Rockabilly-Online

Tonight we have a real treat for you all. We got to sit down with Ruby Joule of the ground breaking Jigglewatts! Here is the interview!

For those who aren’t in the know, tell us about yourself?

My name is Ruby Joule, and I am a burlesque performer, pin-up model and go-go dancer based in Austin, Texas. I have been a professional dancer, model and actress most of my life, but started down the glittering burlesque path about four years ago as a founding member of The Jigglewatts burlesque troupe.

Tell us about the Jigglewatts?

The Jigglewatts Burlesque was founded in the summer of 2006. I was working on a crazy film called Z: A Zombie Musical, and my co-stars and I were sitting around in our full-body green and gray makeup chatting about glamour and dance (like you do) between takes. We discovered that we’d all wanted to perform burlesque, but never had the opportunity. One of us said, “well, why don’t we just do a show together? What’s stopping us?” The answer seemed so obvious… nothing at all! We were all trained dancers and actresses, so we were super excited about taking to the stage together in another, much different, capacity. We figured we’d just do one show, something to tell the grandkids about. Ha! That was four years ago and now we’re performing all over the country!

Who makes up your merry band of movers and shakers?

Our small “boutique” troupe has only four members in Austin: Coco Lectric, Goldie Candela, Pearl Lux, and myself. We also have a fifth member based in Ohio, Champagne Shock.

You’re native to Austin. What is growing up in the music capital of the world like?

I have seen many changes in this fair city over the years, but what hasn’t changed is Austin’s ravenous appetite for live entertainment. This can be both a blessing and a curse sometimes- on one hand, there is so much fun to be had, so much creativity and many opportunities to perform. On the other hand, Austin audiences can be very demanding and sometimes, well, spoiled! With so many wonderful options to choose from, our show has to stand out from the crowd. We’re competing against world class live entertainment on any given night of the week, so it keeps us on our toes.

What inspires your performances?

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Each of my routines seems to be inspired by something different; anything from music to movie stars to mythology. I never know what will catch my eye next and be made into a number! As for the performances themselves, my primary inspiration is the audience. Without their gracious attention, I wouldn’t be there. That’s one thing all of The Jigglewatts feel pretty strongly about. Connection to the audience is key. We’re not up there performing AT them, saying “look how hot we are.” We’re sharing something with them, inviting them into our world and teasing them with a personal and memorable experience.

There’s a lot of almost “psychobilly” inspired burlesque that seems at odds with the traditional style. Where does your own fall?

One of the great things about neo-burlesque is the vast variety of styles and genres. On the west coast, it seems to have evolved out of the pin-up and rockabilly scene. On the east coast, it arose more from the fetish and drag scene. I land somewhere in the middle, drawing inspiration from both. The majority of my routines are classic and glamorous, with comedic elements when possible. This year the troupe has really amped up the glamour factor in developing our new numbers, but we do have some rock and roll, fetish, comedy, and performance art pieces tucked away for later… It’s important to never get bored with what we’re doing. We have to keep ourselves interested and engaged if we are to entertain an audience!

Who are some other dancers that you admire?

Wow, that could be a long list! I greatly admire the other ladies of The Jigglewatts, naturally- I am constantly learning new things from them. Each one is an expert at something! Away from home I admire Catherine D’Lish’s stage presence and incredible costuming, Kalani Kokonuts’ extravagant routines, Ms. Tickle’s innovation, and Dirty Martini’s energy and skill as a dancer, just to name a few. Admiration also runs deep for Tempest Storm and Joan Arline, two burlesque legends I had the honor of meeting at the Burlesque Hall of Fame weekend in Las Vegas this year.

What about local bands?

Well, I suppose my favorite is Johnny Hootrock! We have been performing go-go dance in their wild, rockin’ live shows for a couple of years now. Coco Lectric and I even toured with them last summer and, well the Winnebago got pretty hot rumbling through Death Valley in 119 degrees! It was well worth it though, and now we’re in the running to share the stage with KISS if t chosen as the opening band for the September show in San Antonio. Aside from the Hootrock boys, I am partial to The Spoiled Royals and Alpha Rev, both of whose music videos I was honored to be in. The Jungle Rockers, Monster Big Band, and Magnifico rank pretty high on my list, and I also have my own musical project on the horizon, called My Velvet Crush.

You performed at the House of Blues in New Orleans. Was that a big thrill?

Oh yes! Being on the same stage as such enormous talent over the years was a huge thrill. The New Orleans crowd is very enthusiastic too and always ready to have a good time. Bustout Burlesque is the company that hosted Coco and I as headliners, and their fearless leader Rick Delaup knows how to put on a sensational, first-class show. One of the most thrilling parts was performing my routine to a live New Orleans jazz band! I picked out the songs weeks in advance and rehearsed them with the band when I arrived. Unlike go-go dancing with a band, performing a burlesque routine depends a lot on exact timing of movements and reveals. Luckily the bandleader is a seasoned pro and it all “went off” without a hitch ;-).

What’s next for you?

I am excited to be heading back to The Big Easy this September for the New Orleans Burlesque Festival. I am performing in the “Queens of Burlesque” competition along with Coco Lectric, and Pearl Lux will also be performing at a special showcase at House of Blues. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Johnny Hootrock opens for KISS too, because that would make for an incredible story! I plan on traveling quite a bit in the coming months to perform, but I’ll let that be a surprise when it happens. Stay tuned! In the meantime, The Jigglewatts are on a roll with our monthly show at the ND at 501 Studios, so I’m looking forward to many more fantastic productions there.

Check out Ruby and all of the girls here!