Behind the props...
Chicago Team
Donna & Robert
Of course, there is me, Donna Touch leading the team. But before we got married, Robert helped me improve my staves by powder coating them. He also polishes the stainless steel blades I design and have cut for swordswallowers.
Katrina is the brains behind many of the brilliant and complex designs that started hitting stages in 2021. If you're planning a project that involves a custom design element, Katrina will likely be added to your project.
Now with countless hours of fan build experience, Donovan assists with many ostrich fan builds. An illustrator, she has also done the feather sketches used for our social media promotions. Explore more of her art through her Selvage Patreon (patreon.com/selvage).
A Chicago native, Olivia a multi-disciplinary artist and a designer. New to fan building, she's always looking to add more skills to her toolkit and enjoys the process already. Trained in Industrial Design, she hopes to also lend those skills to future stave designs.
Partners
The Venusian creator of queer content and costumer for the showgirls and drag babe of New Orleans, this nonbinary powerhouse is a staple of the Big Easy performance scene. Whether they are building faux or real, Jahireen has a commitment to quality, durability and glamour.
Burlesque performer, curator, movement instructor, pin-up, businesswoman, fan dance enthusiast and budding fan builder. Hartless feels a special connection to fans and is excited to immerse herself in this tradition of burlesque artistry.
Faye is a burlesque performer, costumer, and propmaker out of Canada. Specializing in small-batch custom immersion dyeing and dipped or hand-painted ombré effects, her techniques result in fan designs that are truly extra, bold, and unique. Custom projects are designed by Faye and built on Donna Touch staves.
Buttercup is a burlesque performer, producer, instructor and costume maker. Along with her skilled voice, movement and comedy, Buttercup incorporates traditional burlesque elements into her routines including tassel twirling and the feather fan dance. An innovator herself, Buttercup builds on Donna Touch staves, creates feather umbrellas and offers other creative feathery props!
Bea has excelled in fan performance, as well as fan maintenance, fan upgrading and future possibilities! With a focus on faux alternatives, affordability, and durability, Bea envisions a future where her fans are not just accessories…but dedicated accomplices in the art of burlesque. Bea builds on Donna Touch staves with real and faux feathers!
Perpetua is a burlesque performer and costumer out of Boston, MA. She specializes in premade and custom pasties made from a mélange of materials including gemstones and salvaged jewelry. She has been able to apply her exceptional design skills to feather fan accent staves, front plates and handles.
Risky Spotlight Issue #5
TASTEFUL publication for theatrical performance EXOTIC in nature.
Covering the celebrities of underground entertainment. Risky Spotlight brings the best of the showgirl, burlesque, and drag industries. Covering entertainers, dj's, musicians, stagehands, designers, and more! Read Risky Spotlight and learn about the guts it takes to reach glitter glory. Learn about upcoming stars, legends, and current events.
Check out the highlight of my rise to feather fan fame in Issue #5!