Softly Irresponsible
A classic fan act about love, softness and romance
This fan burlesque act is about the technicality of fan dancing, pairing classic poses with graceful movements and making full use of the traditional concealing and revealing combinations.
A romantic performance with a big band jazz feel, this act is about falling in love using a metaphor of rising sunlight. Performed to Bobby Darin's 'Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise' followed by 'Call Me Irresponsible', this act has a vibrant, jazzy feel. With Darin's upbeat take on the song, the act takes you on a journey from the tender feeling of falling in love slowly, then suddenly being struck by the full force of love.
This act fits classic shows, jazz themed shows, Valentine's shows, Christmas shows and is generally quite versatile.
A popular 1920s jazz standard
'Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise' was written for the 1928 operatta The New Moon. It was composed by Sigmund Romberg with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and became one of the best-known numbers from the show.
The original song is full of bitterness and yearning for a lost love, but many versions have changed the mood. In 1940, it is sung as a cheerful ditty in the film version of the operatta.
It's a classic 1920s jazz standard, covered by the likes of John Coltrane, Artie Shaw, Miles Davis, Henry Jones Jr. and Wynton Kelly, alongside Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Bing Crosby.
Two tender songs about love
Softly,
As in a morning sunrise
The light of love comes stealing
Into a newborn day
Bobby Darin's version of 'Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise' slowly builds up energy and tension, before exploding with Big Band instruments. It is as if the instruments echo how sunlight slowly trickles in in the morning, the light building up so you can hardly notice, until a blazing sunlight streams through the window and hits with full force. It's a metaphor for how love can sneak up on you.
'Call Me Irresponsible' is a song about being in love and losing your senses. It was originally written for Judy Garland to sing at a CBS dinner. Composed in 1962 by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, the song was intended to parody Garland's well-known problems.
Call me irresponsible
I admit, I'm unreliable
But it's undeniably true
I'm irresponsibly mad for you
These two songs tell the story of falling in love, and describe the state of being in love. One after the other, they give the act a sense of progression. The romantic lyrics and explosive moments pair perfectly with the elegance of fan dancing.
