Meet Jillian Schmitz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jillian Schmitz.

Jillian, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
From as early as I can remember I was dancing. I was obsessed with 80’s dance movies like ‘Dirty Dancing,’ ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun,’ ‘Footloose,’ ‘Grease,’ and ‘Flashdance.’ I started formal lessons at the age of seven in Minneapolis, MN. I continued throughout adolescence and moved to Los Angeles in the summer of 2000. I entered an apprenticeship program at The Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys and completed it summer of 2002. I entered the professional world a year after 9/11 and a starry eyed 20 years old. I was asked to be in my first burlesque show called ‘Ladies In Lace’ by a man named Carey Yesais. He had created a successful monthly show (still in circulation) called ‘The Choreographer’s Carnival’ He had watched me get cut at a Pussy Cat Dolls audition and asked if I’d come dance for him. I enjoyed his weekly burlesque show at The Highlands Nightclub and was given a platform to work on freestyling and my act, which at that time was pretty horrible and non-existant. Carey saw something in me then that most people didn’t and was willing to give me a space to grow into the potential he saw in me.

After four years of very few jobs and mostly constant rejection, I had almost quit. I was no longer sure I was going to be able to be successful. I started to try and come to terms with the idea that the thing I loved most might not love me back. Slowly right as I was about to make my depressing exit, jobs starting to sprinkle in, and soon I was experiencing a fairly consistent amount of work. One of the most influential jobs I did was being a swing for a show called ‘Blackout’ by Tracy Phillips and Dominic Carbone. I was in awe of the styling, choreography and musical choices of this neo-burlesque show. I took some of my most valuable performance lessons from Tracy and the women in this show.

Around 2007, I was coming off of my best year of work yet, doing the most coveted jobs in TV and Film, including some acting and assisting major choreographers when the market crashed in 2008. Everything went silent. The work was gone. Jobs I’d worked my way beyond, now, I was taking in desperation. For the first time in years, I didn’t know if I would be able to pay my rent. My food budget was $20 for the week. It was scary. It was painful. Somehow, I survived. Slowly the industry trickled back but not in the same way for me.

In 2009, I started subbing for one of the backup dancers for rap artist Mickey Avalon’s show. These shows were and still are filled with energy and artistic freedom. Around 2010 I started teaching at The Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys, where I had trained prior. It quickly became and has remained one of my most fulfilling ‘jobs.’ Around this same time, I met a man named Mark Houston at Harvelle’s in Santa Monica while I was subbing a performance in a show called Bongo Fury. A small while later Mark Houston called me up to be a sub for his dancers at a new Cuban rum themed bar he was opening with his brother Jonnie Called ‘La Descarga.’ I had been doing quite of bit of burlesque performances for private events, and Carey’s burlesque show ‘Ladies In Lace’ every once and a while. I had found my way into a small subgroup of professional dancers who were doing burlesque and cabaret type performances regularly. I loved this work and started to try and brand myself more towards this niche. Perks included opportunities to work with Willie McNeil former Forty Deuce drummer and frontman, and travel with him several times to Japan for Fuji Rock Fest. He nicknamed me ‘The Honey Badger’ as my burlesque stage name and I proudly continue to use it.

Not long after I had been subbing at La Descarga, Mark and Johnnie Houston opened a rock and roll 1950’s female factory worker type themed bar called Harvard & Stone that is debuting Aug 1st at 8:30pm It’s called ‘Men’s Edition’ and its an all male revue dance show. Tickets are on sale now on Eventbrite. Mark asked me to dance there and it became one of my most constant and exciting gigs. The Houston brothers went on to open several other venues and I’ve been fortunate to work at a lot of them.

In June of 2016, I injured my knee by tearing my ACL. In December of 2016 due to my compromised condition, and continued dancing, I tore my meniscus. I somehow trudged through a full two months tour with Mickey Avalon and then decided to have my knee surgery in April 2017. Following the surgery was a series of recoveries. I say it plurally because this injury forced me to deal with a lifetime of things I need to recover from. My knee, my disordered eating/eating disorder, and from how I metabolized and internalized my entire life. In January of this year (2019) I published an adult coloring book for people in recovery that is available on Amazon. I hope to publish two more works in the future.

Currently, I still teach and have expanded my teaching to adults. I teach an adult jazz level 2 class every Monday 5:30-7pm at The Performing Arts Center in Van Nuys. I still do what I would call ‘industry’ work in TV and Film, both dance, assisting, choreographing and acting. My love for the live aspect of burlesque, cabaret and performance art is ever strong. In celebration of the live theatrical nature of this art, I created a themed show called Jukebox Burlesque™ 90’s edition where the audience picks the music for the burlesque dancer to perform to. It debuted at The Parlour Room in Hollywood and migrated to Seventy 7 North in Studio City. It is currently on hiatus, while I focus on creating a new show set to open Aug 1st at Harvard and Stone.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My biggest struggles along the way were becoming the performer I needed to be, gaining relationships and experiences, persistence and perseverance through adversity, and recovery from my disordered eating and my knee injury/surgery. And my biggest struggle; not listening to the voice in my head that says I can’t or don’t deserve to.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a professional dancer, assistant choreographer, choreographer, actress, producer and published artist/author. I specialize in dance and burlesque. I’m known for being professional, energetic, consistent and thorough. I’m most proud of the life I’ve curated and the work I do as well as the vessel and medium I use. I am set apart by others due to almost 20 years of experience in the business, my professionalism and that I trained my fucking ass off.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I hope to dance forever. That may sound crazy or even naive, but I still love performing, creating and dancing. I am looking forward to creating new shows, one of which will be debuting August 1st at Harvard and Stone. As well as publishing two more books and bringing back Jukebox Burlesque™ 90’s edition.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jillianschmitz.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillianschmitz/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillianschmitz2/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/awaken2dream
• Other: www.coloryourrecovery.com

Image Credit:
Horizontal upside down splits first downloaded photo: @heretosaveyouall by Max Barsness; Red feathered robe foot on the table photo: @b_undressed by Nikki Dalonzo; Splits on the railing up high photo: McKenna Bryn; 3/4 headshot black dress grey backdrop: Jacqueline Evans with JLE Media; Head touching toes hat and fishnets cabaret photo: Michael Allen Brandt; Blue gloves covering mouth: Jacqueline Evans with JLE Media; Almost naked color your recovery book shot: @jmperezphotography by Jose Perez

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.