About
Força: noun/’foɾsa/
​ strength, force
Drawing her name from her Portuguese heritage, Força the Lady-King is a woman on fire. Dubbed Toronto’s “force of nature”, her acts are as changing and unpredictable as the elements. Força’s signature high energy choreography, enigmatic facial expressions, dynamic audience interaction, comedic timing, and powerful stage presence bring both classic decadence and neo-burlesque fantasies to life to create an experience that is evocative in every sense.
​Força has graced some of the largest burlesque stages worldwide. In 2019, she was invited to perform in the "Best Debut" category at the Burlesque Hall of Fame! A trained actor, director, and designer, she is an award-winning performer who is sure to leave your heart racing. Both brains and beauty, Força was just awareded PhD from the University of Toronto, where she writes about burlesque! Her research has been featured in the Canadian Theatre Review and at conferences across North America.
Força is currently based in the settler city “Toronto”, traditionally refered to as Tkaronto (“Where The Trees Meet The Water”; “The Gathering Place”). Tkaronto situated on the traditional and stolen lands of the Haudenosaunee, the Anishinaabe, and the Wendat, and the treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit. Força acknwoledges these Nations and any other Nations who care for the land (acknowledged and unacknowledged, recorded and unrecorded) as the past, present and future caretakers of this land.
Notable Appearances
2023 — Sin City Burlesque Festival, Las Vegas - Competitor: Queen Category
2023 — New York Burlesque Festival
2023 — Burlesque de L’alcove — Montreal — Invited Guest
2022 — Imperial Burlesque Canada Competitions - WINNER in regionals, 2nd runner up in Nationals2021 — Co-Producer: “Love Letters to the Legends” Tribute Showcase — Virtual Burlesque Hall of Fame
2021 — Producer and Moderator: Spectacular Striptease Legends Panel , University of Toronto2019 — Burlesque Hall of Fame -"Best Debut" category
2019 — Carnivale Sensuale "SATANIC PANIC" -Denver
2019 — Berlin Burlesque Week
2019 — Tassel d'Or - Montreal
2018 — Ottawa International Burlesque Festival
2018 — New York Burlesque Festival
2018 — New Orleans Burlesque Festival
2017-18 — Toronto Burlesque Festival
2018 — Vancouver Burlesque Festival
2017 — Edmonton Burlesque Festival - Competition WINNER
2017 — Montreal Burlesque Festival
2017 — HOLIDAY Burlesque at the Opera House
2017-19 — Capital Burlesque Expo
2016 — 'Ghoulesque' Horror Burlesque Tour
Scholarship
Força is holds a PhD from the University of Toronto with a background in theatre and performance studies, women and gender studies, sexuality studies, and english literature. Her current research focuses on feminist knowledge production in contemporary burlesque performance. Força has been invited to present her internationally, in Canada, the United States, and Ireland. She has been a guest lecturer in campuses across the Greater Toronto Area. Força is committed to making her research available to the general public through regularly providing updates on her work via her newsletter, and by offering public lectures and classes. Her lecture series “Reclaiming Exoticism” was presented to a sold-out virtual audience! Força brings a grounded understanding of both theory and practice to panels, workshops, talks, and other public appearances!
With a practical background in acting, theatre creation and design and a rigorous understanding of burlesque through her studies, Força is available for one-on-one act consultation and teaching burlesque at private events.