Sole Speak went On Site and stepped into the world of burlesque—and one of the first conversations of the night was with performer AFreakingV.
What started as a conversation about performance quickly opened into something bigger: representation, community, creativity, and returning to the stage.
AFreakingV spoke about the presence of performers of color within burlesque. The talent is there. The performers are there. But when she looks into the audience, she doesn’t always see that same representation reflected back.
That distinction matters.
Representation isn’t only about who gets invited onto the stage. It is also about who knows these spaces exist, who feels welcomed into them, and who gets to experience the art from the other side of the curtain.
And there is plenty to experience.
AFreakingV also shared that she had stepped away from performing around the time of COVID. Now, she’s back—and she came back ready to kill the stage.
She did exactly that.
Her performance carried the confidence of someone returning to something that still belonged to her. But what made our conversation especially interesting was getting underneath the finished performance.
We talked about the people who inspire her, her creative process, and even the costumes she wears onstage—which she builds and designs herself.
That changes how you see the performance.
The outfit isn’t simply something she puts on before walking onstage. It is another piece of the creation. From inspiration, to construction, to movement, to the final reveal in front of an audience, the artist is present throughout the entire process.
That’s exactly what Sole Speak: On Site is here to explore.
Not simply What did you perform?
But Who are you? What brought you here? What are you creating? And what conversations are happening inside spaces the rest of us may not have entered yet?
AFreakingV gave us one of those conversations.
And then she hit the stage and gave us the proof.
Sole Speak: On Site
We go where the story is.