Representation is everything at Hostess City Hoedown

 'The challenge is training your audience to break up the stigma of what conventional beauty is.'

RITA D'LAVANE is pumped for this year’s Hostess City Hoedown celebration at Club One. Starting around their 40th birthday, D’LaVane says that they wanted this event to serve as a way to bring drag and burlesque performers in Savannah together.

Also, it serves as a way for Savannah performers to network with others outside of the city. D’LaVane wants to introduce their hometown and all of the talent here for others to enjoy. 

Before moving to Tulsa, D’LaVane worked at Club One. They saw the club as being the perfect place for the Hostess City Hoedown. Since moving away, the co-producers have continued the legacy of keeping an inclusive and diverse group going. 

“So I was like, this would be perfect to have an event here at the club. Which is the home of The Lady Chablis, who was the most notable, black trans woman who put Savannah on the map for her art. Considering that, we're home to a black, queer trans performer, who puts them on the map and became famous, within their right within the alternative Performing Arts. I was like, it only makes sense to be able to bring these people here underneath this roof. To be able to celebrate what we do together and invite everybody else to come hang out with us,” D'LaVane said. 

D’LaVane explained that the name of the event ties to the idea of Southern Hospitality. Savannah is the hostess city, and the hoedowns happen in the South typically. They said that we get down, we make friends, and we dance and party. When asked about preparation for burlesque and their persona, D’LaVane said that their persona is ever-evolving. 

As they travel and do shows, D’LaVane has merch available for purchase. Their brand’s visibility resonates with a lot of people and helps gravitate them towards burlesque. Their brand serves as an extension of their burlesque persona. The message is all about body positivity, conjuring confidence, and sexual liberation. 

One of the challenges and misconceptions of D’LaVane is the access that people think to have toward them. As a performer, they are visible and popular and these people frequently come to their shows. D’LaVane says that this is overwhelming.

Another thing that can be challenging is the responsibility they carry around. D’LaVane is both a producer and performer, and they wanted to break up the saturation of skinny white femme performers. Representation matters and attendees would like to see themselves perform on the stage. 

“The challenge is training your audience to break up the stigma of what conventional beauty is. That has been my challenge. Being able to tell people that it's okay, you don't have to be in the gym 24/7 to have a burlesque body. You don't have to make a bazillion dollars to be able to afford costumes. There's a way to make them affordable and accessible. I think my focus and challenges are also surrounding that,” D’LaVane said. 

The Hoedown will begin on May 9 and conclude on May 11. D’LaVane said Saturday night is going to be the height of the festival. This will be their competition night called the Hoedown Throwdown.

The winner will be crowned the Supreme of Savannah, and they will have the opportunity to headline next year’s festival. 

“We do have one hometown performer in the competition, but we also have people who are not from Savannah. That's how we welcome people into our space. Friday night is called the Southern Glamour Get Together. People often ask me what's the theme behind Friday night and I'm like it’s just whatever. It's called The Seven Whoever Gets Together, so people were like, is it the more like glittery or glitzy night? I told them it's just like, it's just more high caliber talent.  It's just more of that with a cool name on it that has a nice ring to it. Thursday night is the Local Honey Showcase. The majority of the performers on that night will be from the southeast. We have people coming from California,  Salt Lake City, Brooklyn, New Orleans, Minneapolis, all over,” they said. 

D’LaVane said that the hoedown will be an event where everyone is welcome. They also remarked that the event is brown and black-centered. They are still fighting for people to recognize that they’re relevant as performers just because they aren’t blond, skinny, and white.