I'm Kayti McCormick, a.k.a. Trashique of the Tinderbox Circus Sideshow currently home-based out of Lexington, Kentucky. I come to you today out of a place of awakening and revival. Mark today as the day Trashique decided to come out of the woodwork.
I've decided to begin documenting my experiences as a performer in a format that is available for all to see. I'm using this as a forum to express my thoughts & opinions in a thoughtful, resourceful, and unapologetic manner, and to answer questions that folks may have, and generally just write about stuff...and things having to do with...well, me! This idea came to me through reading my partner-in-crime's blog about his experiences moving into an RV full time and realizing the therapeutic nature of writing one's thoughts out. I spend a lot of time talking through my trials with my Tinderbox colleagues and (God help him) my boyfriend...and we talk through good things too! (This whole blog isn't based on all BAD)...but I wouldn't have had the guts to begin writing in such a public forum a year ago today, so after some encouragement, I feel as though it's come time that I give myself that chance. I've followed many blogs for several years from individuals who inspire me, and having a place like this to get to know them in more personally is what keeps me interested, and invested, and excited about them. So I guess in a way this is an extra outlet to keep tabs on me through for those who are interested in that sort of thing...but I want to let my fans get to know me better.
So here goes...
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How is the world supposed to know who you are if you don't speak up?
This is the question I've been asking myself for the past few months. I've been onstage for almost five years as a sideshow and burlesque performer...and in the past few years have added to my stage presence with song, dance, and clowning. I have a base following of over 1,000 people on my personal page. Over 3,000 on the Tinderbox page. We constantly make posts about our shows, with photos and videos and tweets and hashtags and all that other social media crap that's necessary to market oneself. We fuck around on Tumblr, Youtube, Instagram, and other outlets to reach as many people as we possibly can. It's a lot of work. There are TONS of social media management programs, and even publicists that you can pay to do this sort of thing for you, but we choose to keep it in-house and live true to the D.I.Y. cause (which will be a topic for a later post). We've strayed from posting personal opinions or "calling it like it is" in our advertising, simply because it's unnecessary. Even in moments where it's super duper tempting (like when convicted rapists call fellow performers nasty sluts in a public forum for a recent example). This is true for any business. No reason to rock the boat. Your page is neither the time nor the place for that sort of thing. But what I've found from years of doing this is that there are people, performers, non-performers, and otherwise, who have a pre-conceived notion...or even a misconception on who we are as people. Like, real life people. Because we are some form of those, in case you were unaware. :D
That question up there...I had battled with it for months, and I've found my answer : They're not.
Is it better to save face and keep your mouth shut? Or is it better to blatantly blurt out the first thing that comes to mind? I tend to find myself somewhere between the two today.
In the past year, I have extended my reach as a performer and began my journey as a touring show/individual. I began this trek on a tour I was hired for back in August as a solo performer along with several other solo performers I had never met. This was my first outing into that particular branch of the industry, and ever since I've been re-evaluating who I am as not only a performer, but as a person. This is what has spurred me to write. My eyes have been opened to this whole wide world in the past nine months and I've only just begun to skim the first few pages of this book. Shortly thereafter, I tag-teamed booking my very first tour with MY group. And now three months later, I've successfully pulled off booking and managing and three week and two day tour with my troupe plus friends. It has all escalated so quickly in such a short time frame, and I have discovered and learned so much from the events I've been placed into. I've been put into awkward situations I've never dealt with before. I've been thrown obstacles that I never thought I'd have to encounter. My whole world has shifted. My frame of reference has shifted. And it's constantly changing.
I'm very excited to share this with all of you.
