Aubvious: From Ballet to Burlesque (With Cats)

Looking for a cat-themed event? 🐱🎭
Catbaret is NYC’s cat-themed variety show featuring comedy, music, and burlesque – with in-person and virtual shows throughout the year.
Learn more at CatbaretShow.com

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🔗 Resources & Mentions

•  Whirly Burly Brunch – Aubvious's monthly burlesque brunch at The Whirling Tiger
• The Bizarre Bazaar – Louisville-based burlesque and variety production company
•  Crestview Studios – Dance classes in Louisville
•  Bourbon Barrel Foods – Yoga and community events

🎭 Connect with Aubvious:

• Instagram: @aubvious_
•  Website: movewithaubrielle.com

🐱 Stay Connected:

• Follow Tails and Tassels on Instagram: @tailsandtasselspod
• Follow Catbaret on Instagram: @catbaretshow

Got a question or a story about your cat? 🐱 I’d love to hear from you! Message me on Instagram or email tailsandtasselspod@gmail.com.

Transcript

Gemma Smith (00:00.17)
Hello, kitty cats, and welcome back to another episode of Tails & Tassels — the show where you learn about the lives of burlesque and nightlife performers, their craft, their cats, and the way those two worlds collide.

I’m your host, Gemma Smith. By day, I work in animal welfare, and by night, I host Catbaret, New York City’s cat-themed variety show.

Today’s guest is Aubvious — spelled A-U-B-V-I-O-U-S. They’re a dancer, choreographer, burlesque artist, and instructor based in Louisville, Kentucky, whose journey into burlesque began after a professional ballet career and a major pivot during the pandemic.

I’m so excited for you to hear this conversation. We talk about transitioning from the competitive ballet world into burlesque, how classical dance training shows up on stage, producing their own burlesque brunch, returning to teaching yoga, and of course, cats — including how feline energy and boundaries influence their artistry, meeting their two cats Greta and Ollie, and why cats might just be the ultimate teachers when it comes to creativity, rest, and letting go of perfectionism.

Let’s get into it.

Gemma Smith (02:04.91)
Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today. I’m excited to share your journey as an artist and a cat parent with our listeners.

Aubvious
Thank you so much for having me. It’s my pleasure.

Gemma Smith
  I’m paws-itively delighted.We like cat puns here. So first today, we’re going to talk about your craft. Then we’ll learn more about your two cats at home.

So you’re a dancer, a choreographer, burlesque artist, and you’re also an instructor. To start us off, can you share a bit about your journey into burlesque and what pulled you toward this art form?

Aubvious
Yeah. So I’ll start from the very beginning, which is when I was four — I got put into ballet classes. And then growing up, I took ballet, tap, jazz, and modern.

When I was 17, I joined BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio, as a professional dancer. So I was doing The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty — those kinds of story ballets with the company. And then in 2017, I moved to Louisville to join Louisville Ballet, where I also trained for two seasons with them.

Unfortunately, that’s kind of where my ballet career ended. I didn’t have a company contract lined up anywhere, so I decided to stay in Louisville and keep training. And then I did some auditions in 2020, but then everything shut down.

And I honestly, for like a year, was like, “Oh, I guess dance just isn’t going to work out,” and stuff. I kind of was trying to find a different path, but then I was working as a barista, and my friend Ophelia Filth — her burlesque name — was talking about a burlesque show. And I was like, I’ve seen burlesque, and I always thought it was really cool. And she’s who got me into kittening.

And then from there, I started working with Bazaar Bazaar, which is a production company here in Louisville run by Artemisia de la Miel. And yeah, I actually didn’t think I was going to do burlesque. I thought I was just going to kitten and then maybe do dance in the Bazaar Bazaar shows, because they’re usually a variety show.

Gemma Smith (04:21.07)
But then Halloween of 2023, I was like, “Ah, I think I do want to add the burlesque element to it.” So I kind of had a surprise debut, and then from there it’s just kind of taken off. I mostly work with Bazaar Bazaar, but I’ve started producing my own shows and started to work with other troupes in town as well, and I’m looking to eventually travel with it. But yeah, I’m really happy that I took the risk of fully diving into it.

That really resonates with me. I chat with a lot of different folks, and how they discovered burlesque is always an interesting story. And for you, coming from being a professional dancer — wow, at such a young age, 17 — what was the community like being a professional ballet dancer versus the burlesque community? How would you compare it?

Aubvious
I mean, overall, I’d say the burlesque community is just more often encouraging and welcoming. I do think, unfortunately, in the ballet world there is a lot of competition — and not that there isn’t competition in the burlesque world — but it’s kind of like people are competing with themselves more than they are for solo spots and stuff like that.

I know it’s different with burlesque competitions and things like that, but yeah, I would say that the burlesque community has been a lot more supportive and welcoming, especially as a queer artist. I feel like I didn’t get to explore that as much in the ballet world because it is very binary.

And as much as I love it, that was one thing I didn’t realize at the time that I was missing out on. But now being in the burlesque world and getting that is really exciting for me.

Gemma Smith
I love that. And you’ve described yourself as a gender-bending burlesque artist. How does that show up? And can you also share how your past dance background shows up in your stage persona and the way that you move on stage?

Aubvious
I would say a lot of my movement does come from my ballet background. I try to take the technique that I worked so hard on for 20-plus years and keep that really true to my form and my lines, especially. A lot of people compliment me on my fluidity as a dancer, and I think that comes more from my contemporary and modern experience.

More recently, with exploring my gender, I take hip-hop classes and heels classes now. The heels classes have definitely helped me embody more feminine traits that I didn’t get in the ballet world as much. And then with hip-hop, I feel like I’ve been able to find more masculine movements that are a little more grounded.

And then I just kind of try to mix them all together. That also comes through in my costuming. A lot of times I’ll wear pieces that are a little more on the masc side, even if I’m doing a more feminine role.

I’ve also been dipping my toe into drag a little bit. I did my first drag king show this December.

Gemma Smith
That’s so cool. I love when artists try new things and dip into different ponds and realize, “Oh, I can do that too.”

Can you tell me more about the scene in Louisville? One of my favorite things about burlesque is that if I travel anywhere, I want to see if there’s a burlesque show there. I’ve never been to Philadelphia — which is wild, because I live in New York City — so I’m going in a couple of months and I’m like, I have to see burlesque there.

So for folks listening, whether they’re local or traveling, what’s the scene like in Louisville? You mentioned Bazaar Bazaar — are there certain venues people should check out?

Aubvious
Yeah, so Bazaar Bazaar is the main one I dance with and perform with. Artemisia does a lot of nerd-lesque shows. I’m trying to think of one — oh, we do a Star Wars show and a Star Trek show.

Gemma Smith
I love nerd-lesque.

Gemma Smith (09:00.462)
It really is. I love it a lot. That’s kind of their niche. And they also do some more classic shows or variety shows. They have a Winter Solstice show on the solstice every year. I love a pun.

Aubvious
I do too. Solstice.

Gemma Smith
Yeah. So there are a lot of nerd-lesque shows. There’s Blancs for Less, who do more classic shows. They have a monthly show at Hereafter. As far as venues, there’s Hereafter, Zanzibar is a big one. I did a show there with a band — they’re a band-poetry collaborative collective — and they wanted to add burlesque to it as well. So we did an improvised show together, which was really cool. That was also at Zanzibar. They’re really supportive of new and interesting shows.

And then The Whirling Tiger is also a great one to check out. Those are probably the top three venues here.

Speaking of you and your own show — you recently accomplished two big goals for 2025. And this episode will be airing in early-ish 2026. You produced your own burlesque show, and you returned to teaching yoga. I practice yoga once a week — I’ve been practicing for a long time, and I love it for my mental health. Can you talk about what it felt like to follow through on these goals and share a bit about them?

Aubvious
Yeah. At the beginning of 2025, I had two big goals — one was to produce a burlesque show, and the other was to get back to teaching yoga. Both goals kind of fell into my lap in some way. I mean, I’m always working toward my goals through little daily tasks and stuff.

For the burlesque show, I was hanging out with my friend and fellow performer Tigris Blue, and we were chatting about shows coming up. We were specifically talking about The Whirling Tiger, because we really wanted to start a show there. It has a great speakeasy vibe.

Gemma Smith (11:21.71)
We always thought it would be perfect for a jazz and burlesque show. They also have a coffee shop during the day, and I’m friends with the manager there. He reached out to see if I wanted to host classes or a daytime show. I talked with Tigris, and we were like, “What if we did a burlesque brunch?”

So last month we started The Whirly-Birly Brunch, and it’s the last Sunday of every month. Our next one is January 25, and we have a live band. It’s a little more chill — still high-energy, but being in the morning makes it more laid-back, which is really fun.

That said, it has been very scary for me. Hosting and producing aren’t where my strengths are yet — I feel much stronger in performing and dance skills. But it’s been really nice to challenge myself, and I think it’s only going to help me grow as an artist.

Gemma Smith
I do want to clarify — is the venue called The Whirling Tiger or Flying Tiger?

Aubvious
The Whirling Tiger.

Gemma Smith
Perfect — it’s a cat and a monthly show. It’s so nice to have your own project and know, “I’m performing this act next month because it’s my show.”

I’m similar to you but also opposite — I love hosting and producing. I’m very Type A and love talking in front of people. Performing burlesque came later for me. I grew up tap dancing, but I’m not a “real” dancer, you know? So burlesque is what I want to push myself in more. I love that we’re kind of opposite and that you’re stretching yourself too.

But teaching yoga — that’s clearly something you’re comfortable with. I always admire yoga teachers. Tell me more about that.

Gemma Smith (13:36.59)
Aubvious
I got certified in 2019, around the time my ballet career ended. I was searching for other options while still auditioning. I’d been practicing yoga for a few years, but I really only knew the physical side of it.

Yoga teacher training opened me up to the philosophy and values behind yoga, which really resonate with me. I’ve filtered those into my daily life and into my work as a performer — especially the practice of non-violence. Checking in with my body, making sure I’m not overdoing it, taking time to rest, and also not harming other performers — being considerate of them.

That goal also kind of fell into my lap. A past coworker now works at Bourbon Barrel Foods, and they wanted to host events to bring people into their new space. She reached out to see if I wanted to teach a yoga class, and I said yes. It felt like the last goal I hadn’t touched yet.

The class was great — nine students showed up, and I knew almost everyone except one person. I’m much more comfortable teaching yoga and dance because I understand how the body works, so I feel confident instructing. Hosting is harder for me, but teaching helps me get used to speaking in front of people.

I’m really grateful to be starting that up again, and hopefully it’ll become another monthly gig.

Gemma Smith
That’s so exciting. Where can folks find you if they want to take a yoga class?

Gemma Smith (15:58.558)
Aubvious
I run everything through Instagram — it’s @aubvious_. I also have a website, movewithaubriel.com. It’s not updated yet, but I’ll be working on that soon. I usually post events there when they’re coming up.

Gemma Smith
You also teach dance classes, right?

Aubvious
Yeah, I teach a wide variety. I was teaching ballet, but I’m taking a break from that. Right now, every other Thursday at PressFuse Studios, I teach an intermediate contemporary fusion class. The fusion aspect lets me play with newer styles while still providing solid technique and foundations.

I want my classes to feel fun and help people move their bodies in new ways. People aren’t used to deep knee bends or getting on the floor and rolling around. I try to create an inviting space to explore movement and help people feel better in their bodies.

Gemma Smith
That’s so helpful. I recently took a basic contemporary class at Broadway Dance Center, and it was hard. Not just physically — mentally too, remembering choreography. I like that you make it approachable.

Gemma Smith (18:18.028)
Aubvious
That’s always my goal. I like to challenge people, but I want to hold their hand while we do it.

Gemma Smith
I clearly need to come to Louisville — amazing burlesque, burlesque brunch, and daylight shows. Let’s segue into cats. How do cats influence your craft — movement, energy, or creativity?

Aubvious
I’m most influenced by their energy and personalities. Cats teach boundaries, and having them really helps me regulate and decompress. I was gone for the weekend and spent the whole next day laying with both of them — I felt totally recharged.

I think I also mimic their slinky movement in my dancing. Watching cats is a great lesson in teasing and stalking movement. Creatively, they keep me grounded.

Gemma Smith
I love that — especially the boundaries. Cats show us exactly when they’re done being pet.

Gemma Smith (20:36.822)
Aubvious
I do have a cat-themed act, but it’s not traditional. Are you familiar with Pokémon?

Gemma Smith
A little — but not deeply.

Aubvious
The first Pokémon is Mew — pink, cat-like, with a tail. Bazaar Bazaar puts on a video-game-themed burlesque show, and I did a Mew act. I start as Mew and do a quick change into a sexy Poké Ball.

Gemma Smith
You have to send me that video.

Aubvious
My friend Sarah actually sketched the sexy Poké Ball idea. My friend Casey made a remix of the Pokémon theme — it’s incredible.

Gemma Smith
That’s my favorite part of creating — that spark where you know you have to make something. And non-traditional cat acts are so fun.

Gemma Smith (22:55.95)
Cats are sexy, burlesque performers are silly, and so many performers have cats.

Speaking of which — tell us about your feline family. That orange-and-white cat behind you is Ollie, right?

Aubvious
Yes — Greta is my first baby. I got her in 2019 in a sad-but-happy situation. She was neglected, and I took her in. We really saved each other. She’s skittish and anxious but very sweet.

Gemma Smith (25:14.574)
And Ollie?

Aubvious
I got him about two months ago. I worried Greta was lonely when I traveled. They’re still warming up to each other, but he’s very cuddly and playful. Greta is six, and Ollie is almost ten months.

Gemma Smith (27:37.974)
Has having Ollie shifted your routine or creative life?

Aubvious
A little. December was busy — I did five shows. Having a new cat made me more intentional about meals, rest, and routines. I make sure to do one-on-one playtime with both of them every day.

Gemma Smith (30:02.446)
What’s your top tip for creative cat lovers?

Aubvious
Don’t let perfectionism or comparison steal the joy. Celebrate wins. Make art because it’s fun.

Gemma Smith (32:24.578)
Thank you so much for joining me. And that’s a wrap for this episode of Tails & Tassels.

If you have questions or just want to say meow, email tailsandtasselspod@gmail.com
. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review — and follow us on Instagram @tailsandtasselspod. See you next time, kitty cats.