from almost-naked pics getting the most interaction to ones where I'm authentically myself.  2021 really supported the idea that I should continue to stick to my truth and speak up against injustices.  It's very encouraging since I've been questioning where I belong as live shows started to return (before omicron ruined that).

I also realized I never shared links to publications I'm in.  Back in the fall of 2019, I appeared in one of Retro Lovely Magazine's Halloween editions with my mad scientist photos by Dynamite Dames (make-up by Nicky Callahan).  Click here to buy a copy.

More recently, my androgynous rose bath photos by Dragon Dreams Photography appeared in Venus Cult.  You can get a high-res, colored two-page spread of the photo below at this link.

It's been a while since I've done any photoshoots, but after getting COVID-19 (I'm okay now minus the annoying post-viral cough), I am wary about venturing out and being mask-less.  There are people I want to work with soon so maybe the right circumstances will happen.  In the meantime, I guess I could make the post I never did write about modeling adventures.

Back when the world was our oyster

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller

We're entering the 5th month of this pandemic (based on my schedule and location), and I'm almost back to working full-time in lab.  My performing career remains mostly in stasis although I'll have some exciting news at the end of this post.  Since I had traveled and was actually struggling to stay on top of many events prior to lockdown, I haven't gone stir-crazy.  There was disappointment at the cancellation of a trip.  It wasn't burlesque/drag-related, but I was keeping the possibility of a new gig open, especially with new contacts in that area.

Honey Moonpie and I brought
video game realness.

It's these missed opportunities and connections that I mourn.  Of course, I enjoy venturing out to new locations, but I'm also not great at traveling.  Adapting to new places stresses me out so I had avoided many out-of-town gigs for a while, especially if my partner or a friend could not accompany me.

 

With the exception of BHoF, which was carefully planned with a friend, my travel was contained in Texas in my early performing years (I can't believe I just typed this, but 2014 seems so far away).  I got lucky that Helena Isis got booked in the 2016 Oni-con show and I knew Honey Moonpie as well.  Even if I had to fly solo, I was used to the trip with Dallas, and Kiki Maroon had arranged everything wonderflly to get the cast and crew to Galveston without a hitch.  I wound up rooming with Red Snapper, whom I had seen perform but had never met, and she later moved to Dallas so that was a nice connection made.

In 2018, I finally took the big leap to apply for a cross-country gig when I saw a casting call I could not ignore.  Plus I was tired of all the FOMO and the dry spell I was experiencing at that point.  Cherie Sweetbottom's Wronged By Whedon show was perfect for my style of nerdlesque.  I already had my Black Widow act that was dedicated to all the ways her character had been wronged by various people involved in the MCU.  Since I could submit a second act, I brainstormed something I could do for Firefly, a series I love but also resent for the utter appropriation of Chinese culture.  I learned that Kaylee Frye was originally supposed to be a Chinese character, and that's where my "Original Kaylee" act was born. 

Original Kaylee
Photo by Ryan Gerbino

Despite having both acts accepted, I was nervous about joining a show where I knew nobody.  On top of that, I might have had the worst traveling experience ever since the Jerkface-in-DC cancelled my first flight and delayed my second, which led to me arriving 12 hours later than planned.  However, Cherie and Danny Cavalier's hospitality was top-notch, and the reception of both of my numbers, particularly Original Kaylee, was so good.  I had the loveliest time with my fellow socially aware Whedon fans backstage and after the show.  My experience in D.C. taught me that I should travel more, as it reinvigorated my desire to perform and create.

Nashville was another fantastic trip with much credit to producers Gogo Incognito and Miss Jenna Beth and hostess Luvina Ladyplace.  I also stepped out of my comfort zone to inquire about a photoshoot in a cabin with La Photographie.  While it wasn't the easiest experience with me getting up at 6 AM the day after a show and driving an hour (or two?) out to Mt. Juliet, it wound up being a cool experience.  The connections I made in Nashville made me realize how small the world is, as Luvina did a convention with a former on-line friend I made on an anime fansite and castmate Pixie Danger was on King of the Nerds with a guy I went on a date with in college.  Maybe there should be a Six Degrees of Hana Li.

Of course, out-of-town gigs aren't always possible with the time and financial restrictions we might have.  I had to decline a festival spot after I couldn't make travel plans work.  I am fortunate enough to have vacation leave and savings, but there are thrifty ways to go about traveling.  Plus most producers are willing to help with transportation and housing if they can't cover your trip to their city.  It's good to see how burlesque is different in other places, and for me, I've found that I meet people better in a setting that isn't as hectic as a festival.

Cabin Fever shoot by La Photographie
(www.laphotographieboudoir.com)

Right now, traveling isn't as feasible, and most shows have yet to resume.  It sucks, but the world has opened up in a different way, as more virtual productions are forming.  I could do another post about those (and probably will).  Even though there isn't the excitement of being in a new venue and making new friends in person, the world has opened up.  It's up to producers to take advantage of new faces and truly diversify their shows, just as it's up to performers to snag the opportunities to branch out. 

I've started to do that, and I would like to end with an announcement of my return to the "stage" with Ellie Quinn presents: You're Gonna Need a Bigger Couch.  The show premieres on August 21 8 PM DST with the video being available on demand for a week.  There will also be a Zoom meet-and-greet with the cast for VIP ticket holders.  Click here to buy your ticket.

2019 in photos

I'm using this time of shelter-in-place to catch up on blog posts although I do still have to work (just mostly at home instead of the lab).  Therefore, updates aren't going as fast as I'd like.  Nevertheless, I'm slowly reorganizing my priorities and getting back into writing and dancing.

This year I decided to stop using Tumblr.  It was a time suck, and the new censorship rules meant most performers were leaving the platform.  When I finally made the announcement, I realized I was in the middle of my year-end recap so this is the last Tumblr year-in-review you'll get: part 1 and part 2. 

Don't worry, I'll find something more suitable to replace it.  I'll make a separate post about my modeling endeavors from the past year, but you get a glimpse of some in my Instagram Best Nine (not all were taken in 2019):

I think I've covered enough of my thoughts about 2019 with my last two full-length posts, and I'll definitely share some of the happier memories in the near-future.  As Texas is still in quarantine through the middle of May, I should have the time.

Lastly, I want to announce a special livestream series Tuesday Tease is planning.  We know how our fans appreciate the sense of community and miss seeing their favorite performers, many of whom are in tight financial situations.  Therefore, we (namely Vivienne Vermuth) are bringing 2 hours of programming on our Facebook page every Tuesday starting this week.   You'll see a different side of performers as they host a workshop, give you a peak on how they get into face, or even do a long-form act.  Click here to join us every Tuesday from 7 PM to 9 PM!

2017 in photos

I almost forgot about my year in review on Tumblr, but trying to get back to blogging helped remind me.  Here is part 1 and part 2.  I made a point to share photos that hadn't already been posted on Tumblr, and that led to some odd choices for months were I was less busy or didn't have photos.

One thing I didn't forget was Instagram Best Nine (since everyone else was posting theirs).

Again, my #1 most liked photo isn't one of me although this time I did play a role in arranging it (it being a proposal at one of my shows).  Clearly, y'all like it when I show skin and wear blue or green.  I don't think this will actually influence what I do this year, but trends are interesting to me.

One thing I want to try to do in 2018 is to take more selfies with people.  My social anxiety catches up to me, and I can never find the right moment.  However, I want the memories.  So far, I've only done it once, but a step at a time, right?

me and Blyre Cpanx
at Tuesday Tease: Toy Box

I've got another chance to take selfie, and you've got a chance to see me perform tomorrow.

Show news

Bad news first: unfortunately Nerds in Technicolor has been cancelled.  There are tentative plans to reschedule for the fall.  In the meantime, Fort Worth will have to wait before it gets to see Hana Li.

Good news: you can catch me behind the scenes tonight as I bring you a queer love-themed Tuesday Tease!  We're exploring love in all its form, and we have a little game too.  So come be my Valentine at this show!

As a special treat today, check out some photos from my shoot with Madison Hurley Photography.  I'll be uploading more on my Facebook so be sure to follow my page.  Make-up by Violet D'Vine, hair by Rosa Lee Bloom.

2016 in photos

Every year, I do recap of some great moments of the year on Tumblr with a picture representing each month.  It was hard hard to pick just one a month because I'm doing more and more.  Now that I've pushed myself to step outside my comfort zone, I think I can work on honing the new skills I learned and be a better performer and producer.  Check out my Tumblr post here: part 1 and part 2.

It's interesting comparing my selection of photos with my Instagram Best Nine of 2016.  It's a little bittersweet because none of my performance pictures made it and my #2 is a show that didn't get to happen.  However, my "Fuck Trump"/"Fuck Pence" selfie made up for the latter.  I do appreciate the variety as well.

Although I resolve to be better about updates, my Instagram (hanaliburlesque) is still the best place to get the latest pictures.

Finally, as I mentioned previously, Tony Fo-Hawk will help kick off a new year of Tuesday Tease tomorrow.  It's a very special show, our first one with an all-POC cast, so please try to come out!

2014 photoshoots and recap

I'll get to making a proper post after my Viva performance on Friday (click for tickets—they're almost sold out!).  Instead I'll share links to the photo recap I did on Tumblr: January-June and June-December.  I hope you check them out.

As a bonus for following this blog, here are some more photos from the shoots that I did.  I already shared some from All-con with Neither Noir and a preview of the Ladies of Power cosplay calendar by shot HendrixXHunter Photography, but here are the shoots I didn't get to cover in my blog.

In February, I met Hell or High Water Photography at Sci-Fi Expo, and she took pictures of my Sailor Mars cosplay:

Then in October, I did a burlesque shoot with Tanya Forno (who also did the make-up):

Finally, Charles Nguyen took some promo images for the new troupe I'm a part of, the Dallas School of Burlesque Cats.  Hair and make-up was by May May.

Bettie Page Reveals All - Dallas premiere

I'm going to be stage kittening for the burlesque pre-show at the Dallas premiere, featuring Black Mariah, The Dirty Blonde, and Vivienne Vermuth, on January 3 at the Texas Theatre. I've been studying Teaserama so that I can do my best Bettie impersonation. For tickets and more info, please click here.

Auditions and Anniversary

Originally published March 22, 2013 on Dieselpunks After Dark

When I got into extreme sports, I started seeing places all around me that would be a good obstacle to tackle on Rollerblades or a jump for my bicycle.  I never acquired the skill to do most of my imagined stunts, but even now, I still think about how cool it’d be to ride my skateboard off a ledge.  After the Dallas Burlesque Festival, I started to get the same increased level of inspiration with burlesque.  I’d develop the concept for an act during work, or a song would suddenly make me want to bump and grind.  A fire had been lit under me, and I was ready to continue to progress as a burlesque student.

First, I stopped making excuses for not moving up from the beginner’s class.  Yes, the bus schedule was a bit inconvenient, but there was a way for me to get home without having to walk in the dark.  I needed the challenge of combos and choreography– I wanted it.  Next, I decided to be more proactive in continuing my stage kitten career.  I made plans to audition for the Ruby Revue, and once the Clever Girl Cabaret site went live, I asked them whether they needed any for their new show.

By JD Morgan Photography

I was a little confused about what a stage kitten audition would entail.  The call, which was directed at anyone looking to be a part of the Ruby Revue, instructed us to have a piece prepared and come dress up.  After much deliberation, I decided that it wouldn’t hurt to come up with a mini routine.  I still wasn’t sure that I needed to do it, but when I saw everyone else performing something at the auditions, I had to give it a go.  I was panicking though because I didn’t have the songs I needed on my iPod and I had forgotten my back-up CD in the rush out of the door (I need to learn that make-up still takes me much longer than expected and to not do shopping the morning of).  Fortunately, Renee Holiday let me borrow her music, which included something I had been practicing to.  I was so nervous that I forgot some of the moves, but the producers, Ginger Valentine and Missy Lisa, seemed pleased by my efforts.  Although I could’ve done better in terms of preparation and execution, I was proud of myself for taking a chance.

Since I knew I would be dressed up for the audition, I scheduled a photoshoot with my friend Jonathan Morgan afterward.  I had these neon pink-and-black socks that were nixed for a potential burlesque/pin-up outfit, but I really liked them with my pink bottoms and black bra.  The whole look embodied my quirkiness, which I would probably play up in a stage persona.  Jon also had me do more delicate, feminine shots to compliment the fascinator I bought from Dallas Pin Up.  Those were less me, but it's good to practice versatility.  The shoot was fun though I learned I still have a long ways to go in being more aware of my face and body.  I’ll get practice in dance class.

A few days after the auditions, I found out that I got the part of a stage kitten.  To add a cherry on top, the Ruby Room studio also deemed me their Student of the Month.  While I’ve been trying to not let compliments build my self-esteem, the recognition only fueled my desire to keep working on my nascent burlesque career.

As a side project, I had volunteered to do a panel on the History of Burlesque at All-con.  I’d done a similar presentation for a dieselpunk meeting, but this time I would only have an hour.  I also asked Black Mariah to join me.  Despite the late start and some stalling for time, the presentation went really well.  There were many attendees, and Black Mariah complimented my “straight man”, Power Point approach to presenting with wild stories of burlesque legends and humorous commentary.  We both got positive feedback the days following the convention, and I would love to work with her again so look out for the panel again at All-con 2014.

By JD Morgan Photography

As for the Clever Girl Cabaret stage kitten roles, they were already filled.  I was perfectly fine with that since a part of me missed photographing performances.  It’s another way I feel I can contribute.  My involvement in the community had given me the courage to network, something I still loathed to do in other aspects of my life.  All the friendly people I’ve encountered have really helped me come out of my shell even if I still feel shy at times.

Yesterday was my one year anniversary with the Ruby Room.  I’m amazed at how far I’ve progressed as a burlesque student and as a person who is working to be more confident and independent.  I’m trying not to rush myself or get caught up in the idealism of a new world.  There will be rejection, critics, and other unpleasant things.  For now, I’ll continue to work on self-improvement outside of burlesque and do more research on issues within the community.  Just as I didn’t exactly know where signing up for burlesque classes would take me, I remain open to many possibilities for the future.  Doors have been opened, and I’m becoming more confident about marching straight through them.

Stage Kitten Initiation at the Dallas Burlesque Festival

Originally published  March 6, 2013 on Dieselpunks After Dark

Before I embarked on my mission to be naked more, I thought being a stage kitten was a possibility for me.  The outfits would be as revealing as some of the skimpy cosplays I wanted to do, and in college, I helped our theatre group keep track of where props went.  My lack of experience with heels, make-up, and generally being sexy would make the role challenging.  However, with my new resolution to get more involved in burlesque, I decided to answer the call for stage kitten applicants for the Dallas Burlesque Festival.

Bill of N Street Photography had kindly offered his services to provide photos for would-be kittens to submit, and Bella Eden helped organize the schedule and did our hair and make-up.  The majority of my experiences with modeling and acting sexy involve playing a character so I learned several things about pin-up modeling and my own sexy side:

By N Street Photography. 
MUAH: Bella Eden

1. Less is more in terms of wardrobe.  I was glad to have brought many outfits, including lingerie (that didn’t really match but looked okay together).
2. More is better in terms of make-up.  It’s especially true with eyeliner on single eyelids.
3. Being cheap doesn’t work for false eyelashes.
4. You don’t need a fancy hairstyle.  Just a flower will suffice.
5. A headshot and a full body shot don’t have to be boring.  Yes, they want to see your face and body, but you also have to let your personality shine through.

Despite loving the great photos, I didn’t have much confidence in getting the part.  The Dallas Burlesque Festival brings in a large amount of talent, and I had no experience.  You can bet that I was extremely surprised and thrilled to have been chosen.  Lesson #6: don’t doubt yourself.

That wasn’t the end of my obstacles though.  Being without a car, I didn’t have much choice but to put off shopping for the right kind of heels until the morning of my first kitten gig.  I was kicking myself for not being more of a girly girl.  We got everything in the nick of time, and there I was in the House of Blues dressing room.  I was changing next to Bettina May, talking cosplay with Black Mariah, and devouring cheese with a bunch of the girls.  Before the show began, Missy Lisa grabbed a few of us kittens to help sell merchandise.  My job had me behind the merchandise table, which was a good starting place given my anxiety with approaching people.  It was nerve-wracking to be the first person seen by incoming audience members, but I was able to switch into business mode.  The fact that I was in my underwear with fishnets and a corset barely registered in my mind.  Just as things were getting busy, Jes, the usual merch guy, appeared, and I moved onto (candy) cigarette girl duties.  I was still apprehensive about approaching people, but I was able to sell a few things and I even got my picture taken.

Lesson #7 came after the show: bring something nice to change into.  Since kittens were supposed to arrive with hair and make-up done, I came in clothes I could easily slip out of.  Needless to say, they weren’t very glamorous or even cute, but at least I had a DBF tank top, which, according to Tana the Tattooed Lady, made my boobs look great.  Lesson #8: compliments on your body can be a good thing.  When I came home, I discovered glitter on the top of my breasts.  I had no idea where it came from, but I considered it a sign that I was officially part of the burlesque world.

Sunday I felt less shy backstage.  A part of me still fangirled inside with being in the presence of Di’Lovely (the little girl in me always gets excited for Asians doing burlesque because it makes me feel like what I’m working towards is more achievable).  There was another exciting moment when legend Tammi True walked in.  While determining how much time she had to get ready, she revealed that dancers back in the golden age of burlesque would perform 15-20 minute sets.

Janie Slash, Lyric Laveau, and Carmen St. Cloud backstage

I was so nervous about missing an article of clothing or tripping on-stage, but we worked out a plan for pick up and set-up before each act to make things go smoothly.  Lesson #9: don’t panic if you stumble or can’t find something (or the stairs feel wobbly), your fellow kittens and the other dancers will help out.  Seeing performances from a kitten’s point of view was very interesting, and I’m not just talking about the side view.  Because you’re focused on what gets tossed where, you start noticing little details of the dancer’s costume and movements.

After the show, StrOker Ace gave us copies of The Berlesker, a literary journal featuring work by members of the community.  It was a reminder of how many intelligent, multi-talented individuals are involved with burlesque.  I decided that I would try to come up with something to submit for the next issue. 

me with Angi B. Lovely

My attempt to be dressier with a button-up and nice jeans still fell short of the dress code of red carpet glam.  Lesson #10: “Awards Dinner” means super fancy. . . but when you’re a chronic underdresser, a cool shirt will do.  The most important lesson perhaps is to be yourself, and that’s what burlesque celebrates in an exaggerated, sexy, glitter-filled way.  Once I stopped worrying about looking silly, I felt more comfortable chatting and snapping a few photos.  In addition to all the lessons I took home with me on the road to being a Dallas Burlesque Festival stage kitten, I now have a lot of great memories and new friends, and now more than ever, I want to increase my involvement in this wonderful community.