Lottie "The Body" - her story
Lottie "The Body" Graves came to my attention when I saw the 2002 documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown. I was amazed to see this woman strut her stuff at the ripe age of ... well, actually I can only guess at her age as it would be impolite to ask -- and at any rate, she won't tell.
Born in New York City's Brooklyn, she was raised in Syracuse where, according to her interview with journalist Linda Jones, she began her dance training at the age of 14. She learned the Lindy Hop, performing with a troupe called the New York Lindy Hoppers. She also received training in the Katherine Dunham technique of modern and Afro-Cuban dance. But Josephine Baker served as her inspiration in her development of "the Body" style of exotic dance.
Lottie was a dancer billed by some as "Detroit's answer to Gypsy Rose Lee" - though, as she was quick to tell me when I spoke to her in January 2003, she was NOT a stripper or "shake dancer" (a term used by Blacks in the day mainly because they "weren't familiar with seeing interpretive or burlesque dancers in brief costumes") . Indeed, her contemporaries often refer to Lottie's grace, sophistication and elegance. As her former booking agent James Stanford put it, Lottie "was more progressive than the other girls. It wasn't that bump and grind stuff."
Duke Ellington's tune "Satin Doll" proved to be a favorite of Lottie's. In a 1974 interview she said, "It's nice when music can represent the way a woman carries herself. Women should never lose their feminity and beauty...I picked 'Satin Doll' because I'm a jazz fanatic. Some of the stuff you hear go-go girls dancing to makes you realize why they can't do anything more than thrash about."
Lotti performed with members of the Funk Brothers and other more known greats such as Billy Eckstine, Della Reese, Harry Belafonte, Billie Holiday, Aretha Frankin and the likes of comedian Redd Foxx who in episodes of 70s TV show Sanford and Son would make "occasional references to her proportions".
Lottie worked in clubs in the US, as well as in England, Spain, Liberia,Nigeria and Japan. And yes, she did perform in Canada, including Montreal and at the Victory Theatre in Toronto, by the by. Though she retired some 30 years ago, she has been known to make appearances. Currently Neo-burlesque performers have been showing an interest in Lottie and she was recently recognised for her work the entertainment by Exotic World.
Sources:
"'Lotti the Body' birthday celebration at Bomac's Lounge, Nov. 1". The Michigan Chronicle (October 21-27, 1992, p.3-D)
Rita Griffin. "The Stage Waif Report". The Michigan Chronicle (May 25, 1974)
Linda Jones. "Historical Figure: the legendary moves of Lotti the Body were never out of step". The Detroit News (November 28, 1992).
Sarah Klein. "Paradise Regained: Detroit's legends of burlesque reminisce." Metro Times, (8/3/2005)
Kristine Maitland. interview. January 2003
Lottie "The Body" with BB King at Chene Park Concert 1993