Whether dancing gracefully on stage, twirling on an aerial hoop up in the rafters or rolling over in a dark room, this is truly a riveting entertainer for a new age. Come spend time in the doghouse with CoCo! [Cover photo: Brendan Burke]
Thotyssey: CoCo, hello! It’s a beautiful spring weekday right now… will someone be walking you today, lol?
CoCo the Pup: It was a beautiful day–and no, I don’t have anybody to walk me at the moment! Doesn’t mean I’m not looking, haha!
You make a lot of appearances in your pup mask via nightlife gigs and at kink events… does that ever get stressful or claustrophobic at all?
Not really claustrophobic, but more warm really! It has a mouth opening so I can breathe, but it still can get hot since it covers my head. I actually feel more confident pawforming in it.
Where are you from, and how did the worlds of performance and kink enter your life?
My original hometown is a small town in far Northern California called Cottonwood. Imagine rolling hills, lots of cattle, cold winters and dry hot summers. I moved to Santa Barbara for undergrad originally as an aquatic ecologist–but dance couldn’t keep me away, so I ended up with a BFA in dance. Covid hit, and the original ballet company I was auditioning for postponed their auditions. So I ended up moving to New York for my Masters degree!
Have you gotten to do any non-nightlife dancing gigs here?
I have! I started in a movie as a dancer, performed with a few artists, and I worked on a cruise line. How I got into the kink / nightlife scene is one and the same, though! My housemates that I lived with at the time mentioned that they were going to a bar to support a fellow friend and their pop-up shop, and asked me to come with. Mind you, at the time I was not out as queer publicly and was in a hetero-perceived relationship.
So I went to this bar down the street called All Night Skate (I’m sure you’ve heard of it!), and when I walked in it felt so good and welcoming. It was here where I met Lucky! He took a look at my credit card which had a puppy on it and asked “Are you a pup?” I said I had heard of them, but never really had explored anything. So he gave me his number, and told me to reach out with any questions. From there I started going to the bar frequently–twice a week to almost every day. And my pup journey began! Lucky brought together several pup friends; we would all meet at the bar, and soon formed the Brat Pack which still exists in Brooklyn today.
Now how this ties into pawforming is fun! So I was going so often, I started to meet a lot of the performers there–and one day, these two performers approached me saying they needed a pole dancer for a new show they were calling “Bimbo Babes Burlesque,” and asked if I was interested. These two were Paris L’Hommie and Ruby Quinn! From there I started to blend my pup self and my performer self together in this space that offered me the opportunity to be able to do both, and CoCo the Pup developed from there!
The pup play scene has become pretty popular in NYC these past few years… there are many elements to it, but I guess if I had to summarize, it’s a a sub presenting and behaving like an obedient (or disobedient!) canine obeying his master’s commands.
So, the role of a “pup” does come from a traditional leather background with sub / dom dynamics but has shifted greatly–especially in the last decade, I would say. And that’s where I draw inspiration from. You can have a dominant pup in an alpha role, or a switch, or a bratty pup! Like for example, I have a set of children in my litter–I calm them, and I check in with them and offer advice to them when needed, and care for them in many ways!
What’s it like to be part of that community and movement? What does it “do” for you?
I would say the kink world allowed me to understand boundaries, as well as the extent that my body can go and what my body likes and doesn’t like. It also allowed me to break through a lot of sexual frustrations and reservations I had. It allowed me to appreciate a large community that is meant to uplift and support one another, and gave me the opportunity to be able to explore this conglomeration that exists as “CoCo the Pup.”
Also with my ballet and modern background, I found myself forming new pathways on the ground and in my body while performing! What does it truly mean to be on all fours? How would I wag my tail (shaking a**)? How to utilize my eyes more, since I don’t have a clear visibility of my mouth? What sounds act as indicators? All these question really came from me exploring what it was like to be a pup! And at first I was in much more of a sub role, and I still tap into that while performing. But I’ve also recently been exploring my “dommy mommy” side, and how to command attention respectfully, or create excitement from a dominating stage presence.
Speaking of Dommy Mommy, you occasionally perform in drag as well, right?
Yes I do pawform in drag! My look is still inspired by the pup community, and I still go by CoCo the Pup! I have a little nose, and all my wigs have ears on them. Sometimes I adorn a tail, and sometimes not.
You’ve got some gigs coming up! On Thursday, you’ll be back at All Night Skate for Pam Who’s “Your Mom’s Fuckin’ Drag Show!”
Pam Who is actually one of my packmates too, and has created such a fun and inviting show that highlights so many talented people–things, kings, queens, literally all of them! And she truly is your Mom’s favorite Mom! I was around for the first iteration of her shows, and have watched them flourish and thrive! Can’t wait to catch one of her brunches too!
On the 20th, you’ll be hosting a special Gotham Kennel Club pup night event at Rockbar.
I am! I’ll be your Prom-inatrix for the evening! It starts at 7pm, and is open to all communities. Come dressed in your best fit, whatever that is for you, and get a chance to show off to the crowd (maybe even donning Royal Cuntery)! The night will end with a slow dance, too! I love hosting events at Rockbar and for the pets!
Looking ahead to June 2nd, you’ll be part of Nina Divina’s “Muse Mondays: Stay Gagged” at Hit Me Up in Lower Manhattan.
Yes! Nina Divina and I have been pawforming together, and when they pitched this I was so excited to be a part of it! I think they are one of the absolute kindest people, and the lineup for it is going to absolutely gag the audience (and we know how many people out there loved to be gagged).
What else is coming up for you?
I will be running for the title of “Mx. Kink” on June 8th at Red Eye, and then the following day I’ll be a rope puppy for Master R at NYC first “Fascination” party at 9 Bob Note.
I’m pawlways around gigging, though. I pawform at House of Yes, Red Pavilion, Slipper Room, Rockbar, and many more! Either doing circus, or burlesque, or drag, or even a few movement art pieces like for “Latexxxed,” when I do wax pouring or my liquid latex number. And I love to gogo the house down! Put me up on a box or on a bar, and I go full puppy dance mode!
Also, tell us a bit about the Puppy Cruise that’s happening later in the year.
Oh, I’m so excited! So it’s The Puppy Cruise that’s happening on Virgin Voyages September 7-12th! We have DJ Pup Sam, content creator and DJ Zander Woodz, Pup Harlow and me, CoCo the Pup! There will be a puppy cocktail hour, a brunch social, and then a puppy mosh and dance party in The Manor, which is the night club located onboard! I’ll be gogoing and encouraging the pawty! And let me tell you, the service onboard is impeccable (I used to work for them as an entertainer).
All amazing! Okay, let’s end with… what the best dog breed?
Oooh, that’s a hard one. But I’m a bit biased, since I am a husky. I do also love a golden retriever! But I say, all breeds are valid!
Thanks, CoCo!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for CoCo the Pup’s upcoming appearances, aand follow them on Instagram.
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