Young Entertainers - Claire De Luxe, Fire Dancer

Photographed by Ben Ritter.

Meeting Claire Smith (a.k.a. Claire de Luxe) is an utterly chill experience, what with her earthy tone of voice and namaste-like demeanor. But, onstage, this girl is anything but demure. In fact, she’s literally on fire.

Hand her a set of poi (chains with wicks on the ends for flame-slinging), and it will be de Luxe’s performance that will sear in your memory for good. Swinging fireballs, hips-a-twirlin’ inside emblazoned hula-hoops, stepping out in sky-high stilts — for de Luxe, this is just another day in the life of a fire dancer.

It wasn’t always this way. Once upon a corporate time, she held a 9-to-5er in the publishing world until fire called her name. Now, with her statuesque 5’10” frame, partially shaved head, peacock-colored hair streaks, and peekaboo feathers, her mellow disposition doesn’t change the fact that it’s impossible to miss de Luxe’s presence when she enters a room.

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But, don’t be afraid of getting close to the heat. According to de Luxe, the energy of fire can ignite creativity.

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Photographed by Ben Ritter.

Not just for pyromaniacs
“I discovered a love of fire through exploring and manipulating it, and getting to know this powerful and unpredictable, but very intense, force. You have to be alert. You have to be aware. It keeps you in the moment and on your toes.”

How fire sparks art
“There’s something so immediate about fire. It’s so raw, captivating, and exciting. You’re not just working with yourself, you’re working with an element of nature, and so it never becomes blasé; it’s always inspiring just of its own accord.”

What I love about my job
“You know you're doing it right when you get to put on big feathery lashes and a rainbow of neon eyeshadows to go to work. Living in New York is great because you only get a minimum of stares when dressed in black-light-reactive costuming and carrying stilts on the train.”

Why I don’t have a five-year plan
“I don't have a structured outline for how I'm going to live the next 20 years, because I want life to surprise me. Being open to change and consciously trying to transform myself, trying to grow into a more expansive human being with every moment, is what makes me feel my most bold. It can be a scary cliff to jump off of, but every single time the rewards are so great.”

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On youth
“People always think I'm younger than I am, and I think it's because I live healthily, meditate daily, and live a life that isn't prescribed by shoulds and shouldn'ts. Age has unfortunately become synonymous with a less-active life, with living ‘sensibly’ and moderately. But, living a vibrant life and making choices that aren't hindered by fear keep your heart and mind bright and youthful.”