Open Topic... off to NYBF.

I'm off to NYBF, so enjoy an open post to discuss what you like for the next few days.

Please note that anonymous posting has been removed. I thought that Blogger would allow me to keep the option of posting your name and website as an option of signing your comment, but it's all or nothing - register or not register. So we're going to try things with registered comments for a while as a way to keeping the trolls away. I apologize for the inconvenience this might cause. There was only one vote in favor of keeping the anonymous posting.

We'll resume normal posting on Monday. For those of you not at the festival, enjoy your holiday weekend! For those of you at the festival, enjoy your burlesque filled weekend!

-Forum Admin

Why burlesque?

You could do anything... yet, you spend your time and your money (and in some cases, your sanity) on the good ol' bump and grind. Whether you're a fan, a performer, a producer or a promoter, something drew you to this little stretch of theatricality called burlesque.

So why burlesque, exactly?

Technology and the bump and grind?

Dita rides a giant mechanical lipstick. Tigerlil uses actual powertools in her act. There have been multiple sightings of propeller pasties and electric bras and panties. It would seem that batteries are included when it comes to burlesque.

What creative uses of technology in burlesque have you seen? Do you have a gadget striptease (or a gadget used in striptease)?

When copycats strike - what should the community do?

Recently, an issue of plagarism came to light on the Miss Exotic World forum. Essentially, one well-known performer with an equally well-known and documented act found out that another burlesque performer in her area had copied her well-known and documented act and was performing it at a local venue. She approached the copycat on civil terms and asked her to stop, and was assured that the bad behavior would, indeed, end. It did not. The well-known performer turned to the community via the MEW forum, explained the history of the copying, and asked that if others in the community saw the copycat using her well-known and documented act that they let her know as a way of protecting her work. This is a brief summary of events, feel free to read the full story over at the Yahoo! Group.

What should the community do when copycats strike? Obviously, no one wants to out their fellow performer, but is there a certain amount of policing that the burlesque world needs to do to keep its creative product safe?

The Week in Review

Thank you to the last week's contributors:

Delirium Tremens
Jack Midnight
Naughty Natanya
Paris Green
Zeugma aka Jezebel Express

Please feel free to continue posting to any topic from previous weeks. Topics will always remain open. If they get too far gone down the blog, feel free to call for a bump and I will re-post the questions so you don't have to search the archives for them.

Footnotes for the week of 8/19/07

In the course of our discussion, performers, venues, websites and other burlesque departures were discussed or featured in the daily topics or comments section. Here are footnotes and further reading/viewing from this week's discussion.

Is there anything off-limits in burlesque?

Jennie Lee
Miss Dirty Martini at Dr. Sketchy's NYC
The Glamazons perform at the GLBT 2007 Expo
Michelle L'Amour in her debut performance of her tribute to Sally Rand
Julie Atlas Muz in the short film High Art at Low Tide
A brief clip of Harvest Moon performing at Exotic World 2007
Jo Boobs performing at Exotic World 2007
Dita von Teese rides a giant lipstick

Are there situations/things that you are afraid of?

Spinal Tap tries to find the stage - "Hello Cleveland!"

What is your favorite song to perform to?

Jack Midnight performs "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?" and "Beyond the Sea"
Eartha Kitt performs "I Want to Be Evil" live at Kaskad (1962)
Yma Sumac sings "Gopher Mambo" with footage from a French documentary on her life (I couldn't find a sample of "Taki Rari" out there, but this seemed a pretty fair song substitution - Forum Admin)

Are you going to the New York Burlesque Festival?

With the festival kick off in one week, this seemed appropriate...

Are you going to the New York Burlesque Festival? Are you performing or just taking in all the burlesque the weekend has to offer? Does anyone actually know what the VIP tickets for the Main Event get you? Early speculation on Golden Pasties winners?

Famous?

If you were to be famous for something, burlesque or otherwise, what would you choose?

What is your favorite song to perform to?

What is your favorite song to perform to? Why? Does it have special meaning to you?

News Item: NYBF Golden Pasties Voting Now Open

The Golden Pasties nominees have been announced and official voting is now open at the New York Burlesque Festival website.

Are there any situations/things that you are afraid of?

As a performer, do you ever experience stage fright? Are there certain performance situations or environments that cause you to be afraid? Have you ever had a dreaded "burlesque nightmare?"

The Week in Review

Thank you to the last week's contributors:

Delirium Tremens
Holly Rebelle
Jack Midnight
Paris Green
Zeugma aka Jezebel Express

Please feel free to continue posting to any topic from previous weeks. Topics will always remain open. If they get too far gone down the blog, feel free to call for a bump and I will re-post the questions so you don't have to search the archives for them.

Footnotes for the week of 8/12/07

In the course of our discussion, performers, venues, websites and other burlesque departures were discussed or featured in the daily topics or comments section. Here are footnotes and further reading/viewing from this week's discussion.

Are drag acts and transgendered performers boylesque?

An image of Madame X
Rose Wood demonstrates the miracle product "Waxo" at This or That!

Is anything off-limits in burlesque

The Glamazons perform in the Top 8 on America's Got Talent
Miss Dirty Martini's promotional video
The Von Foxies in their tribute to Seattle

What inspires you?

Tempest Storm in "A Night in Hollywood"
Evangeline the Oyster Girl
Bettie Page in a little dance number
Dita von Teese performs at the Just for Laughs Festival 2006 in Montreal
Satan's Angel
Miss Dirty Martini performs her tribute to Zorita at This or That!
Julie Atlas Muz performs her bubble act to "My Way"
Images of Sasha von Bon Bon
Mae West in She Done Him Wrong
Tallulah Bankhead in a scene from Devil in the Deep
John Cameron Mitchell in Hedwig and the Angry Inch performing "Midnight Radio"
Anna Nicole Smith performs "My Heart Belongs Daddy"
Elizabeth Taylor in the powder room scene of Cleopatra
Anna Sui fashion show - 2007 Spring/Summer collection
The Muppets perform "Mahna Mahna"
Pina Bausch and Tanztheatre Wuppertal performs "Rite of Spring"
Rambert Dance Company
Fred Astaire performs "Puttin' on the Ritz"
Armando Duarte

What inspires you?

What inspires you?

Where do you perform/see burlesque?

What kind of venues play host to your burlesque shows? Bars and clubs? Theater spaces? Community arts centers? Are they big or small? Do they have particular quirks that make them unique? Where do you perform or see your burlesque?

Is anything off-limits in burlesque?

Do you feel as an individual that there any subject matters that due to their nature/timing/etc. are beyond the limits of good taste and reason for burlesque to lampoon? Or is burlesque, by its very definition, free from restrictions even if the audience watching it might take offense at what they are presented with?

How do you find your talent and/or guest performers?

Here is a question for those of you with troupes or those of you that produce shows - how do you go about finding your talent? Do you hold auditions? Do you seek out individual performers and recruit them into your group? Or do they come to you? Do you pick up new burlesquers from classes you teach? How does your troupe bring on new members?

The Week in Review

Thank you to the last week's contributors:

Brett
Jack Midnight
Jo Weldon
Paris Green
Zeugma aka Jezebel Express

Please feel free to continue posting to any topic from previous weeks. Topics will always remain open. If they get too far gone down the blog, feel free to call for a bump and I will re-post the questions so you don't have to search the archives for them.

Footnotes for the week of 8/6/07

In the course of our discussion, performers, venues, websites and other burlesque departures were discussed or featured in the daily topics or comments section. Here are footnotes and further reading/viewing from this week's discussion.

What does your family think about your burlesque activities?

Tease-O-Rama Burlesque Convention
Miss Exotic World Pageant
Sex Workers' Art Show

Tips or no tips?

The opening credits for Pinchbottom Burlesque's Naked Planet show

It's hypothetical Friday!

Jezebel Express in "Little Drop of Poison"
An image (third down) from Bambi the Mermaid's playing card deck of Freak Pinups is included in Jo Weldon's blog on erotic playing cards.

Are drag acts and transgendered performers boylesque?

We have created a category of burlesque - boylesque - in an attempt to define our teasers by gender, however, where does this leave drag acts? Or transgendered performers? Is it fair to burlesque acts that identfy themselves as women and perform as women to categorize them with performers of the opposite gender?

It's a hypothetical Friday!

You wake up, you smell smoke - the house is on fire! You've saved the kids, the cat, the family heirlooms, but you only have time to save one item from your burlesque closet/stash. What do you take?

NYBF Preview - The Rest of the US Edition

With the New York Burlesque Festival just a few weekends away and Golden Pastie nomination in effect, let's take a moment to look at some of the talent coming to the festival this year.

Today, the rest of the US burlesquers:

Bloody Belle (Chicago)
Bloody Belle is best known in the Windy City as the producer and director of the queer themed burlesque show, The Girlie-Q Variety Hour. She is well loved on the Forum by her fellow Chicago area performers.
Bloody Belle takes on Captain Kirk in "Whatever Lola Wants"

Black Cat Burlesque (Boston)
The bad seeds of Modern Burlesque, this scream team mines the depths of their twisted psyches—blending striptease thrills and spookshow chills to push the boundaries of the art form and explore the dark, cobwebbed corners of neo-cabaret.
A sampler of Black Cat Burlesque

Dames Aflame (Atlanta)
A "tossed salad, if you will, of Atlanta's fashionistas, artisti and intelligentsia," the members of Dames Aflame bring years of showbiz experience to their fiesty blend of burlesque having performed on Good Morning America, MTV's House of Style, MTV's Brickface and Stucco, Atom Film's Bikini Bandits DVD, Dee Dee Ramone's "In a Movie" video, Turner South Network, Cartoon Network, FOX5's Good Day Atlanta and PBS. They've also toured with Tencacious D and El Vez, swung with the Cab Calloway Orchestra, fired up the crowds at Atlanta Hawks games, added atmosphere to SCION car events and have appeared in UK's The Face magazine, the Village Voice and Belgium Elle. Most recently, the Dames' "Showbiz What Sizzles" show was featured in Spin Magazine's 101 Best Night's Out.
Ursula 1000's "Boop" music video featuring Dames Aflame

Diamondback Annie (Los Angeles)
All Hail the (drag) King of Rock and Roll burlesque - Diamondback Annie. Winner of Miss Exotic World's Best Newcomer award in 2005, she takes over the stage to create an innovative tribute acts that remain true to the spirit of rock, evoking the irreverence and provocative glamour of a burlesque striptease while maintaining the masculine edge in both looks and attitude of drag performance. For those about to rock - we salute Annie!
Diamondback Annie performing a KISS tribute at Miss Exotic World 2006

Fannie Spankings & Charlie Champale (Denver)
Charlie Champale and Fannie Spankings electrified the globe with news of their nuptials this Spring. They recently soaked up sun, vodka and fabulous performances over Exotic World Weekend. Charlie Champale performed his signature ShoeHorn Stripper at Krave in Planet Hollywood and was crowned Mr. Exotic World 2007!
Fannie Spankings & Charlie Champale in "The Wedding"

Fanny Tastic (Chicago)
Ensemble member of Michelle L'Amour's Star & Garter Burlesque troupe, Fanny Tastic has made appearances at venues around Chicago and recently performed at the Miss Exotic World weekend in Las Vegas. She currently can been seen in shows at the Motel Bar and in "Lipschtick" at the Lakeshore Theater.
Fanny Tastic performs at the Summer Striptease Spectacular

Gravity Plays Favorites (St. Louis)
The dynamic duo of Katrina and Michelle got their start at Larry Flynt's Hustler Club (then the Deja Vu) and discovered a knack for doing things on a pole that others had never seen before. They have been on a nationwide tour for Camel Cigarettes, performed at museums like City Museum, Contemporary Art Museum, and The Museum of Natural Science in Houston, festivals including the New York City Burlesque Festival and Venus Envy, with Margaret Cho, and opening for such bands as the Dresden Dolls and Humanwine.
Gravity Plays Favorites performs at the Miss Exotic World Pageant

Honey Touche & Lexi Demure (Denver)
These lovely ladies of Burlesque As It Was have performed at venues throughout Denver including Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret and at Naughty Pierre's Burlesque & Comedy Extravaganza at the Rialto Cafe.
Images of Honey Touche, Lexy Demure and other local burlesquers from the Denver Post.

Kellita of Hot Pink Feathers (San Francisco)
Kelly "Kellita" Garton is an award winning dancer and choreographer and the founder of the samba burlesque dance troupe, Hot Pink Feathers. In addition to providing artistic direction to Hot Pink Feathers, Kellita delights audiences with her array of captivating solo acts. Kellita is also a member of Rococo Risque Cabaret, awarded Best Theater Ensemble by SF Weekly 2005. Kellita was named Little Miss Aftershock for her outstanding shimmy-shake at the Miss Exotic World Contest and earned a nod to her main instrument of bump 'n' grind at the New York Burlesque Festival with a Golden Pastie for Best Derriere.
Kellita performs her "Bunny Dance"

Lux La Croix (Los Angeles)
Lux La Croix is a documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, art show curator, ballet teacher, choreographer, professional dancer and rising burlesque starlet who is obsessed with fashion and all that is frivolously fabulous. Lux has previously competed at the Miss Exotic World Pageant in the Best Newcomer category and is known for her tribute to Josephine Baker.
Lux La Croix in "The Newcomer"

Michelle L'Amour (Chicago)
Michelle L'Amour and her ass that goes POW! have performed in and out of their clothing at venues across the country, modeled for Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School and have even been featured on the reality television show America's Got Talent where she delighted the Hoff and sent Brandy into a bitchfaced tailspin. She teaches burlesque classes at Chicago's Arabesque dance studio, directs the critically acclaimed Star & Garter Burlesque troupe, is host of the Fearless Radio program "In Bed with Michelle L'Amour" and recently published her own book The Most Naked Woman.
Michelle L'Amour in "The Expert-Tease"

Orchid Mei (Denver)
Orchid Mei is a member of the Folderol Follies and performs at many burlesque venues around Denver.
Images of Orchid Mei

Ruby White (Los Angeles)
Performing in Los Angeles since 2004, Ruby has teased and taunted many o' audiences at venues such at The Derby, Three of Clubs, The Scene, Spaceland, The M Bar, The Bordello, On the Rox and The Key Club. You can find her the first Thursday of every month at The Scene in Glendale for Lux & Ruby's Burlesque-A-Go-Go as a co-producer and performer.
Images of Ruby White

Verotica 143 (Seattle)
A high-tech toy for the lucky and few? A droid gone wild? A life-size doll that plays off your emotional and sexual energy and reflects back your deepest desires…? Perhaps…. a mirror has been created, in human form, in which others can see their own sexual masks and desires laid bare before them – an act being played out for the audience’s enjoyment and musing.
A performance by Verotica 143

Vivian Velvet (Chicago)
Vivian Velvet has been wowing audience with her classic style since 2005. She is a member of the critically acclaimed Star & Garter Burlesque troupe, directed by Michelle L'Amour, and recently competed for the title of Best Debut at this year's Miss Exotic World Pageant.
Images of Vivian Velvet

Vivienne Vavoom (Denver)
Vivienne is the creator of the Denver based troupe Burlesque As It Was and has performed locally and across the country with notable burlesque stars like Dita Von Teese, Catherine Delish, Kitten Deville, Kitten on the Keys, the World Famous Pontani Sisters and many, many more. She is also the author of the definitive burlesque resource, Burlesque and the New Bump-n-Grind.
Vivienne Vavoom performs as a mermaid

NYBF Preview - New York Edition, Part Two

With the New York Burlesque Festival just a few weekends away and Golden Pastie nomination in effect, let's take a moment to look at some of the talent coming to the festival this year.

Today, part two of the New York City burlesquers:

La JohnJoseph
La JohnJospeh is a beautifully unique performance artist from Great Britain. He recently moved to New York and is constantly performing. His performance and directorial credits include the Dada vaudeville cabaret troupe BOYFRIENDROBOTIQUE with which he appeared onstage in San Francisco with the Cockettes, at Paris' oldest queer tango club for Fashion Week and alongside Sir Ian McKellen at the House of Homosexual Culture's Autumn Fayre.
La JohnJoseph performs "Teacher's Pet" at Sugar Shack Burlesque

Little Brooklyn
Sweet as an egg cream, thrilling as the Cyclone, and built like the Brooklyn Bridge, Little Brooklyn is a mover and shaker in New York's burlesque scene. She has performed at New York venues such as the Slipper Room, the Cutting Room, Sideshows by the Sea Shore at Coney Island, the New York Burlesque Festival and exotic shows including Miss Exotic World and Tease-O-Rama.
Little Brooklyn performs at Miss Exotic World 2007

Lola Pearl
Lola can be seen shaking, twirling and donning her Sally Rand Fans all around the New York club scene. She has also been a featured model at the Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School and recently competed for the title of Best Debut at the Miss Exotic World Pageant in Las Vegas.
Lola Pearl performs at Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School

Lukki
Lukki (a.k.a. Lucky), the burlesque legend of stage and screen, began her illustrious career at Texas Guinan's 300 Club at the tender age of 18. Lukki has become a regular fixture in New York City clubs and theatres and has performed at the Slipper Room, Galapagos Art Space, Coney Island's Sideshow by the Seashore and many others. She can often be caught out of town with her pants down where she performs regularly with Trixie Little and the Evil Hate Monkey in Baltimore and Lobster Boy in DC, among others.
Images of Lukki

Murray Hill
Polyester-clad MURRAY HILL, aka “Mr. Showbiz,” is a beloved entertainer, infamous personality, newsmaker, and renowned comedian and host. He tirelessly performs in shows, independent films, videos, television, and comedy clubs in his native New York and all over the world. His long-running and smash-hit THE MURRAY HILL SHOW, “a New York institution” (NY Times), ran for over three years, completely sold-out.
Murray Hill in The Murray Hill Show

Nasty Canasta
Burlesque baby Nasty Canasta wasn't born nasty, she's just drawn that way. Her burlesque performances celebrate the vagaries of pop culture and the wicked sense of humor that makes it all bearable. Nasty can be found bumping & grinding, turning (magic) tricks, and fending off the advances of lascivious puppets at various unsavory locations throughout Brooklyn and NYC.
Nasty Canasta at Miss Exotic World 2007 with Jonny Porkpie competing (and winning) Best Duo

The Peach Tartes
The Peach Tartes, NYC's juiciest burlesque troupe. The Peach Tartes are Lola Dare, Veruca Honeyscotch, Rita Menweep, Scarlet O’Gasm, Madame Rosebud, and Penny Dreadfulz—a band of show women committed to challenging what you think about burlesque, what you know about women and what you expect from entertainment. They collaboratively shake, shimmy and twirl together choreography, storytelling, comedy, emotion, darkness and fire to create innovative and unforgettable events.
A sneak peek of the Peach Tartes

Peekaboo Pointe
Burlesque performer, go-go dancer and trapeze artist, Ms. Pointe can be seen on any given night entertaining crowds all over The Big Apple. You can catch her act at the Slipper Room, Le Scandal Cabaret, Starshine Burlesque, Galapagos, and a host of other venues in New York. Whether teaching burlesque dance classes at the Museum of Sex or dropping her drawers on stage, Peekaboo Pointe is the perfect combination of brains and books... and bumps and grinds.
A brief sample of Peekaboo Pointe

Rose Wood (does anyone have a website for this performer? - Forum Admin)
Rose Wood performs in a variety of venues around New York doing burlesque, go go dancing, and emceeing. She recently competed for the title of Best Boylesque at this year's Miss Exotic World Pageant in Las Vegas.
Rose Wood demonstrates the miracle product "Waxo" at This or That!

Ruby Valentine
Miss Ruby Valentine, Burlesque's sweetheart, has been performing in New York since 2003. She began her career as a member of The Ixion Burlesque Company and has performed with the top Burlesque stars of the time at premier exhibitions and venues, including The Slipper Room, Le Scandal, The Tank theater on 42nd, The Va Va Voom Room, Rififi (Cinema Classics), Coney Islands "Burlesque by the Beach", Galapagos Art Space, and many more. This cake eaters dream curremtly has a role in the off Broadway play, The Gregor and Olga Show", were she plays "Ruby" a sweet burlesque dancer with big city smarts and a heart of gold.
Images of Ruby Valentine

Miss Saturn
Jenny McGowan (a.k.a Miss. Saturn) is the quintessential show person. She creates original performance work that combines vaudeville antics, saucy burlesque, audience interaction, impeccable timing, sparkling costumes, wigs, accents, booty shakin' music (from Le Tigre to Zorba the Greek) and up to 40 hula hoops to create of a one of a kind performance.
Miss Saturn is the winning curtain in This or That!

Scotty the Blue Bunny
Scotty The Blue Bunny is a 5-year veteran of the NY nightlife scene. He makes his own outfits and is a self-contained variety artist: he sings, spiels, eats fire, performs magic, hosts/emcees, and generally drives the party. Nightlife venue appearances include The Slipper Room, The Gramercy Comedy Club, The Comedy Cellar, Fez under Time Cafe, Bombshell Burlesque, The Red Vixen Burlesque, The Blue Angel, Joe's Pub and SHINE.
Scotty the Blue Bunny in a spot for Current TV.

Tigger
The first ever Mr. Exotic World (winner of Best Boylesque at Miss Exotic World 2006), Tigger also has a Golden Pastie Award for "Performer Most Likely to Get Shut Down by the Law" under his belt. The New York Times has called him a "hysterical and acrobatic man in drag."
Tigger performs "Father McTigger" at Pinchbottom Burlesque

Wasabassco Burlesque
Wasabassco Burlesque is the producer of the finest burlesque shows in Brooklyn and the five boroughs! Team Wasabassco is headed by the Kingpin of Burlesque, Bill Morton, and his usual gang of lucious lovelies; GiGi La Femme, Nasty Canasta, Peekaboo Pointe & Scarlet Sinclair. Wasabassco hosts a monthly burlesque show at the expansive and ever so comfy Living Room Lounge in South Park Slope Brooklyn, as well as feature shows at Brooklyn hot spots Union Hall, & Southpaw and many fine venues throughout New York.
Two short clips of Wasabassco Burlesque

The White Boom Boom
New York boylesque sensation The White Boom Boom has appeared at a variety of venues around the city of New York including Coney Island, the New York Burlesque Festival as a featured model at Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School and with Pinchbottom Burlesque.
The White Boom Boom performs in The Bump and Grindhouse at Coney Island

The World Famous *BoB*
There are boobs and there is *BOB* - New York City's self-described "female-female impersonator". A tireless performer whose special skills consist of boob aerobics, breakdancing (in six-inch heels), martini mixing (with her ample cleavage) and pronouncing her name backwards on command, *BOB* has helped perpetuate the burlesque tradition in her bawdy performances at legendary New York City venues, clubs and festivals including The Pyramid Club, SqueezeBox, The Slipper Room and Wigstock, where she performed for four consecutive years.
A brief sample of The World Famous *BoB* from Margaret Cho's "The Sensuous Woman"

The World Famous Pontani Sisters
The World Famous Pontani Sisters are a trio of choreographed cuties circling the globe on a quest to bring glamour back to entertainment. The Sisters have garnered rave reviews in countless leading national and international publications. Their high-kicks, syncopated taps and sizzling shimmies have dazzled discerning audiences everywhere, from their beloved Coney Island to the glittering lights of Hollywood. Their stage show has been featured on television programs around the country, including repeat appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Do the "Kitty Kat" with the Pontani Sisters

What is on your burlesque reading list?

If you were teaching a course on burlesque (as I know some of you already do), what texts would go on your required reading list? Would you assign any movies or videos? Magazines or blogs?

NYBF Preview - New York Edition, Part One

With the New York Burlesque Festival just a few weekends away and Golden Pastie nomination in effect, let's take a moment to look at some of the talent coming to the festival this year.

Today, part one of the New York City burlesquers:

Albert Cadabra
New York magician Albert Cadabra will be handling hosting duties for the festival this year with a few others. We've already seen a bit of his comedy boylesque performance at this year's Miss Exotic World competition in our past discussion (check the YouTube archives for his epic battle against a Rubik's Cube)
The Crazy Sideshow Magic of Albert Cadabra

Amber Ray
Amber Ray is a fixture of the New York burlesque scene both as a performer with many different groups and model with the Dr. Sketchy Anti-Art School. She is known for her beautifully constructed costume pieces and headdresses. She has even made a garment out of what appears to be bacon.
Amber Ray at performing at the New York Burlesque Festival 2005

Angie Pontani
We've discussed her tribute to Blaze Starr here on the Forum before. Angie is also Miss Cyclone 2007 and one of the World Famous Pontani Sisters (see below).
Image of Angie Pontani

Anita Cookie & Scott Rayow
The duo of Anita Cookie and Scott Rayow have performed and emceed at venues around New York including Pinchbottom Burlesque, Wasabassco Burlesque and Starshine Burlesque.
Image of Anita Cookie & Scott Rayow

Miss Astrid
Miss Astrid is the creator of The Va Va Voom Room and a performer with The Velvet Hammer Burlesque. Besides emceeing her own show in NYC and San Francisco, she has also tackled hosting duties across the country, including the recent Miss Exotic World Pageant in Las Vegas.
The announcement of Miss Exotic World 2007 winners by Miss Astrid and El Vez.

Big Apple Burlesque
Big Apple Burlesque is a new classic burlesque troupe that performs a host of routines accompanied with Broadway quality musicians. Their tribute to film noir, "Last Call at the Starliner Lounge" is the only full length Burlesque Musical on the scene.
A sample of Big Apple Burlesque

Bonnie Dunn
Bonnie Dunn is the creator of BluesandBurlesque.com. Ms Dunn has been performing her cabaret and burlesque act for over a decadent decade. She is the producer and featured performer of the wildly popular New York City burlesque show, Le Scandal Cabaret now playing at The Cutting Room, NYC.
Bonnie Dunn performing with the NYC Blues Devils at a benefit for Coney Island's Mermaid Parade

Clams Casino
New York City burlesque personality Miss Clams Casino has twirled her tassels at some of the finest venues in NYC, including the Slipper Room, Rififi, Galapagos, Coney Island, the Cutting Room and more. Clams has performed in Washington DC, Boston and in Las Vegas as part of Exotic World Weekend.
A short film of Clams Casino performing to Big Long Slidin' Thing

Creamy Stevens
Creamy Stevens co-produces Starshine Burlesque with the fabulous Little Brooklyn. She is a regular performer at the Slipper Room, Le Scandal, Red Hots Burlesque and Coney Island Burlesque on the Beach. Creamy loves rhinestones and a good steak.
Defkon City presents Starshine Burlesque (interview with Creamy Stevens & Little Brooklyn)

Darlinda Just Darlinda
Darlinda Just Darlinda has been working as a Burlesque Performer in New York since 2003. She coined the term "Polyester Performance", an inspiring mixture of Burlesque, Modern Dance, Performance Art, Psychedelic Happening, Comedy Sketch, and Drag Queen Ballet. The Village Voice calls Darlinda a "Mastermind of Bizarre Extravaganza."
Images of Darlina Just Darlina's various acts

Miss Delirium Tremens
Miss DT performs frequently all around New York City at nights such as Mr. Choad's Upstairs Downstairs and the Hot Box at the Slipper Room, Le Scandal at the Cutting Room, Starshine Burlesque at Rififi, Pinchbottom Burlesque at Collective: Unconscious, and many others. She has also performed in the NY Burlesque Festival, Tease-o-rama, and Miss Exotic World.
Delirium Tremens performs at Miss Exotic World (video in two parts)

Dottie Lux
Member of the troupe Red Hots Burlesque, Dottie performs at such NY venues as Fez Under Time Cafe, Coney Island Side Show, The Supper Club, Slipper Room, NoLa's One Eyed Jacks, the Derby in LA and with bands like Fisherman's Xylophonic Orchestra and The Brimstones. She also organizes monthly clown happenings to places like Anthology Film Archives and the Times Square HoJo's.
Dottie Lux performs at the Coney Island Film Festival Opening Night party

Gal Friday
Gal Friday performs weekly at "KITTY NIGHTS" and produces and performs monthly in The Skullduggery & Skin Show
along with the awesome magic power of Albert Cadabra (see above) at the Palace of Wonders in Washington, DC.
Gal Friday gets "FUNKY" at Kitty Nights

Harvest Moon
Harvest Moon, also known as "The Sultry Siren of Burlesque", began her career by founding the legendary dance troupe The Cantankerous Lollies in 1995. She blends vintage Burlesque style with a unique and suprising element borrowed from the circus' big-top. Her acts never fail to bring down the house, often featuring hula hoop acts, silouhetted glass-balancing acts performed behind muslin screens, impossible contortions, and other sexy stage acrobatics.
Harvest Moon performs at the Slipper Room

Helen Pontani
Helen moved to NYC about 10 years ago to follow her dreams of dancing and traveling the world. She currently shakes it all over the country and beyond with the World Famous Pontani Sisters and is currently working on world domination via tap dance.
Images of Helen Pontani

Jo Boobs
Neo-burlesque star, teacher, blogger, Miss Exotic World judge, producer, expert, costumer, published author, photographer, model... we could go on and on. If you could think of it, Jo Boobs got there first, taught it a new trick or three, sprinkled glitter on it, spanked it and put it to bed.
Jo Boobs official burlesque demo

Jonny Porkpie
The Burlesque Mayor of NYC can be found regularly mixing it up around town with the likes of Pinchbottom Burlesque, Starshine Burlesque and Sweet & Nasty Burlesque, just to name a few. Along with partner-in-crime Nasty Canasta, he holds the Best Duo title from this year's Miss Exotic World pageant.
Jonny Porkpie and Nasty Canasta in the Opening credits to Pinchbottom's Pow! Zap! Boob!

Kissing Cousins
Kissing Cousins Productions NYC is Gigi La Femme and Scarlet Sinclair, burlesque and go-go sensations from the Big Apple, lifelong best friends and blood related cousins. Yes you read right... cousins. Constantly mistaken for twins, these two have wreaked havoc and confusion from coast to coast. Double the sequins! Double the shimmying fringe! Double your pleasure, double your fun!
Gigi and Scarlet performing their infamous tribute to Titanic

Hall of Fame?

Putting aside any and all rules and precedent that may exist for such a situation at the actual Burlesque Hall of Fame, if you could induct one performer - living or dead - into the Hall of Fame, who would they be and why?

NYBF Preview - International Edition

With the New York Burlesque Festival just a few weekends away and Golden Pastie nomination in effect, let's take a moment to look at some of the talent coming to the festival this year.

Today, the international burlesquers:

Belladonnas De Lux (Australia)
Belladonnas de Lux are a Sydney based burlesque troupe featuring the talents of performers Tulsa, Lulu and Tasia.
A very brief taste of Belladonnas De Lux.

Budoir Bondage (Sweden)
(does anyone have a website for Budoir Bondage? - Forum Admin)

Delilah Samson (London)
Delilah has been on the international scene since 2000, starting out her career in Vancouver, Canada. She has appeared in two music videos, a BBC3 mockumentary and is a member of the London based burlesque troupe Burly Q: A Queer Cabaret as well as part of the DJ collective Titty Titty Bang Bang!

Gwendoline Lamour (London)
With her all natural pin-up girl figure, ivory skin, and irresistible charm and grace Gwendoline is the personification of 1930s and 40s glamour. Trained to Masters Degree level in theatre and dance Gwendoline is long limbed and elegant and has been enchanting international audiences for seven glamourous years.
Gwendoline Lamour's promotional video

Imogen Kelly (Australia)
Australia's internationally renouned Queen of Burlesque, Imogen Kelly has appeared on stages around the world including London, Tokyo and Paris. She is currently appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Imogen Kelly performs at the Burlesque Ball in Sydney

Skin Tight Outta Sight (Toronto)
Skin Tight Outta Sight Rebel Burlesque is recognized as one of Canada’s pioneers in the Burlesque Revival. With six years of sold old shows under their sequined belts, this troupe bridges the gap between retro and revisionist with influences such as classical ballet, bump ‘n grind, Motown and just plain Out There!
Skin Tight Outta Sight's promotional video

Tigerlil (Australia)
The Princess of Powertools, Tigerlil rounds out her burlesque with a heathly side of circus, sideshow and performance art thrown in.
Tigerlil at the Psycho Sideshow of Anarchy

News Item: NYBF Golden Pasties Nominations Now Open

Nominations for the New York Burlesque Festival 2007 Golden Pasties Awards are now open.

To nominate your favorite performers for the categories below, copy and paste all or select categories and submit your choices to nybf@thenewyorkburlesquefestival.com and be sure to put "Golden Pasties" in the subject line.

You can only nominate your choices once and may only nominate performers that are performing at this year's NYBF. A list of performers can be found here. Nominations must be received by Wednesday, August 15th, at which point the top nominated performers will be posted in the appropriate categories and the polls will open and the voting will begin!

Golden Pastie Categories:

*Performer most likely to drink you under the table & take advantage of you while you are down there.

*Performer most likely to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

*The biggest sweetheart in burlesque.

*The most unpredictable performer in burlesque.

*The best booty shaker in burlesque.

*The best physique in burlesque.

*The most inspiring/influencial performer in burlesque.

*The performer that makes you want to take your clothes off.

*The performer you would most like to share a 4x8 dressing room with all night.

*The performer most likely to pop a pastie.

*The performer most likely to be diagnosed with OCD in regards to their extreme usage of rhinestones & general bedazzling.

*The best newcomer of 2007.

*Best use of non-traditional items for pasties.

*The performer most likely to be married at least 3 times.

Potato Salad

The following video was sent in to the Burlesque Forum Mail. If ever there was an act for a burlesque stage, singing cowgirl contortionists would be it. Please enjoy some "Potato Salad":

Tips or no tips?

Do you accept/encourage your audience to tip during your show? This seems to be a region by region difference, much like saying soda vs. pop...

News Item: NYBF Tickets Now On Sale

Tickets for the New York Burlesque Festival on now officially on sale. For more information or to purchase tickets to any of the Friday, Saturday or Sunday night events, visit the NYBF website.

The Burlesque Forum Videos

For point of clarification, I guess, more than anything else, allow me to step out of my role as an admin to have a brief moment of explanation and opinion...

I think it's tremendously important that we look at and experience the burlesque that's happening all over the place and from all points in time. That's why I pull together a crib sheet at the end of each week and I try to gather links to performers personal pages, but especially to videos of burlesque and related performances. Not everyone has access in their home town to as rich and diverse a community as say, someplace like New York, so videos are the next best thing. I believe that there are great and wonderful things happening in places that are off the beaten path that you might have never heard of as well. I'd also love for there to be a common language to burlesque, so that when we talk about Performer X or Performance Style Y, we've seen that in action, we're familiar with the person, we understand the shorthand.

And so ends my momentary lapse of opinion.

I'm starting a Burlesque Forum Video section over at YouTube. All the videos that have been included in comments sections and Week in Review posts will be archived there. If you would like to have videos of your burlesque performances archived there for people to see, please send your links to the Burlesque Forum Mail and I will add them as well.

The Week(s) in Review

Thank you to the last two week's contributors:

Brett
Clams Casino
Holly Rebelle
Jack Midnight
Jo Weldon
Mr. Burlesque
Naughty Natanya
Paris Green
Penny Whistle
Shangri-Laura
Tanya Cheex
Zeugma aka Jezebel Express

Please feel free to continue posting to any topic from previous weeks. Topics will always remain open. If they get too far gone down the blog, feel free to call for a bump and I will re-post the questions so you don't have to search the archives for them.

Footnotes for the weeks of 7/22/07 & 7/29/07

In the course of our discussion, performers, venues, websites and other burlesque departures were discussed or featured in the daily topics or comments section. Here are footnotes and further reading/viewing from this week's discussion.

Working with rhinestones?

A product shot of Mrs. Glue
Penny Starr Jr. (aka Augusta) in "The Bride of Frankie"

Are there any new ideas in burlesque?

Little Brooklyn performs her Fay Wray/King Kong "devil dance" at Exotic World 2007

When does a gimmick pass into the public domain?

Satan's Angel
Desire d'Amour performs at Exotic World (performance is in two parts)

Burlesque and Body Type?

The Glamazons perform in the semi-finals of America's Got Talent

What is your burlesque education?

The Second City
ImprovOympic
The Annoyance
Merrie Melodies - "The Early Bird Gets the Worm"
Silly Symphonies infamous "Skeleton Dance"
Wigstock - a compilation of performances
The White Boom Boom performs at Bump and Grindhouse as part of Coney Island's Burlesque at the Beach
The Va Va Voom Room
New York School of Burlesque
Matthew Mohr
A backstage look with the Fluffgirl Burlesque Society
Burlesque and the New Bump-N-Grind by Michelle Baldwin
Burlesque and the Art of the Teese by Dita von Teese

Who are your fans?

Athena DeCrime and Courtney Shove of The Windy City Rollers
Midnight Madness Rocky Horror Shadow Cast of Chicago - "The Eddie Swarm" performed at the recent Chicago Rocky Con hosted by the Midnight Madness group
The Amazing Tomas Medina in "Geek Magic"
Burlesque fan Ray Koltys writes a regular newsletter/blog called Ray's Guide to Chicago Area Burlesque
Burlesque fan Mark Braun maintains Mark's Bettie Page Page
Exotic World poster artist and infamous tattoo artist Mitch O'Connell
Duke City Derby in a Mastercard "Priceless" spot

Your favorite burlesque tributes?

For these footnotes, I am actively searching for images and videos of the tributes we've discussed. If you know where to find any I haven't been able to locate, please send a link to the Burlesque Forum Mail so we can share them here.

Little Brooklyn's tribute to Pee-Wee Herman
Gigi LaFemme's tribute to Princess Leia (it's in the Starshine Burlesque demo, about five minutes in. She's just after Dirty Martini)
Images of Kitten DeVille's tribute to Dixie Evans
Images of Dirty Martini's tribute to Zorita
Pinchbottom Burlesque's tribute to the cream pie a la "The Pinch Brothers"
Images of The Pinch Brothers
Images from "OFF THE TOP": A Burlesque Improv and Tribute Show (you know, the one where everybody did tributes of each other...)
Little Brooklyn's tribute to Miss Saturn
Images of Little Brooklyn's tribute to Miss Saturn
Images of Miss Saturn's tribute to Tigger!
Scarlet Sinclair's tribute to Nasty Canasta
Images of Scarlet Sinclair's tribute to Nasty Canasta
Images of Nasty Canasta's tribute to Darlinda Just Darlinda

Fight the Power?

We may poke fun at politics and break rules on stage, but are there any local laws on the books in your area that curtail or inhibit the performance of burlesque due to nudity or other adult content? Do you have to be careful of what and where you perform? Or do you stick it to The Man regardless of what might happen to you for doing so?

What does your family think about your burlesque activities?

What does your family think about your burlesque activities, be they striptease or otherwise? Are they your biggest fans? Do they approve, but from a distance? Does your burlesque ruin Christmas and Thanksgiving gatherings? Shock and appall Grandma? Or knowing they won't approve, have you kept it a secret from the relatives?

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Be it a tip or trick from a castmate, a hard lesson learned or a piece of sage knowledge passed down from a burlesque legend or just something mom said that you've kept close to heart - what's the best advice you've ever received when it's come to your burlesque career/performance? If you're a fan and not a performer - what advice would you offer up to performers you know and love?

Apologies...

...for the lack of updates the past few days. Unfortunately, sometimes real life interrupts even the best of intentions. We'll be back on track shortly.

Pardon our dust.

The Forum Administrator