Icelandic dancer taking Stockholm by storm

The Saint Edgard is a stage name of one of the brightest stars on the boylesque scene in Stockholm but not many people know that behind that name is a born and bread Icelander: Sigurður Edgar Andersen. He has been living in Sweden for three years making a name for himself in the entertaining world but has never performed in Iceland. That’s about to change though as tomorrow, Thursday November 9th he wlil be one of the performers at Reykjavík Kabarett’s anniversary show in Þjóðleikhúskjallarinn in Reykjavík.

The Saint Edgard is the stage name of Sigurður Edgar Anderssen, a young Icelander who is currently one of the brightest stars on the boylesque scene in Stockholm. Photo/Hampus Leonardo Danielsson

GayIceland was curious to get to know the boy behind the name so we contacted The Saint Edgard and started by asking him how it came about that he will finally be performing in Iceland.
“Yes I am! I can’t wait,” The Saint Edgard burts out, smiling from ear to ear. “Miss Mokki, Margrét Erla, contacted me and asked me to perform at their anniversary show and I agreed immediately. This will be the first time that I perform in my home country and it means a lot to me. I have been doing burlesque here in Sweden for two years now and I think it’s time to take on Iceland next.”

Even though The Saint Edgard is a relatively unknown name in Iceland he is famous in his field in Sweden and some say he is the best of the best. How did this Icelandic boy end up as a boylesque star in Sweden?
“It all started when I was looking for a job as a waiter and never even got a reply from the places I applied for work in. Then one day I saw an ad in a paper that Melt Bar was looking for a performance waiter. I applied and got an answer on the same day. I had no idea what burlesque even was but the first night I worked there I performed a solo dance with cha cha, jive, walz and such stuff.

“Sex appeal is a beautiful thing and when I’m standing on the stage everything just flows from me naturally. If all the people in the world would attend a burlesque course and learn to love their bodies I’m pretty sure the world would become a better place.”

I’ll never forget that night because that was the first time I saw burlesque live and the moment I saw the performance of Mrs. Murphy blew me a way. How she owned the stage and transfixed the audience with her charm, self confidence and performance, which made me come to the conclusion that this was something I really wanted to do.

Today I live for doing boylesque and my only goal is to get better and better. I never think of myself as some boylesque star, but I have gotten a lot of great opportunities in a short time and gotten to know some wonderful people and for that I’m really grateful. I’m very much looking forward to the future as there are some amazing things planned for 2018.”

What was it exactly that fascinated you so much that you decided to do this for a living?
“What fascinated me at the beginning was the glamour but as time goes on you see that behind all that glamour there is a lot of hard work, sweat and money that you have to spend on it. But for me personally the boylesque has given me so much self-confidence and tought me to love myself in a way I didn’t do before. It teaches one to embrace one’s flaws and just own them.”

The Saint Edgard says that boylesque has taught him to love himself in a way he didn’t do before.  It teaches one to embrace one’s flaws, as he says and just own them. Photo/Elin Parmhed

But what does The Saint Edgard’s family think of this way of making a living?
“I’m very grateful for the understanding and support my family has shown in this, especially my mother. They thought it was just a hobby at first but now they know that I’m in it for real, not just to stand on stage and get attention. I’ve actually never spoken about this to my grandmother, she still thinks I go on stage and dance a bit of jive,” Edgar says with a laughter. “I have to sit down with her and explain what it is that I do.”

The Saint Edgard’s parents are divorced and both live in Iceland where his mother breeds dogs and his father is a GP. He is the oldest of five siblings and grew up with his mother, two younger sisters and lots of dogs and horses. “The dogs mean a lot to me,” he explains. “I love nothing more than to take a good walk in a forest with my dog on Sundays and just really relax.

When I was younger I was this shy, humble kid and the dogs were my best friends. Then I entered a period where I was really depressed and stuck in a dark place and I came to the conclusion that I needed to get into new environment. That was three years ago and in that period I decided to move to Sweden.

That was the best decision of my life! It taught me that you have to follow your own conviction. You only live once and one has to have the guts to step outside one’s comfort zone. I have grown a lot as an individual in these three years and gotten to know such a huge amount of tremendous people. I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunities I’ve gotten.”

“Being a part of the burlesque world has taught me not to judge people. It does not matter if you are an actor, a cook, a doctor, a porn star, a waiter, a dancer or whatever. As long as you’re happy and what you do does not harm anyone just go for it.”

When The Saint Edgard was younger he practised ballroom dancing and he says that has helped him a lot in the boylesque scene.
“When I lived in Iceland I practised ballroom dancing and it has really come in handy to have that background. Ballroom dancing taught me a lot about performing on stage and to know how to use my body. Of course boylesque is a much less constructed art form, you can basically do what ever you want. Ballroom dancing is a competition sport and there are strict rules on how to move and perform.”

But how is the burlesque world as a whole?
“I love the burlesque world and the people in it. Mostly because they are so open-minded. Being a part of the burlesque world has taught me not to judge people. It does not matter if you are an actor, a cook, a doctor, a porn star, a waiter, a dancer or whatever. As long as you’re happy and what you do does not harm anyone just go for it. Two years ago this was all very alien to me but now I’ve

The Saint Edgard practised ballroom dancing when he was younger and says that experience has helped him a lot in the boylesque scene. Photo/Emily Rault

seen so much that you would not believe it! Sex appeal is a beautiful thing and when I’m standing on the stage everything just flows from me naturally. If all the people in the world would attend a burlesque course and learn to love their bodies I’m pretty sure the world would become a better place.”

Some boylesque dancers have been quoted saying that they are looked down upon by the women in the burlesque world who think men are prominent enough in other areas of the entertainment world and should leave  burlesque to the women. The Saint Edgard has not experienced that, he says, and neither have the Swedes had any bone to pick with him because he’s Icelandic.
“The Swedes have been very welcoming and they just think it’s fun that I come from Iceland,” he explains. “Neither have I experienced any hostility from the women in the scene. It’s the women who have molded me and helped me  learn and I have humongous respect for them. I’m sometimes told that I am ´too much´on the stage but I just answer the person saying it that she is ´too little´. You have to stand up for yourself in this business and be able to take critic. But at the same time you have to know the difference between the constructive critic and the unconstructive. Personally I think that a good act must be able to stand on it’s own. If you take away all the glamour, glitter and crystals there has to be something underneath.”

 “… for me personally the boylesque has given me so much self-confidence and taught me to love myself in a way I didn’t do before. It teaches one to embrace one’s flaws and just own them.”

How is the Swedish burlesque scene compared to the Icelandic burlesque scene?
“I think they are pretty similar. The Swedish scene is obviously bigger and the Swedes are keen on sophistication, beautiful costumes and something pretty to watch. I’m sometimes told that I should spare some of the energy on stage but when I saw Margrét Erla performing at Melt I realised how strong the Icelandic energy is. There is something in us Icelanders that is so raw and beautiful and expresses itself so naturally.”

Let’s go back to your upcoming performance in Iceland. What can the audience expect?
“OMG! I’m so excited! It’s such a great honour for me to perform for the first time in Iceland at the anniversary show of Reykjavik Kabarett. I will bring my favorite act to Iceland and can hardly wait to shake the audience to their core!”

The Saint Edgard will only stay a week in Iceland this time and most of his free time will be spent with his family. But he’ll be back.
“Just you wait,” he grins. “I’ll be in Iceland from December 18th to the 8th of January and then I will bring all my show gear. That’ will be something. Stay tuned.”

The Saint Edgard says he can hardly wait to shake the Icelandic audience to their core. Photo/Elin Parmhed

Main photo: Felicia Lemmeke
Photo of The Saint Edgard with bottle of champagne: Fredrik Robertsson

Á. Óskarsson
Á. Óskarsson

Á. Óskarsson offers a variety of products and services to sports centers, swimming pools, schools, kindergartens, and the general public. The company specializes in sport-related products, activity-focused games, and a wide range of solutions for sports facilities.

Á. Óskarsson has been involved in numerous big projects related to building sports facilities and has made it their benchmark to offer good quality products and equipment since the company was founded.

See links to social media in the upper left-hand corner

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Á. Óskarsson selur fjölbreytt vöruúrval fyrir íþróttahús, sundlaugar, skóla og leikskóla og einnig ýmsar vörur til einkaafnota. Fyrirtækið selur vörur til íþróttaiðkunnar og leikja ásamt því að bjóða upp á ýmsar lausnir fyrir íþróttamannvirki.

Á. Óskarsson hefur komið að fjölda stórra verkefna við byggingu íþróttamannvirkja og hefur frá stofnun kappkostað að bjóða vandaðar og endingargóðar vörur.

Tenglar á samfélagsmiðla eru í efra horninu vinstra megin.

Webpage/vefsetur

Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

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