Burlesque- The Art of the Strip Tease

The line between strippers and exotic dancers and sexy women in the bedroom has always been razor thin. What topless dancers wear on stage, and what a girl wears in the privacy of her bedroom may be identical in many cases. Women often look to the burlesque and gentlemen's club stages to see what men consider sexy, or at least what the dancer's are wearing. Now is the time to take a look at Burlesque and its history. Burlesque has given us a rich history of traditions and culture that extend to our lingerie styles and trends.

Put simply, burlesque means "in an upside down style". Like its cousin, commedia dell'arte, burlesque turns social norms head over heels. Burlesque is a style of live entertainment that encompasses pastiche, parody, and wit. The genre traditionally encompasses a variety of acts such as dancing girls, chanson singers, comedians, mime artists, and strip tease artistes, all satirical and with a saucy edge. The strip tease element of burlesque became subject to extensive local legislation, leading to a theatrical form that titillated without falling foul of censors.

While modern burlesque is often seen as a euphemism for seedy strip clubs and underground dealings, it is actually a very old, popular form of entertainment that began in the 1840s. Burlesque as a sensation was brought to America from Britain in the late 1860s by Lydia Thompson and her British Blondes, a troupe who spoofed traditional theatrical productions in costumes considered revealing for the time period. Since that time it has assimilated vaudeville, minstrel shows, striptease, comedy and cabaret to evolve into the follies of the twenties and thirties to the girlie shows of the 40s and 50s, which eventually gave way to the modern strip club. Burlesque is a variety show characterized by broad comedy, dancing, and striptease.

Burlesque refers to theatrical entertainment of broad and parodic humor, which usually consists of comic skits (and sometimes a striptease). While some authors assert that burlesque is a direct descendant of the Commedia dell'arte, the term 'burlesque' for a parody or comedy of manners appears about the same time as the first appearance of commedia dell'arte.

With its origins in nineteenth century music hall entertainments and vaudeville, in the early twentieth century burlesque emerged as a populist blend of satire, performance art, and adult entertainment, that featured strip tease and broad comedy acts that derived their name from the low comedy aspects of the literary genre known as burlesque.

In burlesque, performers, usually female, often create elaborate sets with lush, colorful costumes, mood-appropriate music, and dramatic lighting, and may even include novelty acts, such as fire-breathing or demonstrations of unusual flexibility, to enhance the impact of their performance.

It is an art form is best described as a combination of striptease, comedy and exuding sexual confidence, not just in the burlesque performance, but in everyday life. Burlesque is not about stereotypical beauty, but relies on the performer’s attitude and her projection of herself and her charms to the audience.

Burlesque was used by working class performers as a way to mock upper class traditions, social habits and cultural and political fashions. Most performances were spoofs of operas, Shakespearean plays and other classic literature and drama.

The performances relied on mocking, irreverent humor and played on the audience’s desire for laughter and lust. Due to the “naughty” nature of the costumes, burlesque usually targeted working class men, however as word spread, it drew a wider audience, including some women, who were keen to witness this socially taboo trend.

As time went on, burlesque became more risqué. When the Depression hit hard, people were looking for different forms of distraction. Sally Rand revolutionized the industry with her nude fan dancing.

However, the art form was not destined to last forever and began its decline in the 1950s when films became increasingly violent and sexual and live burlesque was no longer relevant. By the 1960s, the art was virtually obsolete. Between the feminist movement, the Cold War, hippies, drugs and pornography, classic burlesque was viewed as either too oppressive of women or too tame.

Pasties (sing. 'pastie') are adhesive coverings applied to cover a person's nipples, often at a strip club. They vary in size and are usually not much larger than the performer's areola.

Pasties are usually applied with a special glue or tape. This is the origin of their name, as they are quite literally "pasted" onto the nipple. The concept of 'pasties' is to reveal as much of the breast as possible without being entirely topless. Many exotic dancers wear them in strip clubs as required by law.

Pasties are worn by many neo-burlesque performers. Burlesque pasties may also feature tassels which hang from the center, performer will sometimes twirl these as part of a performance. Some women who choose not to wear a bra, wear pasties to prevent their nipples from protruding visibly through their shirt. Some of the women who are part of the burlesque hall of fame are women whose names may be familiar: Josephine Baker Blaze Starr Jayne Mansfield Tempest Storm Chesty Morgan Mamie Van Doren Sally Rand Mae West Lili St. Cyr Candy Barr Gypsy Rose Lee Yvonne De Carlo Diana Dors Bettie Page

Burlesque performers could be confused with strippers, but that generalization does not do justice to the burlesque performer, nor clarify the distinction between strippers and what they do,versue burlesque. Burlesque could include stripping down to bare skin, but emphasized the tease in striptease. Burlesque was more of a theatrical production than the vast majority of today's strippers and topless dancers. That is not to take away from what topless dancers of today do in their performances.

Burlesque brought us the pasties with tassles. This old school accessory is held on with double sided tape of spirti gum adhesive. The art of spinning the tassles, often in opposite directions was part of the act that has entertained millions in the adult art of burlesque. Many performers of the golden age of burlesque went on to have film and singing careers that stood on their own. The burlesque stage dimmed in the 60's and 70's as other forms of entertainment which offered more excitement and sex entered the mainstream of adult entertainment. Neo burlesque has been gaining in popularity as it combines the entertainment of burlesque, and is empowering to women as it about a lot more that tits and ass.

Modern day strip clubs,and gentlemens clubs owe their heritage to the burlesque dancers and theatres. Without the theatrical basis, many topless and fully nude are simply the three song routine where the girl dances for the first song, partially disrobes for the second, and goes nude for the third and final song. While most men will tell you that there is absolutely wrong with topless dancing and nude dancing, the art of the burlesque is certainly altogether different. While women perform in both genre's, the similarities begin to distinquish themselves.

Many topless dancers and nude dancers aren't given the time in their acts to perform burlesque routines, and many audience members might feel that they were cheated. After all they came to see tits and asses, not a drawn out strip tease that might, or likely not end up in total nudity. Both variations have their merits and this writer does not have an axe to grind one way or the other. This is just to say that while the two share some similarities, there are significant differences.

Both forms have their own sets of controversy, ranging from those who are against any type of nudity, combined with the presence of alcohol, and the crowd they attract. Burlesque was, in its heyday a form of expression that drew loud criticism as the art form was extremely provocative, especially for the times. Burlesque performers from the 1920's through about the 1960's were viewed much as strippers are viewed today. Burlesque performances combined dancing, stripping, comedy or satire and oddities of the time all rolled into an entertaining format that was very popular in its time, while retaining a real air of being naughty as women of the day were ostracized for being nude or partially nude on stage.

The medium of burlesque viewed through a twenty-first century lens offers endless opportunities for performance - from classic glamour to wry satirical commentary to carnivalesque freak-show skills, tease-o-rama.

Burlesque owes its history to the French Cabaret showgirls who were glamorous, beautiful and nude or partially nude in the topless reviews wearing glamorous costumes. As entertainment, whether it be the burlesque of days past, the neo burlesque of today, or the strippers of New York, Los Angeles or Dallas, the objective was to entertain the audience.

Today, icons are developing by the names of Dita Von Tease and others who are bringing back the images of Bettie Page, Candy Barr and Jayne Mansfield. The retro look of those gorgeous women combined with todays women who are painted with tattoos, enlarged breasts and the modern trappings of todays stages.

One of the trappings that distinguish many burlesque performers is the use of elaborate costumes and props. Topless dancers and nude dancers often use sexy outfits, consisting of bra and panty sets, lingerie sets and other dancer outfits that are not quite as elaborate. The reasons for this can be seen in the nature of both art forms.

Strippers generally work in clubs, dance bars and gentlemens clubs. These clubs may employ as many as 10 to 200 dancers who work different shifts. These shifts tend to be varying in how lucrative they are by who visits the clubs during what hours. The dancers dance sets, and may be required to provide lap dances as well as socialize with customers during the time between their sets. They may earn money "urging" customers to buy them drinks, or purchase private dances or lap dances. These "sets" do not rise to the level of a full length gown, feather head dress, and an elaborate prop including a snake, orchestra and 400 lines of dialog. Perhaps the difference can be summarized as the difference between eating at a fast food restaurant and dining at a nice restaurant. Both satisfy an appetite, one costs more than the other and presentation is part of the package. Given a choice I would prefer the fast foot establishment 9 out of 10 times, but the evening a a restaurant is a nice change of pace.

Happily, burlesque has seen a resurgence that has caught many by surprise. Many hear the word burlesque and they automatically assume that it is simply another word for stripping. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many communities throughout the country have local burlesque troupes, with many have more than one troupe. Who joins these burlesque troupes. While generalizations are not always helpful, the truth is that members of burlesque troupes are not interchangeable with their sisters who perform at a local gentelmen's club.

These days, neo-burlesque has started to gain popularity. In fact, the Pussycat Dolls began as burlesque group before beginning their recording career. Neo-burlesque is much more about female empowerment. It encourages women to embrace their sexuality and has connections to the neo-feminist movement. It allows women to be in control of their performances and their audiences.

Burlesque troupes have sprung up throughout the country for a couple of reasons. One of the strongest reasons is that burlesque is an art form that should never have been allowed to die. While styles change, burlesque was allowed to wither for a couple of reasons.

What Is Burlesque? The dictionary defines burlesque as "a witty and mocking celebration of vaudeville entertainment" — a wry, tongue-in-cheek sendup of the popular style with a little sex appeal thrown in. There was a time when stripteasers were starlets: bawdy yet refined, these glamour girls strutted across the stages of the most opulent theatres in America draped in sequins and furs, making headlines on par with Hollywood sirens and driving fleets of Cadillacs dyed to match their poodles. The sexy thrill of their performances was rivaled only by the kind of talent and showmanship thatâs sadly long gone from the grinding strip shows of today.

From the sleazy bump n'grind of New York Cityâs first burlesque theatre, Minsky's Winter Garden on the Lower East Side, to the exemplar of the undraped live female form as art — Florenz Ziegfeld's 'Follies' — burlesque always offered a little something for everyone. The new burlesque incorporates playful eroticism, comic theatre and performance art — dressed to the nines in fabulous and fanciful costumes — to join the glamour of the past with the energy of the present. Tease-O-Rama, by bringing new and old burlesque performers together for one blowout weekend, helps keep the saucy showmanship alive for a new generation of ardent fans with a bawdy history lesson that's not to be missed.

Tease-O-Rama takes you back to the days when the tease outweighed the sleaze — when Blaze Starr, Tempest Storm and Lili St. Cyr shocked, titillated and teased theatres packed with sophisticated ladies and gentlemen in evening dress. Tease-O-Rama brings back the glamour of days gone by. Campaigns against Burlesque in Depression-Era New York City

ANDREA FRIEDMAN Department of History and Women's Studies Program Washington University,St. Louis ON JANUARY 10, 1942, two New York City police detectives went to a burlesque show at the Gaiety Theatre on Broadway. In one of the acts they observed, a woman wearing mourning attire stripped to "a black lace combination with opaque covering at the breast, vagina and buttock areas," all the while singing about her husband's death. The detectives reported that a comic dialogue playing on the stripper's "bump and grind" followed the song:

STRAIGHT MAN: Lady, your husband didn't die a natural death. STRIPPER: Well, how did he die? COMEDIAN: He was bumped off.

New York City License Commissioner Paul Moss used their testimony about this skit and others like it to justify his refusal to renew the licenses of the last three burlesque theaters in Manhattan.1 Like the stripteaser's imaginary husband, burlesque did not die a natural death; it had been "bumped off" the stage by a decade-long campaign waged by religious and antivice activists, Times Square commercial interests, and municipal

Burlesque dancing is teasing audiences once again William Launder Columbia News Service Apr. 6, 2006 12:00 AM

NEW YORK -- All eyes inside Manhattan's Slipper Room are glued on Jen McClelland, aka "Clams Casino," who is spilling out of a lipstick-print bra and garter belt and jiggling to the dance hall baritone voice pulsing through the speakers.

"Mr. Lover lover, Mr. Lover lover, girl ...," the song repeats, and a faint but unmistakable grin spreads across McClelland's face as a crowd of devoted fans and curious newcomers cheer her on. These days burlesque dancing is not as seedy as your typical strip club performance, but it's not exactly what you saw in the movie "Chicago" either. advertisement

Neoburlesque, as a growing number of amateur dancers and their hipster audiences call it, is a reincarnation of the variety-show cabaret that once fused vaudevillian drama and striptease into erotic performance.

During its Depression-era heyday, burlesque stars like Sally Rand and the Minksy Brothers entertained viewers with a randy mix of comic storytelling and sensual dance. Today's interpretation remains true to burlesque's original goal of enticing without revealing all, and even risque burlesque performances rarely go beyond pasty-covered breasts and lewd humor.

Burlesque refers to theatrical entertainment of broad and parodic humor, which usually consists of comic skits (and sometimes a striptease). While some authors assert that burlesque is a direct descendant of the Commedia dell'arte, the term 'burlesque' for a parody or comedy of manners appears about the same time as the first appearance of commedia dell'arte.

With its origins in nineteenth century music hall entertainments and vaudeville, in the early twentieth century burlesque emerged as a populist blend of satire, performance art, and adult entertainment, that featured strip tease and broad comedy acts that derived their name from the low comedy aspects of the literary genre known as burlesque.

In burlesque, performers, usually female, often create elaborate sets with lush, colorful costumes, mood-appropriate music, and dramatic lighting, and may even include novelty acts, such as fire-breathing or demonstrations of unusual flexibility, to enhance the impact of their performance.

Put simply, burlesque means "in an upside down style". Like its cousin, commedia dell'arte, burlesque turns social norms head over heels. Burlesque is a style of live entertainment that encompasses pastiche, parody, and wit. The genre traditionally encompasses a variety of acts such as dancing girls, chanson singers, comedians, mime artists, and strip tease artistes, all satirical and with a saucy edge. The strip tease element of burlesque became subject to extensive local legislation, leading to a theatrical form that titillated without falling foul of censors.

Originally, burlesque featured shows that included comic sketches, often lampooning the social attitudes of the upper classes, alternating with dance routines. It developed alongside vaudeville and ran on competing circuits. In its heyday, burlesque bore little resemblance to earlier literary burlesques which parodied widely known works of literature, theater, or music.

Possibly due to historical social tensions between the upper classes and lower classes of society, much of the humor and entertainment of burlesque focused on lowbrow and ribald subjects—e.g., in the early years, ducks were revered amongst these folk as gags [citation needed].

The genre originated in the 1840s, early in the Victorian Era, a time of culture clashes between the social rules of established aristocracy and a working-class society.

The popular burlesque show of the 1870s though the 1920s referred to a raucous, somewhat bawdy style of variety theater. It was inspired by Lydia Thompson and her troupe, the British Blondes, who first appeared in the United States in the 1860s, and also by early "leg" shows such as The Black Crook (1866). Its form, humor, and aesthetic traditions were largely derived from the minstrel show. One of the first burlesque troupes was the Rentz-Santley Novelty and Burlesque Company, created in 1870 by M.B. Leavitt, who had earlier feminized the minstrel show with her group Madame Rentz's Female Minstrels.

Burlesque rapidly adapted the minstrel show's tripartite structure: part one was composed of songs and dances rendered by a female company, interspersed with low comedy from male comedians. Part two was an "olio" of short specialties in which the women did not appear. The show's finish was a grand finale.

The genre often mocked established entertainment forms such as opera, Shakespearean drama, musicals, and ballet. The costuming (or lack thereof) increasingly focused on forms of dress considered inappropriate for polite society. By the 1880s, the genre had created some rules for defining itself:

Minimal costuming, often focusing on the female form. Sexually suggestive dialogue, dance, plotlines and staging. Quick-witted humor laced with puns, but lacking complexity. Short routines or sketches with minimal plot cohesion across a show.

The popular burlesque show of this period eventually evolved into the strip tease which became the dominant ingredient of burlesque by the 1930s. In the 1930s, a social crackdown on burlesque shows led to their gradual downfall. The shows had slowly changed from ensemble ribald variety performances, to simple performances focusing mostly on the strip tease. The end of burlesque and the birth of striptease was later dramatised in the entertaining film The Night They Raided Minsky's.

A new generation nostalgic for the spectacle and perceived glamour of the old times determined to bring burlesque back. This revival was pioneered independently in the mid 1990s by Ami Goodheart’s “Dutch Weismanns’ Follies” revue in New York and Michelle Carr’s “The Velvet Hammer Burlesque” troupe in Los Angeles. In addition, and throughout the country, many individual performers were incorporating aspects of burlesque in their acts. These productions, inspired by the likes of Sally Rand, Tempest Storm, Gypsy Rose Lee and Lily St. Cyr have themselves gone on to inspire a new generation of performers.

"It's not about what you want to see as an audience; I determine what is sexy as the dancer," said McClelland, 27, an advertising account executive whose alias and skimpy costumes provide a new identity each time she takes the stage to perform a bawdy rendition of an Irish river dance and other erotic dance skits. "I'm totally in control the whole time."

Celebrities have jumped on the bandwagon too: Sting plans to open a burlesque club in Manhattan with the financial help of friend David Bowie. Dita Von Teese, a burlesque stripper married to shock rocker Marilyn Manson, penned a dual-titled volume called "Burlesque and the Art of the Teese/Fetish and the Art of the Teese" that appeared in book stores this March. The Slipper Room and its dancers even helped create the setting for a filmed tribute to singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen in which Bono made an appearance. Burlesque dancers, whose day jobs range from doctor and schoolteacher to Goth-club dominatrix, say the dance form offers a unique opportunity to escape everyday lives while liberating the body and empowering the spirit. Some burlesque performers rehearse four times for weekend shows, but unlike pole dancers trying to earn a living through stripping, most burlesque performers say the dancing is about personal expression. Any money they make -- rarely more than $200 a performance -- is channeled back into costumes and stage props for future shows.

The dancers take pride in thrilling audiences that often contain more women than men. They say that burlesque appeals particularly to women who are tired of being inundated by media images of impossibly-figured runway stars.

"It's the only scene I have found where women are portrayed as sexy and confident even if they are not model-thin," said Sarah Hayes, 28, a law student at Fordham University and a regular at New York burlesque shows. "That makes me feel really sexy and empowered as a woman."

Burlesque troops run the gamut from amateur groups playing hole-in-the-wall clubs to authentic revivalists like Big City Burlesque, which pays particular attention to vintage costuming. The Atlanta-based group has performed at gay and punk clubs as well as community fundraisers. It says it is just as likely to play cabaret classics like Eartha Kitt's "I Want to be Evil" as the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen."

With groups springing up in cities like Los Angeles, Philadelphia and even Madison, Wis., over the last five years, longtime insiders wonder about the future of burlesque, and if the resurgence will die out like swing dancing did in the late 1990s.

"Whenever any subculture reaches the mainstream, there is a potential for it to be diluted by people who think it's lucrative or just cool and trendy," said Kelly Garton, leader of a San Francisco burlesque group called Hot Pink Feathers. She came up with the idea for the group after attending an annual burlesque convention called "Tease-O-Rama." Garton says Hot Pink Feathers draws heavily on Brazilian carnival and samba.

Angela Richardson, an artist who once majored in women's studies and visual communications, was likewise drawn to burlesque by a 2003 visit to "Tease-O-Rama," at which participants talked "tassels, twirling and tease."

"Seeing women who recognize their sexuality and its power was a real experience," said Richardson, 35, who now performs as "Olive Talique" with the Madison-based Cherry Pop Burlesque. "It made me see myself in a totally different way." Family and friends, she says, have been enthusiastic about her dancing too.

"Women often don't like to be looked at in a certain way," said Richardson's boyfriend, John Feith. "Burlesque allows the dancers to be seen in a different way where they feel good about themselves."

Richardson links the burlesque revival to Third Wave Feminism, a fresh take on the women's movement that stresses women regaining the femininity lost by an earlier focus on issues like workplace equality.

"Burlesque is fascinating terrain because it's about sex and the body and it's taboo busting," Richardson said. "Its striptease without the baggage of the male gaze."

Today New Burlesque has taken many forms, but all have the common trait of honoring one or more of burlesque’s previous incarnations, with acts including striptease, expensive costumes, bawdy humor, cabaret and more. There are modern burlesque performers and shows all over the world, and annual conventions such as the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival and the Miss Exotic World Pageant.

New Burlesque A new generation nostalgic for the spectacle and perceived glamour of the old times determined to bring burlesque back. This revival was pioneered independently in the mid 1990s by Ami Goodheart’s “Dutch Weismanns’ Follies” revue in New York and Michelle Carr’s “The Velvet Hammer Burlesque” troupe in Los Angeles. In addition, and throughout the country, many individual performers were incorporating aspects of burlesque in their acts. These productions, inspired by the likes of Sally Rand, Tempest Storm, Gypsy Rose Lee, Dixie Evans and Lily St. Cyr have themselves gone on to inspire a new generation of performers.

Today New Burlesque has taken many forms, but all have the common trait of honoring one or more of burlesque’s previous incarnations, with acts including striptease, expensive costumes, bawdy humor, cabaret and more. There are modern burlesque performers and shows all over the world, and annual conventions such as Tease-O-Rama, New York Burlesque Festival, The Great Boston Burlesque Exposition, and the Miss Exotic World Pageant.

Today's Burlesque revival has found homes throughout the United States and the world, the largest communities located on the East and West Coasts of the U.S. On the East Coast, New York City boasts the largest community (where select nightlife venues have been inspired by the trend--several notable troops include Le Scandal Cabaret, Pinchbottom Burlesque, Starshine Burlesque, and, during the summer, Coney Island's Burlesque at the Beach); in the Pacific Northwest, the Burlesque scene is centered in Seattle--home of Miss Indigo Blue, Paula the Swedish Housewife, Vienna Le Rouge, The Atomic Bombshells, The Von Foxies, Glitzkrieg Burlesque, and Sinner Saint Burlesque, to name a few; in Southern California, the largest communities reside in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Striptease New Burlesque tends to put the emphasis on style and tend to be sexy rather than sexual, often involving humor. Unlike modern strippers, who dance in strip clubs to make a living, burlesque performers often perform for fun and spend more money on costumes, rehearsal, and props than they are compensated. Performers rarely strip to less than pasties and g-strings.


 

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