Originating in the mid-1800s, burlesque dancing established itself as a literary and performative genre marked by a risqué, somewhat slapstick tone, equal parts provocative and comedic. While it has historically been associated with liberated expression, burlesque has also had its own issues with body positivity and fatphobia. In an effort to dismantle these dynamics and create a more inviting space in the realm of burlesque, Fatlesque Fest NW was born.

It is the creation of Mx. Pucks A'Plenty, a leading figure in local, regional, and national burlesque scenes. Having been voted #16 and #17 on the 21st Century Burlesque Magazine Top 50 Most Influential Burlesque Industry Figures in 2021 and 2022, respectively, Pucks has taken the industry by storm.

Fatlesquetook place January 6-8, garnering attention from people across the Northwest. The first two nights began at 7:30 p.m. at the Triple Door, one of the city's favorite lounges and event venues, located just across the street from Benaroya Hall. With fat-friendly seating and food and drink table service, both nights offered guests a comfortable atmosphere and lively entertainment, featuring performances by Alotta Boutté, Deeva Rose, Goddess Briq House, Jezebel Express, and many more.

The festival took to the stage at Madame Lou's in Belltown on Sunday to wrap up the weekend with a bang. With doors opening to the public just after 11 a.m., the final event — called Fatties Who Brunch — changed the pace and offered guests a delicious meal and an intimate venue in which to watch performances and momentarily forget the cold and gloomy rain that was pouring just outside.

With the first performers emerging just after 12:30 p.m., audience members had ample time beforehand to mingle over a wide spread of brunch options before setting in for the afternoon's entertainment. Like the previous nights, Fatties Who Brunch boasted a stellar roster of performers, such as GemBrulee, Prance Dashing, Baron von Styck, and Golden Mystique (among many others), as well as a final performance by featured artist Alexa Perplexa.

The cherry on top of it all? Fan favorite GiGi Holliday as emcee. Hailing all the way from the East Coast, Gigi describes herself on social media as "Washington, DC's resurgence of glitz, glamour, and allure." Indeed she is. In just three hours of hosting, she kept the venue filled with laughs, hollering cheers, and near-constant applause. (Beyond an alluring and commanding stage presence, Gigi also offers online consultation services — which can be booked on her website for either 30-minute or hour-long sessions — for show people seeking advice on the go.)

Ripples of impact
During the afternoon of levity and entertainment, Pucks also took to the stage before intermission to discuss with the audience the importance of FFNW and body diversity in the world of burlesque. In a dialogue as tender as it was inspiring, they offered the room a glimpse into the realities of burlesque and their motivations in the work that they do.

"You start to look sometimes and notice that there aren't a lot of people who look like you," they said. "There was no intention of creating any kind of festival or anything like that originally; it was really just me looking around and realizing that I wasn't really seeing myself reflected [in burlesque]."

In particular, Pucks also dove briefly into the liberating and uplifting role that burlesque can play for feminine-presenting people in a world that can often feel antagonistic, saying, "Most femmes don't have this kind of power in any aspect of their lives without someone in their life questioning them or trying to change it."

Like most of their other work, Pucks used FFNW to create a hub for femme empowerment, fat empowerment, and overall body diversity. In a society that perpetually erases and silences plus-sized people and enforces physical homogeneity, their efforts to liberate bodies and (as described on their website) "thicken up burlesque stages all over the country" is vitally important, and the importance of it all is definitely not lost on them.

"Sometimes you don't realize what your impact is because you throw the rock in the water and then you walk away. But if you stop, you get to see all those ripple effects and what they get to touch," they told the crowd. "I never realized what sort of impact I was capable of having, and when I look out into this room, I realize I had some kind of an impact."

Both an alluring stage personality and indispensable community organizer and leader, Mx. Pucks A'Plenty is undoubtedly changing the landscape of burlesque for the better. Their presence and work are an inspiring embodiment of humanity in action.