Life & Work with Daphne Moon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daphne Moon.

Hi Daphne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have been on stage my whole life – dancing, singing, and acting, I was a theater major in college and wanted to pursue that further, but then I had a baby had to take a break from performing. When my daughter got a bit older, I enrolled her in dance at a local studio in Long Beach. I felt inspired being around dance again, so I started taking adult classes, which led me to burlesque. I quickly realized this was what I wanted to do forever so here we are!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Well, trying to make a living from art is exhausting. There are so many shows out there these days, the market is oversaturated and so the competition is there. Also, people don’t like to buy tickets to shows ahead of time so shows get canceled a lot. Plus, the economy is bad so venues are canceling burlesque residencies or closing altogether! On a personal level, being a single mom is hard. All the time and resources spent on running a business while parenting a preteen can be emotionally and physically draining. All that being said, performing and building community is what keeps me going and I don’t plan on slowing down any time soon.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a burlesque performer, producer, and teacher. Since my debut in 2021, I have had the opportunity to perform all over LA, OC, San Diego, Las Vegas, and in multiple festivals (and countries!) I love to teach and produce shows that welcome all styles and bodies. I started my production company, Moon Gem Productions, in January 2023. We do shows in Long Beach – right now we are at Supply and Demand, come check us out! I am most proud of the community of amazing dancers and supporters who come to Moon Gem shows and classes. You can take classes with me at En Pointe Dance & Fitness in Long Beach and Soul on Fire Dance in Santa Ana.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Being around people is important. My favorite part of burlesque is the relationships I get to create with my fellow performers.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: instagram.com/daphnemoonburlesque

Image Credits
Photos by: Joe Welkie (personal photo) Craig Maxfield (black and white singing photo) Alan Matz, Silent 13 Studios (black/ orangey photo) Daniel Silwa (all the rest)