OffBeat Videographer JonGunnar Gylfason sat down with Blu Reine, the producer of The Roux: A Spicy Brown Burlesque Show, for the latest exclusive OffBeat video.

Photo by JonGunnar Gylfason

Blu Reine started The Roux as a way to promote diversity within the burgeoning burlesque community by highlighting a variety of performers of color.

Reine’s show pays homage to African-American burlesque and variety performers with a lineup that includes classic burlesque, neo burlesque, boylesque, drag, comedy and much more.

The performers incorporate local music into their acts, so it’s not uncommon to see a burlesque performance set to a Dr. John song when a live band is not employed.

Reine, a performer herself, and “the honey badger of burlesque” Jeez Loueez talk about the importance of presenting burlesque performances by women of color in the video.

Check out the interview and performance clips below.