Featured Blog: Blood, Sweat & Glitter
Sparkly Devil has been performing burlesque for over a decade now, in addition to her work as an award-winning writer, editor and journalist. A three-time recipient of 1st Place Michigan Press Association Awards, Sparkly’s writing has been published in numerous independent publications, magazines and anthologies since 1997. Originally hailing from
All the News That’s Fit to Strip, 11.29.10
Just because the movie Burlesque is now on the big screen, doesn’t mean the art of striptease will make a comeback. In fact, burlesque has been growing in popularity for a long time. “The movie has sparked mainstream interest,” says Cleveland burlesque performer Danielle Squeal. “But burlesque has been an
Behind The Garter Belt: Scarlett James
Scarlett James, the Countess of Burlesque is the founder and executive producer of The Montreal Burlesque Festival Sept.23rd to 25th Coming up you can also view her in all her splendour’s glory July 23rd for the Toronto Burlesque Festival. What is the importance of costuming to the burlesque performance.? Do
Pillow
By the time she won Miss Exotic World in 1995 Pillow had been combining elements of classic striptease with a unique modern twist for nearly two decades while simultaneously becoming a champion bodybuilder. Pillow began her burlesque career in 1976 in the standard sort of go-go clubs that featured bikini
The Exotic Dancers League
There wouldn’t be a Burlesque Hall of Fame and Museum if there hadn’t first been the Exotic Dancers League. As theatrical burlesque began its decline after WWII and the main venue for striptease moved to the nightclubs, striptease performers found themselves increasingly detached from the support networks the burlesque circuits
Behind The Garter Belt: Anna Fur Laxis
Anna Fur Laxis blew me away with her clever Bettie Page tribute at The Windy City Burlesque Festival last April. With the amazing transitions from Bad Bettie to Good Bettie, I thought she was just the dame to interview for my costume column. You can check out her amazing act
Burlesque vs. # burlesque
By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the new movie Burlesque, which features no actual burlesque. It’s got the BQ community up in a tizzy; and understandably so – some of us have been working in this genre for a decade or longer, so when you claim to make a
Behind The Garter Belt: SATAN’S ANGEL
When I saw Satan’s Angel perform her fire tassels routine out in the Mojave Desert heat in 2005’s Miss Exotic World pageant, I was speechless. This woman was Tina Turner and Mick Jagger rolled up into one fiery package. She is the rock n’ roll of burlesque! I’ve been fortunate