Page 64 - Sonoma County Gazette February 2020

The Redwood Arts Council Presents: Kouzov Duo Valentine Concert
priestess is Eva D’Luscious, a self-avowed dance, holistic living, and fitness nerd. It’s her stage name she says during our phone call from her current home, Portland.
For the fifth concert in Redwood Arts’ Ruby Anniversary Season, we present the Russian cello and piano Kouzov Duo on Friday, February 14 at 7:30 in the Community Church of Sebastopol, 1000 Gravenstein Hwy N, Sebastopol.
Ten performers, including one male, will perform largely solo acts, with a few group dances. She calls the show “theatrical stripping, neo-burlesque, that often tells a story or makes a point.” Sometimes they’ll wander through the audience, interacting, attempting to break down the “fourth wall” between audience and stage.
This Valentine’s Day treat will include works by Beethoven, Bach, Brahms
and Martinu. Cellist Dmitry Kouzov has performed on five continents
“We’re presenting a variety of bodies,” she says. Performers will get down to pasties and G-strings, “but it’s not super-scandalous.”
The Glitter Army
Valentine’s Day is about love and sex, in whichever order you prefer. On Feb. 14, Hopmonk Sebastopol will present Whole Lotta Love, a burlesque Valentine to Led Zeppelin. Strippers and pole dancers will be performing to Zep recordings. An emcee will
provide humor and sing the title song.
The fun and excitement will be organized by the ShowGirl Temple, whose creator and high
Known for her passionate interpretations and impressive technical facility, the Russian pianist Yulia Fedoseeva enjoys a career as a soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. She
“There’s a lot of shame around sexuality and that creates problems in our culture,” she says. “It’s important that sexuality is honest and celebrated. It’s our creative life force.”
with orchestras, in recitals, and in chamber music performances. He was awarded First Prize at the International Beethoven Competition in the Czech Republic and is a two-time laureate of the International Festival-Competition “Virtuosi of the Year 2000” in Russia, and the winner of the New York Cello Society Rising Star Award.
D’Luscious has been “a lifelong dancer,” beginning at age three. In high school, she progressed to cheerleading, then samba and belly dancing.
He has appeared at prominent concert halls throughout his native Russia. Recently, Mr. Kouzov made
his recording debut on Naxos with three C.P.E. Bach Gamba Sonatas and a recital CD “Two Hundred Years of Cello Masterpieces” on Marquis Classics.
“Burlesque is flirting, teasing dance,” D’Luscious says. “It’s a sacred thing.” The shows invite the audience to react, get excited, and teach them new ways to arouse partners in the bedroom.
has given hundreds of performances throughout Russia, Holland, Portugal, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and in the United States. Yulia has won many awards, including in 1997 a Special Prize at the International
Piano Competition in Jurmala, Latvia, in 2000 Grand Prix and First Prize at the International Chamber Music Competition “Coast of Hope” in Dobrich, Bulgaria, in 2004 First Prize at the Maria Yudina Piano Duo Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia. Yulia is a devoted teacher and has been on faculty at the St. Petersburg State Conservatoire and at the Rimsky-Korsakov Music Lyceum for Highly Gifted Children.
D ‘Luscious’ personal act will conclude with a fan dance, but no pole dancing for her. “It’s very hard,” she says.” “Each time I tried it I got hurt.”
TICKETS: may be purchased through our website: redwoodarts.org, at brownpapertickets.com, at Handgoods in Occidental, and at the concert. Tickets are $30.00 for general admission, free for students accompanied by parents and $10.00 for unaccompanied students with ID. INFO: redwoodarts. org (707) 874-1124.
Expect much razzle-dazzle on stage. D’Luscious loves all things sparkly – “glitter, rhinestones, shiny things, especially people.” She also gives classes for both sexes, where many of those attending, often older, have stopped feeling sexy after going through big life changes. “It’s a way to stay young, a form of therapy.”
Her interest in burlesque began while living
in the Bay Area, attending burlesque shows in
San Francisco, like the Hubba Bubba Revue, the
Velvet Hammer, and Tease-O-Rama at Bimbo’s.
She grew to appreciate the glamor, gorgeous costumes, cleverness, tongue-in- cheek humor, and high spirits of the dancers. She took her first lessons from female teachers Satan’s Angel and Bombshell Betty.
Why Led Zeppelin? “Zep never gets old to me,” she says. “They have a giant repertoire that appeals to a lot of people.”
Attendees can win a gift certificate for a burlesque lesson for two. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will run a benefit raffle at the show. She’s had a relationship of mutual admiration with them for years. They dubbed her Saint Bublicious.
Asked where her current path will lead her, D’Luscious says “We’re going to take over the world with sexy fun. I’m creating a glitter army.” If you miss this show, they’ll be back May 16 at 3 Disciples Brewing, Santa Rosa. For more info and a few sneak peeks, go to: /or youtube.com/watch?v=dKUZmXSqOlw.
Eva D’Luscious, High Priestess of Tease
64 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 2/20