Burlesque Backstage Pass (Article 6) - Who Let Me On Stage? Imposter Syndrome in Burlesque
- Dee Lightfull
- Jul 16, 2025
- 7 min read
I was at the 2025 Burlesque Hall of Fame (BHOF) Weekender and Perle Noire was given the Sassy Lassy Award for “significant impact in the promotion and perpetuation of burlesque.” In her acceptance speech, she stood on the stage and said:
“I am not humble.”
“I am NOT humble.”
“I am FILLED with gratitude”
“I deserve to be here.”
“I am not an imposter.”
I felt this in my soul. I was shooketh.
They call burlesque “the art of the tease”, but for many burlesque performers, it’s also the art of the internal monologue. Onstage, a vision of confidence—legs, lashes, and lipstick—commands the room. But, behind the mask of makeup, beneath the panel skirt and corset, another voice whispers:
You’re not really good enough.
They’ll figure out you don’t belong here.
That applause? They’re just being polite.
This voice doesn’t belong to a heckler in the crowd or a rival backstage. It’s coming from within. It’s called imposter syndrome, and it’s a surprisingly familiar companion to many burlesque performers; no matter how many shows they've headlined, titles they’ve won, or tassels they’ve twirled.
In this article, we’ll unpack the phenomenon of imposter syndrome, explore why burlesque performers are particularly susceptible to it, and offer tools for shimmying your way back into self-worth.
What Is Imposter Syndrome?
Coined in 1978 by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, imposter syndrome refers to a psychological pattern where individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a "fraud," despite external evidence of their competence. Though it's common in high-achieving individuals across all fields, it shows up in particularly potent ways in the performing arts, especially burlesque.
Why? Because burlesque is deeply personal. It’s art, comedy, dance, activism, vulnerability, sexuality, satire, and it's all filtered through your body, your brain, and your unique lived experience. When you're center stage, it's not just your choreography being judged. It feels like your entire self is.
That’s part of what makes burlesque so powerful. It’s also why it can feel so terrifying.
Imposter syndrome thrives in spaces where identity and performance collide. When the art is this intimate, any critique, real or imagined, feels personal. When your body is part of your costume, when the story you're telling is peeled off layer by layer, it becomes hard to separate the work from the worth.
Causes of Self-Doubt
Here are some of the reasons burlesque performers may find themselves tangled in the feather boa of self-doubt:
1. The DIY Nature of Burlesque
Burlesque is often a self-produced art form. Performers create their own acts, sew their own costumes, mix their own music, market themselves, and negotiate contracts. With no formalized “path to success,” many performers are left wondering, Am I even doing this right?
Unlike ballet or Broadway, there’s no singular academy or checklist to validate your legitimacy. That freedom is empowering, but it also opens the door to comparison and insecurity.
This DIY ethos is one of burlesque’s strengths, but it also leaves room for uncertainty. If no one crowned you, if you crowned yourself, who’s to say you deserve the title?
It’s in that ambiguity that imposter syndrome thrives.
2. The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media
Scrolling through curated posts of perfectly timed reveals and elaborate rhinestoned gowns can be inspiring…or devastating. Social media platforms reward polished, flashy performances. For newer or marginalized performers, this creates a false perception of what “success” looks like. It’s easy to believe you’re the only one who doesn’t have a $500 gown, a videographer boyfriend, or a viral act.
And when you do get success (likes, bookings, praise) it might not feel real. You might think, “They must have made a mistake. They didn’t see the part I messed up.”
3. Body and Identity Politics
Burlesque markets itself as a celebration of all bodies and identities, but that doesn't mean those of us in fat, disabled, neurodivergent, BIPOC, or queer bodies don’t still internalize harmful messages from the outside world.
Even in inclusive spaces, imposter syndrome creeps in:
Am I being booked just to fill a diversity quota?
Do I deserve to be here if I don’t look like a “classic” burlesque beauty?
Can I really call myself a burlesque artist if I don’t dance “like them”?
Maybe you’ve been the only plus-size body in a lineup, or the only non-white face on a festival poster. Maybe you’ve wondered whether you were booked for your talent or for optics. Maybe you’ve been told, directly or through omission, that your body, your style, or your story isn’t “classic” enough to be considered burlesque at all.
When the industry sends these signals, even subtly, the internal narrative sharpens: I’m not really wanted here. They’re just being nice. My art is not valid.
Representation matters, but it comes with a weight. Being “the first” or “the only” can be both empowering and isolating.
4. The Myth of the “Perfect” Performer
There’s a prevailing myth in burlesque (and the performing arts more broadly) that confidence is binary: you either have it or you don’t. That you must be fierce, bold, and unapologetically sexy at all times. That vulnerability is weakness.
This myth leaves little room for the performer who’s nervous before a show, who’s still learning, who’s unsure. In reality, those feelings are not a flaw in your performance. They’re part of the process. Imposter syndrome thrives when we pretend we’re not allowed to struggle.
Even success can make it worse. You might land a major gig or win a competition and still feel like you “got lucky.” Praise might roll in after a show, but you fixate on the one missed cue or the zipper that didn’t quite stay up. A photo from your set goes viral, and suddenly your brain wants to insist it was a fluke. It’s as if every achievement only raises the stakes: now you have even more to lose if someone figures out you’re not who they think you are.
Tools to Confront Imposter Syndrome
So how do we quiet that voice? Or, staying on theme, how do we learn to dance with it?
While imposter syndrome may not be something you can completely “cure,” you can manage it and even use it as fuel. Here are strategies to reframe and reclaim your spotlight:
1. Name It
Recognize imposter syndrome for what it is: a voice, not a truth. Learn to separate your internal critic from reality. The next time you hear that whisper, “You don’t belong here,” respond with curiosity: Whose voice is that? Is it mine, or someone I’ve internalized?
Naming it helps disarm it.
If you’re like me, poke fun at it. Humor is my coping mechanism. If I can make fun of something, I can handle it or dismantle it.
2. Build a Burly Family
Find people you trust in the burlesque community, whether a mentor, a producer, or a fellow performer, to talk openly with. When someone you admire admits they’ve felt the same, it demystifies the myth that confidence is constant.
Imposter syndrome thrives in isolation, convincing you that you’re the only one faking it while everyone else has it all figured out. But peek behind the curtain and you’ll find that even the performers you admire most, the ones who seem to embody effortless power, have moments of doubt.
Build a group chat or regular check-in where you can share wins, vent about doubts, and remind each other: You are not alone in this.
3. Document the Wins
Create a “glitter file:” a digital or physical collection of compliments, reviews, fan messages, good show photos, and anything else that reminds you of your impact. When the doubt creeps in, open the file and bask in your proof.
Sometimes your brain forgets how fabulous you are. That’s okay. Give it receipts.
4. Redefine Success
The more we care about our work, the more vulnerable we feel. Psychologist Dr. Valerie Young, who has studied imposter syndrome extensively, notes that people who strive for excellence are often the most likely to doubt themselves. The paradox is painful: the more accomplished you become, the more you may feel like a fraud.
Instead of measuring your worth by external metrics (number of bookings, followers, or applause) define what success means to you. Make your definition of success personal, flexible, and aligned with your values. Maybe success is creating an act that makes you feel seen. Maybe it’s saying yes to your first out-of-town show or finally finishing a costume you’ve been dreaming up for months. Maybe success is just getting onstage despite the fear.
5. Consider Professional Help
Therapists, particularly those familiar with creative fields, can be invaluable in helping you understand and reframe imposter syndrome. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and EMDR are modalities that can be especially effective.
Final Reveal: You Belong
The truth is, most burlesque performers feel like imposters at some point, even the ones you idolize. Confidence isn’t the absence of fear or doubt; it’s the decision to go onstage anyway. You are good enough. You do belong. And the stage is better with you on it.
So next time you feel like a fraud, remember: the act of choosing to be visible in a world that tells you to shrink is already revolutionary.
You’re not a fluke. You’re not an accident.
You’re a godsdamn glitterstorm in a corset, a storyteller in heels, a vision in sequins and sass. And no voice, internal or external, can take that away from you.
So tits up, pasties on. It’s time to take the stage. Again. And again. And again.
Dee Lightfull is a burlesque performer, producer, and self-proclaimed provocateur who is all about life with a bit more glitter and a dash more sass. Hailing from the heart of Central New York, she is the embodiment of fierce and flirty, a burlesque chameleon who brings a joyous zeal to the stage that is as infectious as it is delightful.
In the series, “Backstage Pass,” she is sharing an in depth look behind-the-scenes: from choosing the perfect music to the ins and outs of marketing yourself to costuming tips to the often-taboo topic of money, you will gain an all-access pass to the backstage of burlesque. Want to make sure she cover a specific topic, email her at deelightfullburlesque@gmail.com.
Dee Lightfull can be found on Instagram or TikTok at @deelightfullburlesque or her website: https://www.deelightfullburlesque.com/
Dee Lightfull merch can be purchased at: https://donmanuelpresents.shop/product-category/dee-lightfull-collection/
References:
Clance, P. R., & Imes, S. A. (1978). The Impostor Phenomenon in High Achieving Women: Dynamics and Therapeutic Intervention. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice.
Young, V. (2011). The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer from the Impostor Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It. Crown.
Hutchins, H. M. (2015). Outing the Impostor: A Study Exploring Impostor Phenomenon among Higher Education Faculty. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development.
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