That Damn Dame: Mars Capone Promotes Body Positivity Through Burlesque

By Barrett White

It’s the last Friday night of the month, and a burlesque troupe dressed in pirate-themed garb takes the stage at Numbers night club in Houston. The dancers of Dem Damn Dames slink their way through tantalizing choreography, peeling off layers of costume jewelry, dresses, and hats. During an interlude, dancers swing to a piano- and drum-heavy tune about pirate code.

But through the boisterous fun, one dancer in particular catches my eye. She sits in a chair center stage and, unlike the others, is not adorned in seafaring attire. Instead, she’s wearing a hoodie, baggy sweatpants, and a mask that covers her face.

At that moment, “The Numa Numa Song” comes on.

She is a pirate—an Internet pirate. Laughter rolls through the audience as the joke clicks, and cheers fill the room until every article of her basement-dwelling hacker fashion is scattered about the stage—leaving the tall brunette performer standing gloriously before us, proudly displaying her tattoos and tassels.

This is the artist known as Mars Capone. “Like the cheese,” she says cheekily. Although she’s originally from California, the 27-year-old queer, polyamorous dancer and sex worker found her burlesque home in Houston with the Dames. “I started doing burlesque about three years ago,” Capone explains. “I hadn’t gotten to perform in years and found myself at Numbers on a night when the Dem Damn Dames burlesque troupe was performing. I absolutely fell in love with how every body type was embraced and accepted—how none of the performers had an air of arrogance, but instead seemed to truly be enjoying what they were doing.”

Within six months, Capone was taking classes with the Dames. Within a year, she was performing. “I became a member of their family, and later the troupe, and never looked back,” she says. Each performance, she notes, is a five-minute story told on stage through a whirlwind of fabrics and skin.

Performing with the Dames has provided Capone with a sense of empowerment and confidence that is only matched by her sex work. Sex work, though often stigmatized, can provide those in the profession with a sense of agency and freedom, Capone says. “I find a strength in using my sexuality for profit,” she says. “Titillating photo shoots, naughty cam shows, and selling photos—they empower me. No one is taking advantage of me and I’m not being exploited.”

“I am a person with depression, severe anxiety, and agoraphobia,” Capone continues. “I’m an incredible homebody. My ability to stand as a strong, sexual figure, and to provide entertainment and pleasure to many from behind the safety of a laptop and a camera is important. I feel strong, proud, and confident.”

When asked how femininity plays into her personal identity and performance art, Capone takes a pause. “I mean, being female isn’t about being butch or femme, but it’s more about how you feel, I think,” she offers. “Do you feel like a woman? Do you feel better in feminine pronouns? Then you probably are. I like to think of all proud women (cis and transgender) as femme. It’s not about the parts you have or don’t have, It’s about how you feel best and comfortable identifying. Just realize that you don’t have to wear a dress to be the kick ass gal you know you are. Gender identity is a huge part of all of our lives. People need to respect it, in all of its forms. Embrace yourself, and celebrate constantly. You are always currently the best incarnation of you. Be proud of who you are. “

Miss Mars Capone will be performing at Spectrum South’s “Vie de Femme” celebration, taking place on Thursday, March 29, from 7-10 p.m. at the Sharespace Preston Warehouse. This event is free and open to the public. Voluntary donations will be collected throughout the celebration for the evening’s beneficiary, Save Our Sisters United.

Capone also performs with Dem Damn Dames on the last Friday of each month at Numbers night club. You can follow her on Instagram at @missmarscapone.