Every year, thousands of burlesque professionals, peers and fans vote for their TOP 50 Burlesque Industry Figures, and the results are in for the Burlesque TOP 50 2016. If you are new to this extremely popular process, please read the Burlesque TOP 50 Essential Guide here.
The Burlesque TOP 50 2016 is sponsored by
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20. Lola the Vamp
- Headlines own show Vamp & Burn
- Releasing an album with her band The Desert Blues Cartel
- Hosts Dr Sketchy’s Brisbane
2016 Appearances: Performer: Berlin Burlesque Week, Como Lake Burlesque Festival, Australian Burlesque Festival, Stockholm Burlesque Festival.
19. Red Bone
- Part of award winning group Foxy Tann & The Wham Bam Thank You Ma’ams (‘Best Troupe’ and ‘Most Vegas’ at the Burlesque Hall of FameWeekend 2006)
- Co-hosts The Nudie Nubie Show – An Amateur Reveal
2016 Appearances: Headliner: Oklahoma City Burlesque Festival, Dallas Burlesque Festival. Performer: Visions of Sugarplums: A Burlesque Nutcracker!, The Roux- A Spicy Brown Burlesque Festival, Minneapolis Burlesque Festival (feature), Oregon Burlesque Festival, Miss Viva Las Vegas Burlesque Competition at the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekender, Texas Burlesque Festival (feature), Houston Burlesque Festival.
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18. Ray Gunn
- ‘Best Boylesque’ at Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2013
- Producer/Performer: The Vertical Sideshow
- Launching and brand new show Neon Peepshow – the dirtier side of the Vertical Family in February 2017
2016 Appearances: Headliner: Toronto Burlesque Festival, First Annual Smoky Mountain Burlesque Festival, Vermont Burlesque Festival. Performer: Michigan Burlesque Festival.
17. Lola Van Ella
- Produces Show-Me Burlesque Festival, The Shimmy Showdown, The Big Gay Soiree, and Spectaculaire.
- CEO of VanElla Productions and Studio
2016 Appearances: Headliner: Como Lake Burlesque Festival. Produced first international event, LezDance in Paris, September 2016.
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16. Koston Kreme
- Co-founder of Capital Tease Burlesque, producer of two monthly shows and Ottawa’s annual Capital Burlesque Expo
2016 Appearances: Performer: Toronto Burlesque Festival, Ottowa Capital Pride, Fierce! International Queer Burlesque Festival, Dita Von Teese Book Launch Tour.
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15. Bella Blue
- Headmistress, New Orleans School of Burlesque
- Co-producer at Bella Blue Entertainment: Whiskey & Rhinestones, The Blue Book Cabaret, Legs and Eggs Burlesque Brunch, The Dirty Dime Peepshow, Strip Roulette
2016 Appearances: Headliner: Bristol Burlesque Festival. Performer: Minneapolis Burlesque Festival, New York Burlesque Festival, Brussels Burlesque Festival, Montreux Tattoo Convention.
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14. Vicky Butterfly
- ‘Most Dazzling Dancer’, Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2016
2016 Appearances: Performer: Caput Mundi International Burlesque Awards, Tampere Burlesque Exposé. Performances in Paris, Hamburg, Prague, Berlin, Vienna, Belgium, Canberra and Geneva.
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13. Lada Redstar
- Miss Exotic World 1st Runner Up, Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2016
- ‘Best Debut’, Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2013
- Producer/Presenter of Burlesque on Air
- Announced: Headliner, Hebden Bridge Burlesque Festival 2017
2016 Appearances: Performer: Bohemian Burlesque Festival, Stuttgart Burlesque Festival, Geneva Burlesque Festival, Berlin Burlesque Week. Competitor: Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend.
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12. Betsy Rose
- Co-Producer/Performer, Gin House Burlesque (celebrating one year of sold out shows)
2016 Appearances: Performer: Montreux Tattoo Convention, Hundred Watt Club, The Wet Spot. European tour: Verbier, Tuscany, Lausanne, Venice and Milan.
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11. Lola Frost
- Co-Director of the Vancouver Burlesque Centre
- Integral member of Sweet Soul Burlesque
- Miss Exotic World 2nd Runner Up, Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2013
- Announced: Headliner, Texas Burlesque Festival 2017
2016 Appearances: Performer: Edmonton Burlesque Festival, Vancouver Burlesque Festival, Vancouver Fetish Weekend, Show Me Burlesque Festival, Viva Las Vegas Burlesque Showcase. Instructor at BurlyCon 2016.
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