“Through my art, I have found the power in reclaiming the sexuality that has often been weaponized against me.”

— ZAHRADKA TONIC

Zahradka is the full embodiment of the D.I.Y. spirit alive in contemporary burlesque. Adorned in her self-made costume pieces, she creates self-portraits and performance art, reinforcing the multitalented nature of Chicago performers.  

Zahradka has embarked on an extensive line of questioning, deconstructing, and recreating the sorts of images that have long shaped ideas of what it means to be a glamorous woman. She has been performing for the past several years, gaining power along the way in reclaiming her sexuality. She uses her body to make proud value statements of pleasure and self-celebration through her performance on stage and in front of the camera.

Conversation with Zahradka Tonic

Patreon: www.patreon.com/zahradkatonic

Instagram: @hellogabriellla

I think the biggest hindrance for a lot of people getting into burlesque is the concept of "putting yourself out there" or even simply being seen naked -- I had no concept of stage fright because it was forced out of me from a young age, and I had already done more scandalous things in my other jobs than I would legally be allowed to do on the stage. There wasn't a lot standing between me and baring it all. One thing that I did find uniquely freeing about burlesque compared to other sex work adjacent jobs I had done is that there was less pressure to fit one specific mould. In the clubs and on magazines and in videos, there is very much one specific body type that is having a moment in our society; millions of people are going under the knife to obtain the same look.  While burlesque has and continues to lack representation in many ways, I think that it normalizes differences in body type and shape in a way that the age of homogenous plastic surgery doesn't allow.  

Burlesque has transformed my life by allowing me to assert myself as the author of my sensuality.  It has allowed me to express myself through something that would, in most other contexts, be weaponized against me, which in turn makes me feel more safe and protected in the world.  

Have you ever seen those papers in public spaces that say "take what you need" with little tabs for passersby to pull off? They say things like "confidence" "comfort" "a hug" "a laugh."  I very much take that approach with all the art I release into the world -- "take what you need."  I know that some people are sexually aroused when watching me, and I welcome that. I feel empowered in my ability to make people feel love and intimacy from the stage.  Some people watch me and feel empowered because they could see themselves in my place.  Some people think I'm funny.  Once I put the work out there, I have no authority over how it lives in an audience members' mind. I'm just grateful for the connection.