Dorothy Dorne: A Life in Pictures by Jo Weldon
Last winter I spent some time going through paper archives in the Burlesque Hall of Fame collection in Las Vegas, with the help of Laura Herbert and Brian Newman. I was particularly interested in the sheet music and the notations on it. I intend to share more about the sheet music project
Noel Toy
Ed. note: This blogpost originally appeared on Soft Film as as “Noel Toy: Our Lady of Feathers.” It is a reprint of an article that first appeared in the cheesecake tabloid CO-EDS (May 1942). The photos are accompanied by their original captions. U. OF C.’s NOEL TOY NOBODY’S PLAYTHING CHINA GIRL CAN DISH
Performance Archetypes: The Half-and-Half
While I’ve yet to find conclusive proof of its origin, the Half-and-Half—in which a solo performer utilizes clever, vertically divided costuming and skillful choreography to create the illusion of a duet—has long been a staple of classic burlesque performance. Most commonly associated with dichotomous male/female numbers (like Zorita’s racy “Bride & Groom,” top),
Behind The Garter Belt: Melody Mangler by Tanya Cheex
I met Melody Mangler years ago at the very first Vancouver Burlesque Fest and I was immediately taken by her fireball style and sexy yet comedic approach to performance. I wasnt’t the only one noticing as The Burlesque Hall Of Fame awarded her “Best Debut” in 2009 for her breathtakingly
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: 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
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What To Do When You Faceplant on Stage
On Wednesday, I had a bad show. It happens. And as performers, we all must deal with it at some point. But it’s how you deal with it that makes the difference. Now, it’s not like I tripped and busted open my face (which I’ve done) or accidentally took a