★★★★★ The multi award-winning cabaret company YUMMY Productions

YUMMY

Cast

Valerie Hex

Founder, Artistic Director and Performer

Valerie Hex works tirelessly to create, enhance and extend the possibilities of dragcabaret and queer dance. Consistent across all their work, they have boldly createdopportunities, taken major risks, and strived to connect and enrich diverse audiences.Their early work, from 2007 to 2015 focused on queer dance manifestations and theircurrent work, 2015 to present, focuses on researching and expanding contemporary dragcabaret.A graduate from the VCA School of Dance (2007), Val has become an internationallyrecognised figure as a performer, choreographer, and producer. As producer and directorof all eight full-length YUMMY shows, Val has lead an ensemble of drag and burlesqueartists to over 30 festivals around Australia and overseas. YUMMY has earned dozens offive-star reviews worldwide, and won numerous awards including: “The People’s ChoiceAward” Melbourne Fringe 2021,"Best Cabaret" Fringe World 2019, "Best CabaretProduction" and "Best Cabaret Ensemble" at the Green Room Awards 2018.Val has also performed with queer performance juggernauts Taylor Mac, Glory Box,Briefs, David Sedaris, and many more. Val was able to research and explore thechoreographic possibilities within drag cabaret through a year long artist residency atDancehouse - 'The Housemate Residency' which culminated in a first-of-its-kind twoweek mini-festival on queer dance in 2019. The programme Val created included 10weeks of free queer dance classes to a large group of participants, panel discussions,workshops, and a world premiere show about queer dance history titled 'DancingQweens.’ Valalso created a striking 10 minute video project while in residence at TheBowery Theatre/ Brimbank City Council entitled “Duets with a Shapeshifter” (MidsummaFestival 2021).Val’swork in queer dance and drag cabaret has yielded massive significance to thesector, blazed an original and brave trail, and facilitated an artistically satisfying andsustainable career.

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Jandruze

Collaborator and Performer

James Andrews, AKA Jandruze, is an Australian dancer, maker and drag artist. Described as both “impossibly gorgeous” and “breathtakingly beautiful” they are swiftly cementing themself as an icon of Australian contemporary queer performance. A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts School of Dance, James’ major credits include DARK MOFO, YUMMY and DISCORDIA as well as collaborations with the likes of Antony Hamilton, Lee Serle, The Huxleys, Chunky Move, Supple Fox, NGV and ACCA to name but a few.

Hannie Helsden

Collaborator and Performer

Living doll Hannie Helsden is a real life circus sweetheart. Dancing fluidly through the genres of circus, burlesque and drag, Hannie has a Bachelor of Circus Arts specialising in hula hoops. Her hooping has taken her across the globe to see her performing in events such as Stockholm, Berlin and Prague Burlesque festivals, as well as performing with La Soiree, Stockholm's Nalen Theatre and The Potato Shed Geelong. Keeping it family friendly (occasionally), she is also a long-standing cast member of Circus Quirkus which tours Australia annually.

When Hannie is home in Melbourne she teaches Pole Dancing, Aerial Hoop and Hula Hoop at Pole Divas.

Benjamin Hancock

Collaborator and Performer

Benjamin is a prolific solo performer, having presented work as a contemporary dancer and performance artist for a variety of clubs, events, and festivals within Australia and the USA. He has received Australia’s highest dance honour, “Outstanding Performance” at the Australian Dance Awards (2017). Within his contemporary practice he has had the opportunity to present solo work through Chunky Move’s Next Move, Lucy Guerin Inc’s Pieces for Small Spaces, Performance Space’s Day For Night, National Gallery of Victoria Australia’s Melbourne Now, Mona Gallery and more.

Velma Vouloir

Collaborator and Performer

Velma Vouloir works extensively in burlesque as a performer and teacher, and is thecreator of “CNTROVERSY,” an award-winning podcast that uncovers, devours &celebrates the history of eroticism.With a background in dance, pole, and lyra/ aerialhoop, Velma brings a rich history of performance practice to her professional ‘peeler’ stagepersona.Part fiery femme-fatale, part 80s geek and a whole lotta Showgirl - Velma Vouloir won MissBurlesque Victoria 2018, Miss Burlesque Australia 'Miss Classic 2018.’ She’s a celebratedicon of Melbourne burlesque, and is a sought after performance coach. She is a residentBurly Flex & Showgirl Follies instructor at Maison Burlesque, which is one of Melbourne’sdedicated Burlesque hubs.

Karlee Misi

Collaborator and Performer

Karlee Misi (she/her) is a Maori/Niuean Performing Artist, residing and working on Gadigal Land of the EoraNation. A triple threat performer (Singer dancer actor), she has spent the past 17 years teaching andperforming in a wide range of disciplinary spaces including professional Musical Theatre ('Barnum’ 2019StoreyBoard, Diana Morales in 'A Chorus Line' 2013 Australian Tour TML, 'Hairspray' 2012 Dainty), movies,TVC’s, corporate and commercial.Karlee is the Mother of the Australian Kiki Vogue house, House of Luna, founded in 2017. Some of Karlee’s credits include; 'The Empire Strips Back’ Burlesque stage-show Tour, Dark Mofo FestivalHobart, Headliner performer at The Australian Burlesque Festival, The Imperial Hotel Sydney, ‘La Femme’The Vanguard Sydney, Unicorns, Heaps Gay, ‘The Witch of Kings Cross’ docudrama, Eora’s Vogue Ballsincluding Sissy Ball and West Ball.
“Your favourite Polynesian Burlesque Ballroom Princess”

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Jarred Dewey

Collaborator and Performer

Jarred Dewey is a widely respected circus artist known for his lithe virtuosity, sense ofdesign, and capacity as a collaborator. He began his training in circus as a teenager atCirkidz, a youth circus based in his home town of Adelaide. In 2007 he moved toMelbourne to study at the National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA), graduating in 2010. Hehas since worked extensively with Brisbane based contemporary circus company CIRCAas a full-time ensemble acrobat for nine years. During his time with CIRCA he hasdevised, toured and performed in 13 different productions (including OPUS,Wunderkammer, PEEPSHOW, and more) in over 30 countries worldwide. He has alsobeen featured in the 2016 London season of La Soirée in Leicester Square, has featuredin numerous productions by YUMMY, co-divised and performed in his own Green RoomAward winning show 'Party Ghost,’ and was an original cast member of the Circus Ozproduction ‘Model Citizens’ directed by Rob Tannion in collaboration with Kate Fryer.