Born and raised in San Francisco, classically trained dancer Simone del Mar fell into burlesque “through the back door” in Los Angeles where she learned the craft, produced a monthly show for six years, and shared the stages with LA’s finest burlesque entertainers. A model for Trashy Diva and Dark Garden, she is Teaser Festival’s current reigning Queen of the Striptease.
Since moving to New Orleans in 2021, Simone has performed with Fleur de Tease, New Orleans’ longest running burlesque company, and The Van Ella Bordella, a Storyville burlesque musical. After performing in the 2025 Viva Las Vegas Burlesque Showcase, she was named in the inaugural Burlesque TOP 50 Ones to Watch, and went on to win 1st Runner Up in the Miss Viva Las Vegas burlesque contest in 2026.
Here’s her 21.
1. How would you define yourself in three words?
Passionate – Sensitive – Shenanigans.
2. Who would play you in a movie about your life?
Kerry Washington – she has such a range. She would be able to show the horrible and truly magical things that have happened in my lifetime as if it was her life. I also love that, even to this day, she can call her lead co-star and we witness them both light up. That kind of understanding of truly connecting with the right person is one of the most important things one can do in this world.
3. What is your biggest strength?
I will figure it out, even when I have no idea how to do it… yet.
4. What is your biggest weakness?
I am in my fifties and I still don’t understand the idea of hate. This leads to constant disappointment and confusion.
5. When are you most happy and inspired?
I am most happy when I am onstage sharing a bit of my world with the audience. I am most inspired when I am out in nature.
6. What is your favourite on-screen burlesque moment from film or TV?
Striptease, 1996 – Demi Moore gave such intense and commanding slow teases that still move me to this day. My favourite act is ‘Money Can’t Buy It’. (Disclaimer: The movie is not great at all.) And Flashdance, 1983 – this expanded the idea of dance for my young mind. Jennifer Beal/Marine Jahan’s ‘She’s a Dream’ act is iconic.
7. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
The best piece of burlesque advice is: no one knows your choreography. No one has any idea what you are going to do. So go out there and show the audience what you got.
8. If you could switch lives with one person for a day, who would it be?
I would pick a healthy woman on her 85th birthday who has been lovingly married for 60 years with five kids, sixteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren who are ALL at her house for the day.
9. What’s the biggest myth or misconception about burlesque?
That burlesque is easy – we are just taking our pretty clothes off to music. There is nothing easy about burlesque. Even the task of picking a name for yourself is doing a lot of research (I hope this is happening). Selecting a song, getting a costume, working on the pieces so they come off the way you envision, rehearsing the movement then rehearsing with the costume, changing everything because it is just not working, rehearsing until the act feels like breathing. And of course, the hours of getting makeup and hair ready for the show. It is a lot of behind the scenes work to look professional on and offstage.
10. If you could only perform to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Blue Horizon by Sidney Bechet. This song flows like the way I love to move on stage.
11. What surprisingly useful things do you have in your show case?
I am not sure what would be considered surprising, but I was a Girl Scout for many years, so I usually have the thing that most performers need or a thing that can fix something in a quick bind.
12. Do you have a backstage ritual?
I sit for a moment at the mirror, take a breath, and remember that I am living my dream life and so many people wish that they could do the same. For out-of-town or competitions, I sit with my headphones on (music or no music) and quietly talk to my body.
13. What advice would you give to new performers starting out today?
Go out to ALL of the burlesque and cabaret shows you can. Find the style that speaks to you. Learn about the performers that came before you. Take dance classes in various techniques so you understand all of the different ways you can move your body. Find what makes you unique and tell that story. Start with one act and build on it. My black and gold costume took eleven months from start to finish and I was performing with it at every stage of development.
14. What is your proudest achievement?
Winning Queen of the Striptease and 1st Runner Up at Viva Las Vegas in the same year. It feels so amazing to be 50 and holding these titles. My ‘House of the Rising Sun’ act (in all of its versions) is a love letter to the New Orleans burlesque community. It took a village to get me when I am today. I am honored and forever appreciative for their support and love.
15. What is your biggest regret?
Honestly, I don’t have any regrets, because if just one thing changed I probably would not be where I am right now.
16. What is the biggest challenge facing today’s burlesque scene?
I think the core of burlesque is getting lost. My personal opinion is that the core of it all is the Art of the Tease. There are a million ways to do burlesque but there has to be some sort of tension. I love going to shows, but I hate leaving without having felt something from the performers.
17. If you could go back and tell yourself one thing when you started out in burlesque, what would it be?
Be as kind to yourself as you are to others.
18. What is a cause or issue that’s very important to you?
Life is so short! Do the thing. Age is just a number. There is no time like the present to do the thing that scares you. We are alive where we hold the world in our hands, and we waste it on hours of social media. There is nothing you can’t learn with your phone. The only thing stopping this is you. And if it doesn’t turn out the way you planned, please remember that you learned a lot about yourself and what to do the next time.
19. What are you currently reading, watching, and listening to?
I just finished my third rereading of Night Circus (one of my favorite books). It hits me different each time because I am a different person read it. I also just finished Scandal; Olivia Pope is such a force. I am listening to FKJ; he relaxes me when I am costuming.
20. If you could share a dressing room with one performer for the rest of your career, who would it be?
What a hard question. I have so many people I absolutely love being backstage with. I would have to pick the only person who has lovingly pushed me out of my comfort zone and into the fire on and offstage numerous times: Lola Van Ella. I know how to make the ‘Bold Choices’ because of her.
21. What would you like your life and career to look like in 10 years time?
10 years… I’ll be 61. Honestly, I am not sure. I only have three more burlesque career goals to achieve: booking a European tour, winning Best Debut at BHoF, and getting on the TOP 50. I didn’t think I would still be doing burlesque at this age. I know I will be ready for my next chapter at some point. But as long as I can move this body, I will be dancing. So let’s say I will be learning the beautiful traditional dances as I travel the world. That feels like a good look for future me.
Follow Simone del Mar on Instagram and visit Simonedelmar.com.