Walkouts, complaints after burlesque ‘strip’ performance at BlockChain Summit Gala

Women have walked out of a government-sponsored corporate gala in disgust over an award-winning burlesque performer’s show — but she says she received positive feedback. TAKE OUR POLL

Women have walked out of a State Government-sponsored corporate function in disgust after the summit turned into a striptease when a burlesque performer took to the stage.

Adelaide businesswoman Sonya Weiser said the decision to have award-winning Fringe burlesque performer Anya Anastasia provide the entertainment at the BlockChain Summit Gala, organised by ADC Forum, at Adelaide Oval on Monday night was inappropriate.

Premier Steven Marshall attended because the State Government sponsored an award called the BlockChain Innovation Challenge.

Winners share in $100,000 cash to further develop their innovative ideas.

Ms Weiser, 52, said the evening was going well until the entertainment began after the awards presentation and speeches from industry experts and Mr Marshall.

She said Ms Anastasia took the stage and after a couple of songs, began to strip, leaving audience members unsure of how far she would go.

During the show, Ms Anastasia removed items of clothing, including her stockings and underwear, but had a second pair of underwear underneath.

“She ended up with her bum in air exposing her backside to the audience and then stripped off the skirt,” Ms Weiser said.

“It was a bit icky. It was a corporate event.

“Most people in the audience were just sitting there deadpan, like what is going on?”

“Most people in the audience were just sitting there deadpan, like what is going on?” — Sonya Weiser

Ms Weiser said some women left mid-performance.

“I spoke to a lot of the women and they said that was disgusting and absolutely inappropriate,” she said.

“Some of the men … were saying things like what is this s***?”

“It made me feel really uncomfortable. I didn’t know where to look (and) one of my friends put her face in her hands because she was really close (to the performance). (It was) very awkward.”

Ms Weiser said the choice of entertainment highlighted the IT industry was “very male dominated” and there was “lots of unconscious bias”.

Burlesque dancer Anya Anastasia during another performance of the routine that offended some people at the BlockChain Summit Gala. Picture: YouTube

She has lodged an official complaint with the organisers.

“I recommended that in the future the event organisers are very clear to the (performers) that you require only G-rated, family-friendly performances that everyone can watch,” Ms Weiser said.

Ms Anastasia said she was “a little surprised” at the feedback.

She said the routine in question occurred towards the end of her show and was meant to be an empowering, tongue-in-cheek performance that showed women have intelligent and astute observations of the world but the only thing people would remember was whether or not she stripped.

“It’s about personal frustration as a performer,” she said.

“Obviously it’s a shame if it wasn’t taken in the spirit that it was intended.

“I walked away feeling fantastic at the event and I got a lot of positive feedback from people at the event.”

She later posted on Advertiser.com.au’s Facebook page that the performance was a “clumsy clown routine that parodies burlesque”.

“I certainly don’t identify as a burlesque performer, I identify as a satirist,” she wrote.

“I ended with an empowered, intelligent comedy routine declaring that ‘I don’t do burlesque’, which is a comment on how a woman can have a strong message and opinion but only be remembered for whether or not she took her clothes off. A social experiment that continues to come up with the goods, evidently!”

She said her partner saw no one leave.

Anya Anastasia climbs on to her piano seat during another performance of the routine. Picture: YouTube

Attendee Georgia Heath left the function early and agreed the performance was inappropriate.

“In another context, at the Fringe with my friends, I would have loved this (but) not at a professional night out when I was in the company of a room full of men and (was) one of a handful of women,” she said.

“I really want to stress that my issue was not with this performer — I would hate for her to get a bad rap for this. My issue is that the performance was inappropriately scheduled for this type of event.”

State Opposition spokeswoman Zoe Bettison said the performance would have better suited the Fringe, not a State Government-sponsored corporate event.

“This sends a message that women aren’t welcome,” she said.

“Blockchain is about technology for the 21st century, not an episode of Mad Men.”

Comment is being sought from ADC forum and Mr Marshall.

Originally published as Walkouts, complaints after burlesque ‘strip’ performance at BlockChain Summit Gala