The Steamgoth Ringmistress: Interview with Belladonna Belleville
Panda Ayotte is the person behind the steamsona of Belladonna Belleville, the Ringmistress of the Belleville Circus, La Donna di la Ombra (or “The Lady of the Darkest Part of the Shadow). She was also featured on an episode of TLC’s “Bling It On.”
[divider]
How did you get into Steampunk?
It started while I was working at Witch’s Woods, a scream park in Westford, MA. I performed as a zombie for two years before moving on to narrate the Haunted Hayride. While creating my narrator costume it was obvious that I loved the Steampunk aesthetic, so I took Belladonna in that direction. However, I created two whole costumes before ever attending a convention. I think Belladonna’s unique look and character traits come from her being created in that vacuum.
Define steamgoth as you see it.
I define Steamgoth as “the darker side of Steampunk” or “Steampunk Black” versus “Steampunk Brown”. Steamgoths will typically choose black as the base color for our costumes and lean towards villainy rather than heroism. Steamgoth also lends itself better to producing fantasy characters while most traditional Steampunk characters fall under the category of sci-fi. Specifically, Belladonna Belleville is an undead maenad. It’s always difficult to explain how that one works…you’ll have to read the book 😉
So you’re writing a book?
Yes! This is currently the most exciting thing I’m working on. Belladonna’s story started as background information so I could play my character effectively at Witch’s Woods. Then it started to snowball out of control. Everything I wear has meaning for my character, so when I pick up a new prop or bit of costuming I have to create a story around it. I began to share Belladonna’s story with others, and they kept telling me I needed to write it down. I began writing a couple months ago and it’s going very well so far.
Are there any plans for world domination?
I can’t talk about the details just yet, but Belladonna is more power-hungry than I ever knew she was.
Why a circus?
When I created Belladonna, I wanted to make a character that was dark, but also fun. Circuses are of course fun, but there’s something about them that also makes them creepy. As a kid reading the Goosebumps series, I read Escape from the Carnival of Horrors over and over. I’m obviously drawn to dark things, but I think it’s that contrast between extreme joy and extreme horror that makes it so poignant for me.
What do you bring to steampunk events?
What I bring to Steampunk is a unique sense of style that challenges and inspires the community. I also bring my education on the subjects of theater and horror to events and panels I lead.
Tell us about the TLC show.
The show centers around this fabulous clothing designer named Sondra, who creates outfits covered in “bling” for her clients. I met with Sondra to discuss Steampunk and what I wanted my outfit to look like. I also brought Jessica Jackson/Mercy Roulette with me to help me through the design process. They filmed the design process, my first fitting, a trip to gather accessories, and finally followed me to SIR where they filmed the costume contest.
How are you unique?
It’s my unique combination of intelligence, creativity, and style that has enabled me to create a deep and interesting character people are drawn to. I challenge the notion of traditional Steampunk with my Steamgoth and “Glampunk” aesthetics. I believe it’s that challenge that will enable Steampunk to evolve artistically.
[divider]
Photo Credits – Featured image by J.W. Owen Photography. Second image by Red Zebra Photography.
For more information:
Belladonna’s FB page: https://www.facebook.com/
Bling It On clip: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/
