Scarlet Black, Beautiful Mourning show review

Fucking hell. There that’s it, that’s the review. As I type this, it has been four days since I witnessed the utter delight that was Scarlet Black –  Beautiful Mourning and I have been existing in some sort of delightful, Scarlet fog since then. I have been telling practically everyone I’ve met, from pole friends, regular friends, neighbours and colleagues exactly where I went last weekend, how badass Scarlet was and how everyone must come with me next year if they know what’s good for them. As Sarah Blackmilk accurately describes, it’s hard to put into words just how sublime a Scarlet show actually is, however I’m going to attempt to give it a bloody good go.

If you’re into the filthier side of pole dance and (without wanting to sound like an edgelord here) the darker side of life, then Scarlet Show and the entire Scarlet weekend is for you. Having begun pole dancing nearly eight years ago (fucking hell time has flown!), I have attended many a pole dance competition and show, and nothing has come close to nourishing my soul quite the way that Scarlet has. I don’t think I can fully describe just how bloody refreshing it was to be sat in the audience and have the show open with Rotting Christ’s 666, my tits were quite literally blown off and into outer space within minutes of the show starting. Also, on the Wikipedia page for the album that features Rotting Christ’s 666, band member Sakis Tolis describes the album as follows; “A deep dig into the occult knowledge of the past led me to create this album. I have no special message. I was tired of them. I just want you to make your escape from everyday life and trip with me into the past.” And that my friends is exactly how Scarlet makes you feel too.

Every single performance in the Scarlet show was badass.  Despite each performance being unique to the dancers’ own style, the energy and theme of the show crept into each one perfectly. This was no regular pole dance show, but an intense and beautiful event that really must be experienced in person. Reading this blog, no matter how hard I am trying to do Scarlet justice, really wont cut it. It is obvious to anyone who has experienced a Scarlet Show that its creator, the OG Jamie Taylor, is not in the least bit interested in creating a pole show with mass appeal. This is some authentic, esoteric, real deal shit that caters to a specific market that I am very proud to be a part of.  One does not sign up to perform at Scarlet, but is invited to perform by Jamie herself, which makes the carefully curated line up even more special.

Scarlet weekend doesn’t just consist of a badass show, there were many fabulous workshops taking place over the weekend hosted by the performers and Jamie herself too that we got to enjoy. I wanted to add some variety to my workshop choices over the weekend, so attended too Jamie’s signature movement mediation Serpent Power on Friday eve, Arlene Caffrey’s Old School Flow on Saturday and Sarah Blackmilk’s relaxing stretch workshop on the Sunday.

As you can imagine, having been a fan of Jamie, Sarah and Arlene since late 2015, I was buzzing to attend workshops with these three legends, and as expected they did not disappoint. Sarah’s gentle yet effective stretch class gave my battered old body some much needed time to quite literally unwind. Arlene’s signature old school flow (which is rapidly becoming my favourite style of dance) was the perfect mix of challenging enough to have stuff to work on but not being thrown out of one’s depth and it was an honour, after months of attending the online class, to finally attend a Serpent Power level 2 session in person. Serpent power is, as described by Jamie “a feminine, sensual movement meditation method that helps shed your false self and revel in your true power and learn to truly love who are really are and what you see in the mirror. Serpent Power is a darker, more lascivious style of sensual dance, using repeating sequences to become a movement meditation.” Honestly just fucking do it when it comes to Serpent Power, you won’t regret it.

As mentioned somewhere above (not going to lie I’ve returned back to the glorious Scarletty fog somewhat since sitting down to work on this post), Scarlet really is something to be experienced, as writing about her doesn’t do her justice. I couldn’t fully convey the feeling of sipping on a Highland Single Malt in words, and it’s exactly the same vibe when trying to describe Scarlet. In fact, a whisky metaphor is the best way I can summarise the Scarlet experience. Just like a Highland Single Malt she is beautiful, intense and powerful, and you won’t fully know what she’s like unless you’ve experienced her yourself. Keep your eyes peeled for Scarlet 2023 and when she’s announced book VIP tickets immediately. Both VIP and Standard Plus tickets are always sold underground prior to the new show date being released widely, so do email Jamie@defygravity.info to get on the exclusive list. Previous shows had VIP sell out within an hour and Standard Plus the following day.

Also if this blog has you intrigued about all things Scarlet Show and Serpent Power related, head on over to The Scarlet Temple to find out more.