Foxy Moxy presents Cabaret Risque Burlesque

“Bio” Diversity
Three profession-related bios to choose from, plus one with personal insight. Download…trade…collect ‘em all!
(I’m a writer folks, it’s certain you’ll be anything but short-changed on this page!)

Burlesque Bio
A vixen with a vision, this flamboyant fox is a 5-year veteran of the burlesque stage, Ms. Moxy’s honors include producing stage works for the 2007 and 2008 Greensboro (NC) Fringe Theatre Festival and receiving a Pittsburgh (PA) SproutFund arts grant for a burlesque production in 2004. In 2007 she searched far and wide to assemble a talented cast of characters to form the first incarnation of Cabaret Risqué, a burlesque collective. In addition, she holds a Guinness World Record in bodypainting, a talent she often incorporates in burlesque performance. As a solo performer, she has graced stages from NY to New Orleans. Sassy, yet sincere, Foxy Moxy is committed to the idea of burlesque as an empowering and inclusive art form, celebrating the sexual life force we share and cultivating the joy of sensual beauty found in us all.

Bodypaint Bio
Bodypaint artist Madelyn “Foxy Moxy” Greco is one half of LivingBrush Bodypainting, where she functions as both bodypaint artist and director of marketing. She is also a co-creator of The American Body Arts Festival. Her partner in both ventures is also her bodypainting mentor, Scott Fray, with whom she has studied since 2005. The bodypainting style they share is informed by ancient tribal design from a variety of cultures around the world, yet bursts forth with the bright colors Madelyn dearly loves. The other thing unique about their bodypainting is its connection with the practice of “Darshan” or soul-seeing, a process of deep instinctual listening that helps to connect the painted person’s interior life with the decoration of their skin.

Writing Bio
Writer Madelyn Greco has been published under pen/performance name “Foxy Moxy” since 2005. Her first ongoing column, Foxy Astrology had a two and a half year run in Pittsburgh, PA based “GO-GO! Magazine”. After moving to North Carolina she began writing for “The Piedmont Triad HIPPO Magazine” with a happenings column titled OutFOXintheTriad begun in 2006 and running currently. In June of 2007, she secured the position as editor of the “HIPPO”, and remains so to date. In March of 2008, she began a column related to the Downtown Arts District Association of Winston Salem called Vixen on Trade in “YES!Weekly”, a Triad area alternative newsweekly. She also has experience writing commercial scripting and ad copy as well as short story fiction.

Personal Bio
I’ve been an artist since I could manage to manipulate a crayon in tiny toddler fingers. I’ve been a performer since I figured out how to turn on the charm that judges and audiences find so vital in a figure skating performance. I’ve been an athlete as well, spending hours of my young life in lessons and practice for both skating and equestrian pursuits, then later working as a bike messenger and racing mountain bikes in my 20s. I learned a thing or two about combining performance and athleticism again when I embarked on a career as an exotic dancer. The next thing that happened was the opportunity (oddly) to combine that with singing. The singing exotic dancer bit parlayed suddenly into burlesque performance inroads, when my dear friend PhatManDee tossed me up on a proper stage. Fate soon brought me into contact with bodypainter Scott Fray, and the artistry part that had been missing from the whole equation was realized.

Professional Notes
Currently, I am a burlesque performance artist, bodypainter, cabaret singer, creative writer, editor, voice-over artist, emcee, actress, and marketing/promotions/copywriting whiz-chick. I have a burlesque/cabaret collective troupe called Cabaret Risqué, created in response to the need for an outlet to showcase many talented performers in both my general vicinity here in North Carolina and beyond.
Via the links at the top of the page, you can check out my published writing, sample audio of professional voice-over/narration work and see performance video clips from a variety of shows.

Philosophy
For me, Burlesque and Bodypainting are highly compatible paths. Burlesque is essentially about discovering the art of the tease that resides within. In order to attain this, you must be able to let your sexy side come out to play and feel comfortable, even joyful, in the skin you’re in. That can be difficult for women in our culture to achieve. So much emphasis is placed on unrealistic and unattainable body images and on shame surrounding any body deemed less than perfect by our mass media. That brings me to bodypainting. The nude is one of the most enduring subjects of art in the entirety of human history. Modern bodypainting executes a subject-medium switch, placing the art on the nude. The bodypainting I’m involved with creating is meant to decorate and celebrate the body (and sometimes soul) of the person it’s placed on. Done well, like good burlesque performance, it is often transformational for the people who bring it to life, as well as for those who observe it.

Merits/Distinctions
Current Guinness World Record Holder for “Most Bodies Painted,” set July 2007.
Co-creator of The American Body Arts Festival.
Co-creator of 2007’s Opening The Eye of Light, written by Aubrey Simpson, produced for the Greensboro Fringe Festival. Portrayed one of the leading roles as “Titania”.
Co-producer of 2007’s Awake the White and Win’try Queen. Portrayed role of “Autumn Queen”
Produced/performed in 2008’s Valentease, for the Greensboro Fringe Festival.
A 2004 SproutFund Arts Grant recipient in Pittsburgh, PA for a burlesque production titled “Foxy Moxy’s Burgh-lesque Show” for the AMP (Arts, Music, Performance) Festival.

Other Interests
I coined a word a while ago, “Creatrix”, blending “creator” with “dominatrix”, which describes me pretty accurately. Not that I feel dominating, but rather to underscore how the creative force dominates my life. When not performing, I’m happiest painting, sewing, designing, writing, recording, cooking, plotting… anything that brings something into the world that wasn’t there before. I even enjoy artist’s modeling (something many people would find tedious) because it facilitates that creative muse, even if it’s not my own.