Gogo Bear Spotlight: Build A Bear
The gogo bear spotlight moves onto Build A Bear, a Kansas resident by way of Dallas and Tampa who has come to prominence as one of MEGAWOOF’s main gogos. This gorgeous bear most assuredly has a signature move. Read on to find out more.
BWM: What is your stage name? Please give us some background on yourself.
Build A Bear: Hello everyone, my name is Bryton Wood, but I go by Build A Bear on stage. I come from a small town called Sulphur Springs, TX. I’m just a normal country guy who played football and then worked on the farm.
BWM: When did you start gogo dancing and why? Which bear parties do you dance at?
Build A Bear: When I finished high school, I went to work at a casino while going to college. After I left that job, I started really trying to figure out what I wanted to do. So, after thinking about it, I realized that I’ve always loved to dance. I had to think of a way to make fast cash, so I applied at BJ’s Dallas (a gay male strip bar). I got the job, started to dance, and within six months I became their lead dancer.
Soon after that, I got an offer to come dance at the Purple Party. I was very nervous because I had never danced at a big party like that. But when I got on the stage, all my nerves went away after seeing all of the beautiful faces and reactions. Everybody was having such a good time.
A year after that, MEGAWOOF messaged me and asked me to come dance for them. This was my first real bear party I had ever danced for. It was a huge opportunity and I was nervous, but when I got to know everyone, it made everything so worth it. Leo and Johnny have always been such great people. I no longer call them acquaintances. I call them family.
BWM: Do you have a gogo persona? If so what is it? Do you have a signature move or style?
Build A Bear: As my adventure continued, I eventually stuck out with my unique appearance and dance style. I like to dance a certain way that gives people a different experience than they’ve ever had when they come to a circuit party. People love interacting with gogos, seeing different outfits, dance moves, and lots of passion so I decided to bring passion and big dance moves all at the same time. I started to flip on stage, and as a big bear it made a huge impact on everybody.
BWM: Can you tell us a memorable event from one of your gigs?
Build A Bear: The most amazing experience I’ve had is when people came up to me crying, saying that they appreciated me because they were scared to come to the circuit party, thinking that they were good looking enough, or fit enough and that seeing me made them happy and gave them confidence. It’s happened a few times and it always amazes me.
People always ask me how I get past the negative encounters with people that say that since I am a big boy that I shouldn’t be up there dancing, that I don’t fit in. Well, I just bottled all that up and put it on the stage to show people that just because big boys don’t have abs or just because we have stretch marks, that doesn’t mean that we are any different than anybody else.
BWM: What do you like most about nightlife and gogo dancing?
Build A Bear: I love that I have helped give members of the bear community a reason to explore and feel comfortable with who they are, that they have stopped caring about what others think about them and instead learned to focus on the positive. This has helped me enjoy my gogo dancing, and the amazing nightlife I work in so much.
BWM: Any upcoming gigs you want to plug?
Build A Bear: My next gig is in Chicago. I will be there for Market Days dancing at the CircuitMOM parties – Matador on August 10 and Dream on August 11, both at the Aragon Ballroom. I’m hope that I get to see everyone there!
Follow Build A Bear on Instagram
