A one to one with Andrée Deissenberg
A one-to-one with Andrée Deissenberg, Crazy Horse Paris Chief Creative & Brand Officer, on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
Since she arrived at Crazy Horse Paris in 2006, Andrée Deissenberg, born of a French father and a US mother, has made no secret of her support for feminism, even though, as she says, the term can “frighten men”. The subject is very important to her and very much a part of the continuing renewal of this wonderful institution, the Crazy Horse Paris.
How would you define today’s woman in 2022?
I see today’s woman as a mix of all the iconic figures from Sex And The City plus the power of Beyonce and the glamour of Dita Von Teese: a strong woman in control, not of men, but of her own life. A working woman, enjoying motherhood – if that’s her choice – who’s not perfect but is at ease with herself. Modern women don’t burn their bra, they use it for their own purposes. First and foremost to please themselves.
And are the Crazy Girls women of today?
Our clever lighting makes the dancers look alike, but in reality they are all very different. They come from different countries, different cultures. Just like today’s woman: complex and uninhibited, free and multi-faceted. These are strong women, they have their vulnerabilities but can choose how much they show them. In truth, just like the rest of us…
What feminist values are expressed by the Crazy Girl?
Back in the 40s, burlesque dancers were breaking a taboo by showing their naked bodies. They didn’t do it to please men but for the sheer pleasure of performing. It was an act of rebellion.
It’s different now. The artists at Crazy Horse Paris, the Crazy Girls or our “Crazy Entertainer” Lolly Wish, for example, consider themselves modern women in society, both on stage and in life.
They want to perform to their very best on this legendary stage, to an audience increasingly composed of women just as much as men (sometimes more).
Do you think women see themselves reflected in the show?
Like I said, these days women make up more than half our audience. They leave the show happy, proud to be women. The bodies are beautiful and nudity is not an issue. Women don’t have necessarily to be dancers performing on our stage to be touched by the show, it gives them confidence, they feel in some way empowered. It’s as if they are transported to another level. Crazy Horse Paris is expert at performances that exalt femininity and transcend reality, our shows are an expression of aesthetics and of art. Women always sense this, whether they’re on stage or in the audience.