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