‘Bionic’ amputee makes Crazy Horse cabaret debut in Paris

“Bionic showgirl” Viktoria Modesta launched her futuristic cabaret show at Paris’s world-famous Crazy Horse on Monday -- using a different prosthesis for each exotic scene. Born in Latvia under Soviet rule with a malformed left hip and leg, Modesta (her stage name) was 20 when she chose amputation “for medical and psychological reasons”.

Surrounded by scantily dressed dancers, Modesta performed her “Prototype” show wearing bodysuits, minidresses and other racy costumes, with her prostheses ranging from a black-and-white tapered limb to a crystal-studded false leg. Pamela Anderson, who performed at the Crazy Horse in 2008, was in the audience alongside other actors, artists and fashion designers.

In an interview with AFP before the premiere, Modesta said: “Your body is the only thing you truly own... It was a part of survival, bringing me a more fulfilling and happy life.” She said of her Crazy Horse show: “I’m going to explore several facets of myself in this performance.”