Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Hartz.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
I’m the daughter of a teenage mom. We grew up together. My parents married for a while but were too young to make it work. Looking back, I can see how my mom struggled to navigate life alone, but she never let it show. We had a one-bedroom apartment, walked or took the bus everywhere, and carted our clothes to the laundromat and back, but she held her head high. Eventually, she met my future stepdad and they started a new life together. Of course, it was still hard, but now we had a house in a nice neighborhood with good schools. And a few years later, I got my baby sister. Even with the age difference, we’ve always been close; she has inspired me. If I can make her proud, I know I’m successful. Even though my childhood wasn’t typical, my grandparents did everything they could to give me opportunities and support. They helped fill in the basics, like new clothes for the school year, and took me for weekends to allow my mom to have an everyday life. But they also took me on vacation every summer, the Great American Road Trip. We went to theme parks, national parks, and smaller attractions. I like surrounding myself with various people; it gives me more to learn from. It gave me an outlook on the world I wouldn’t have otherwise, to see people different from me and what I grew up with. One of my core values is keeping an open and accepting mind.
When I started my adult life, I was cautious at first. I married young and was a bit of a wallflower. My friends were mostly work friends or my husband’s friends. I had always done well in school and excelled at work, getting promoted at every job I had. But I was going through a period of trying to find myself. I took fitness classes at the Y and learned tai chi, partially for my health, but also looking for my community.
I joined my local National Novel Writing Month group and completed the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. When our chapter leader stepped down, I took up the position and got my first real experience in leadership. We got a group of a dozen or so regulars at writing events. I was making an inspirational and supportive community, and I was proud of it. To date, I have written the first draft of at least 50,000 words for 12 books and self-published two: Helpless and Brains for the Zombie Soul.
And then burlesque exploded onto our local scene. I loved it and went to every show I could. Part of me wished I could be one of the performers on stage, but I thought of myself as not good enough, not talented enough, and not attractive enough to be up there. A couple of belly dance groups would guest at the shows, and I absolutely loved them. When the director of my favorite troupe offered classes, I signed up.
I was hooked from the first class. Belly dance made me feel good about myself and how my body moved. I gained a confidence I never had before, and I just wanted to learn, dance, and do more. I signed up for every class I could, often taking multiple at the same time. I joined a student group, The Caravanserai Dancers, and performed in front of an audience for the first time.
It was thrilling. People danced and cheered for me, and I wanted more of it. I couldn’t wait for the next show. Our little show’s audience was a member of Different Drummer Belly Dancers, my dream troupe. She was impressed at my performance, and a while later, after I’d only been belly dancing for a year, they invited me to join their troupe. I learned so much from them: confidence and inspiration, not just how to dance. The best was when we danced at a convention or street fair, and a little kid would be excited to talk to me afterward. With stars in her eyes, one girl asked me, “Are you a princess?” I said, “Yeah, I kinda am.” With that new confidence and the influence of my now-good friend Verna Vendetta, I looked back at burlesque again. I now had a support system from my dance friends and writer friends. I had an amazing job with a supportive boss. They all convinced me that I was good enough. So I took to the stage as Marcia Melons.
Now I was on the stage alone, bearing everything. I should have been nervous being so vulnerable, and while I certainly was, I was also elated. I felt liberated like I could do anything. As someone previously a wallflower, afraid that no one liked me, I was popular for the first time in my life. It wasn’t the low-level fame I liked, though; it was the people who, because of me, discovered a new art form, learned a new talent, and went on to try a form of dance or performance themselves.
When the company I loved working for was sold, it was a sign that it was time for me to move on and grow. It took me a couple of years to adjust, but I finally got comfortable with Austin. I started my own graphic design and promotional product business, and I’ve met some amazing and inspiring people through it. The belly dance community has welcomed me with open arms, and I’ve also contributed to them. And I joined the Bat City Bombshells, a burlesque troupe that is so supportive and talented. I’ve found my people and am excited to see what I can create with them.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest struggle was, and still is, being trapped in my head. Imposter syndrome is real. In my 20’s, I never thought it was possible to own my own business. I would have been way too afraid to get on stage. But even now, that voice is still there, telling me I’m not good enough. When business is down, I worry that going alone was a mistake. Before I go up on that stage, I wonder if people will like me. Even when they clap and cheer, that little voice says, “They’re just doing it to be nice.” I have to take a step back, look at my accomplishments and rely on my support system to regain my confidence.
I recently broke my elbow and was forced to slow down. I was performing at a drag show. The MC gave me a flattering introduction; the music started, and I stepped on stage and fell flat on my face. I tried to play it off and finished the show, but I knew something was wrong. I got lucky, the bones didn’t move much, and I was put in a sling for 2 1/2 weeks. But I’m not good at slowing down, being told not to do things, or asking for help. I used my arm too much, and the bone moved when I returned for X-rays. It’s borderline on whether it’s moved enough to need surgery. So far, my doctors have monitored it, and it seems to be healing okay. It’s been 7 weeks, and I’m in physical therapy and can use it again. But being unable to work and taking a step back from performing has hurt my pocketbook and mental health. I’m working to build myself back up again.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I own Gebo Promo, a graphic design and promotional product studio. My clients come to me because not only am I creative and think outside the box, but I’m also highly knowledgeable about design and production. I work directly with several printers who hire me or refer their clients to me. They know that not only will I give them an awesome design and attentive customer service, but the files will print how they’re supposed to. When it comes to after work, in my performance life, my main goal is to inspire others. I’ve gone through the journey of discovering myself and want to enable other people to find themselves too.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some changes you expect to see over the next five to ten years?
In the graphic design and print world, technology is constantly changing. There are still limitations to how things can be printed, but in my time in the business, I’ve seen many of those limitations overcome. Many artists are suspicious of AI art, but a computer will never know and adapt as my mind can. A computer does what you say, not what you mean. I see AI being used as a communication tool for customers to convey their ideas better, but ultimately it’s up to the designer to make those ideas work in the medium they need to be in. When it comes to the performance world, I already see exciting changes. After the pandemic, there was an influx of new performers ready to hit the stage. It’sIt’s made our art more diverse and more acceptable within the community. We’re challenged to keep developing new and performing numbers to entertain our audiences. That being said, there is legislation currently proposed to stifle all of the forms of performance art I do. I am an optimist and hope that most people are rational and let us keep this form of creative expression alive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gebopromo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melonsmac/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mzhartz/
Image Credits
Patrick Rusk and Chris Rall
