Born in Suwon, South Korea and raised in Chicago, Joona Bae is currently based in NYC. A proud alumni of Chicago’s Camp Cabaret program, Joona has made 36 burlesque festival appearances since…
Interviews
Enjoy a collection of burlesque interviews, including in-depth conversations with many of our striptease titans…
Born in Messina, Sicily, but based in Milan for over twenty years, Ella Bottom Rouge brings her Mediterranean roots and sharp queer sensibility to the stage. With an acting background, she’s been…
Elyse Elaine began performing burlesque professionally in San Francisco 2011 and is now successfully established in Las Vegas since 2016. She’s co-produced Womanopoly with Sgt. Die Wies since 2012, and other credits…
Kitty Obsidian is a proud Australian First Nations performer specialising in sideshow and fetish burlesque. Voted LGBTQIA+ Person of the Year at the Victorian NAIDOC Awards 2022, Kitty is a public speaker…
It’s been a monumental year for Jessabelle Thunder. Already renowned for her good sense, proactivity and vision – not to mention world class stagecraft – she was crowned Miss Exotic World 2025…
With over eight years in Burlesque and a lifelong foundation in dance and theater, La Reina is a dynamic creator and weaver of stories. Born and raised in California, but based in…
Donna Poderosa has been spreading her love for performance across the UK and beyond since 2022. A proud alumni of the Soho School of Burlesque and the Black Burlesque School, her credits…
Brooklyn-bred, ‘nerdy connoisseur of Blackness’ Queerly Femmetastic is inspired by Black shake-dancers, strippers, and hoochie-coochie girls across generations. She’s picked up numerous titles and awards since her debut in 2018, including Silver…
Debuting in 2006 after a workshop with Rose Wood, Jacqueline Boxx’s performance background includes trapeze, hooping, cabaret, musical theater, bellydance, clowning and ballet. She has headlined burlesque festivals across the globe, and…
Portia Favro is a professional dancer who jetéd into Burlesque eleven years ago. An award-winning choreographer and performer, Portia led (quite literally in fact) her troupe Pin-Up Posse to victory as Best…
Debuting at the Orlando Burlesque Conservatory in 2022, Emma Jewel was awarded Hollywood Starlet at the 2024 Hollywood Burlesque Festival, and debuted internationally in November 2024 at the Black Burlesque Festival in…
Early 2024, with the Burlesque TOP 50 wrapped up for another year, I heard a name dropped respectfully in passing conversation. A month later I heard it again – someone raving about…
Fou Fou Kaboom is an award-winning London-based burlesque performer, specialising in “high-concept silliness”. Winner of Burlesque Idol 2022, Fou Fou has appeared everywhere from prestigious burlesque festivals and glittering cabarets to bowling…
Combining her background and training as a musical theatre performer, Serafina Hart is a multi-award-winning burlesque artist who, in 2024 alone, debuted in the Burlesque TOP 50 , won the ‘World Audience…
A ‘full-time professional’ since 2017, Misty Lotus is an Indo-Swiss burlesque artist and fire eater, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. She’s headlined at the Strasbourg Burlesque Festival, Zurich Burlesque Festival, Bohemian Burlesque Festival,…
Originally from Newport, Arkansas, Jake Dupree made their burlesque debut in Dita Von Teese’ Von Follies show performing her martini glass act, and went on to headline shows at the Musée Des…
On April 29 this year, I met Jessabelle Thunder for a customary outing to the V&A museum. She visits London as often as she can, keen to make a second home here…
Award-winning burlesque performer, historian and teacher Alyssa Kitt Hanley began her career in Brisbane, Australia in 2007. She is currently undertaking her PhD in theatre and performance at City University New York,…
Ariana Amour is a “transgender provocateur, ecdysiast, chanteuse, raconteur, and all around good time gal” who “utilizes burlesque as a medium to shine a light on the beauty of femininity across the…
Nami Flare is a performer, educator and ‘art enthusiast’, earning a BFA in Dance from Ohio State University in 2020. Once lured into the world of burlesque, she swiftly won Mx Ebony…
Dancing from a young age, Margo Mayhem is a Broadway darling turned burlesque dancer with an impressive string of accolades to her name. At the Burlesque Hall of Fame Tournament of Tease…
Dainty Smith, ‘The Church Lady Gone Bad’, is a Toronto based burlesque performer, curator, actress and writer. In 2010 she founded Les Femmes Fatales, ‘Canada’s first burlesque troupe for Black women and…
Agent Wednesday is an Asian-American burlesque performer, illustrator, and costume designer. Currently based in NYC and a regular feature at The Red Pavilion in Brooklyn, she is from Honolulu, HI and graduated…
‘Sapphic Sensation’ Raven Rose is an award winning Afro-Indigenous dancer known for her grace, glamour, and grind. She’s produced variety shows The Raven’s Nest and Max-TEASE since 2016, and is the 2025…
Musical theatre trained and with over a decade in burlesque, Didi Derriere is prolific on the London circuit, with regular performances at The MAINE Mayfair, Black Cat Cabaret, Gin House Burlesque, Phoenix…
From a family of dancers, Bettie Bombshell stumbled upon Burlesque Bar in Melbourne, Australia in 2013 and attended a call-out for budding burlesque performers to join their ‘Debut Darlings’ Thursday night show.…
Aquarius Moon is an award-winning, Somali-Nigerian American performance artist, commercial model, and inclusive choreographer. Originally from Rockville, Maryland, her dynamic performances have taken her on a two-year burlesque tour across the US…
This Thursday, a resplendent cavalcade of talent arrives to deliver three thrilling nights of classic striptease, nerdlesque, boylesque, and draglesque at the iconic Triple Door in Seattle, USA. Welcome to Fatlesque –…
Neo-Burlesque veteran Peekaboo Pointe is an interdisciplinary performer, artist and choreographer, with a MFA in Performance and Interactive Media Art from Brooklyn College. In addition to being a proud stripper and burlesque…
Pearls Daily is an award winning, NYC based showgirl, actress and producer with numerous theatre, film, television and modelling credits to her name. The reigning Queen of the Striptease 2024 (Teaser Festival…
Mia Victoria Preisser, also known as Mia ‘The MVP’, is a dynamic NYC-based burlesque performer, artist, and cancer survivor with over ten years of experience in the entertainment industry. A fierce champion…
Cherry OnTop has been a burlesque performer for over twenty years and a renowned instructor for twelve, namely as the owner and director of the Vancouver Burlesque Co. In 2003 she co-founded…
Drawing her name from her Portuguese heritage, Força’s enigmatic stage presence has ignited some of the most prestigious burlesque stages in the world, most recently at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend…
Spanish siren Ruby Monroe has certainly made her enigmatic presence felt on the international burlesque circuit, winning the Miss Viva Las Vegas title in 2022 and following it with a stratospheric Top…
Dinah Might began her career in the early 90s as a Feature Entertainer in gentlemen’s clubs in Canada, and has performed across four continents in every genre of striptease. She has appeared…
Classically trained at the Conservatoire de Versailles for 10 years, Clea de Velours started performing burlesque at 20 years old. A regular London fixture at The Windmill, The Maine and Brasserie Zedel,…
Since 2013, award winning performer and instructor Maxi Millions has brought her fierce brand of “rock and roll bump ‘n’ grind” to stages all over North America. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Maxi is…
One of the precious few Italians to make the Burlesque TOP 50, Ginevra Joyce creates ‘glamorous and explosive’ acts, winning ‘Most Classic’ at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2023. Crowned Miss…
Cadbury Parfait is an award-winning performer serving classic burlesque with a generous side order of tongue-in-cheek British humour. After several years performing and teaching at Shimmy Shake School of Burlesque in Berlin,…
Tara Boom, a renowned performer from Sandy Point, Melbourne, is known for her unconventional circus acts, including hula hooping with a popcorn machine on her head and performing hand puppet abortions. Her acts are charged with physical comedy, and she leverages them to challenge societal norms with a subversive and anarchic spin from her Australian circus and cabaret background. Despite struggles with depression and global pandemic-related challenges, Tara uses her performances to connect deeply with audiences, address taboos, and express her authentic self.
Spookey, ‘The Tiny Titan of Burlesque’, began his career in 2011 with traveling burlesque shows in the metropolitan area of the US. An acrobatic stripping specialist, Spookey’s credits include the prestigious Le…
Today, lithe and vivacious dancers across the globe watch and wait for the legendary Parisian institution Crazy Horse Paris to announce auditions on Instagram. Before social media existed, Anna O’Keefe, a plucky teenager from New Zealand, walked in and asked for one. She would go on to become Roxy Tornado, arguably the most iconic, documented dancer in its 72 year history.
In the first of a new series, Alek Palinski – principal dancer, choreographer and rehearsal director for Dita Von Teese and her touring burlesque shows – walks us through a typical show…
Joy Rider is an award winning burlesque performer who just won Best Debut at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend. Based in Montreal, Canada she is also the co-founder of AMPLIFY BIPOC…
Everybody is talking about Cleopantha – the exciting British rising star who combines a high energy dance style with burlesque striptease and hip-hop. In 2020 she debuted at 29 on the Burlesque…
Described as ‘Pinup in Motion’, Mika Romantic is the epitome of classic burlesque entertainment. She was named one of the Sexiest Acts to Follow by GQ Magazine and won a title in…
Lola Coquette is a multi-award winning burlesque performer, producer and instructor based in Portland. A passionate activist for BIPOC and Latinx rights, Lola is a founding member of The Bees’ Knees Burlesque Revue…
Canadian burlesque sensation Zyra Lee Vanity started performing burlesque in 2013 via the Toronto School of Burlesque, and quickly became a multi-award winning entertainer. Voted number 31 in the Burlesque Top 50…
Jessabelle Thunder has been dancing joyously across burlesque stages since 2009. With a wink of her eye and a thrust of her hips, she’ll have you hooked. In 2018, Jessabelle was awarded…
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Foxy Lexxi attended a live burlesque show seven years ago and it was love at first strip. After studying under The Lady Josephine and BonBon Bombay, she went…
It’s been almost 18 months since coronavirus reared its ugly head and brought the world to its knees – and Seoul’s burlesque scene along with it. While many places slowly reopen as…
The first time I saw Ms. Briq House perform, she was the headlining act at the one year anniversary dance party of erotic boutique WinkWink in Bellingham, WA. After the gorgeous but…
Betty Q has never been one to shrink from a challenge. Even as we talk, she’s in the endocrinology ward of a women’s hospital in Warsaw, Poland. She’s there for some routine…
Spring 2021 brings renewed confidence that live performance can return after a year of Covid closures. Burlesque photographer Veronika Marx is celebrating with a new book, showcasing some of the brightest stars…
Have you ever made a bad decision you’ve always regretted? I know I have. But for one burlesque performer, a single lapse of judgement could have proved fatal. Four years later, they’ve…
How do you juggle a burlesque teaching business, hoards of students, newborn babies, and manage to stay sane in a global pandemic? One Canadian burlesque company and its three intrepid directors is…
Back in April, I sat down with Jeez Loueez – the No. 1 Most Influential Burlesque Industry Figure in the 2019 Burlesque TOP 50 – for an interview. Holli Mae Johnson had…
In the somewhat early days of lockdown, when life had abruptly ground to a halt the world over and the realization was settling in that it might stay that way, I spoke…
Any journey into the modern history of the burlesque arts eventually leads to the devilishly lovely, spectacularly intelligent Jo ‘Boobs’ Weldon. Her name, like the celebrated body part it represents, precedes her.…
After over a decade of conversations with Dirty Martini – burlesque icon, New York legend and all-round tease genius – there is always more to talk about. More memories from the birth…
After 11 years of interviewing Dita Von Teese, her constant reinvention, evolution and endurance never fails to impress me. Instagram is teeming with Dita replicas wearing shameless copies of her iconic costumes…
In 2011 I saw Inga Ingenue, a five foot revelation in pink and black stripes, perform her iconic Minnie the Moocher act at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend. It remains –…
Raven Noir, gothic mistress of northern Burlesque in the UK, sits down with Ivy Wilde to discuss her stage persona, opulent costumes, inspirations and renowned annual Blackpool show Burlesque Noir. After stumbling…
As any burlesque aficionado knows, feathers play a huge part in our history. Most performers’ repertoire includes, or has included, feather fans. The minute Sally Rand stepped out at the 1933 Chicago…
Egypt Blaque Knyle seems to have come out of nowhere to dominate nearly every major burlesque competition. In three years, she has amassed over twenty titles, earning the No.38 spot on the…
Like the fabled, festive Coca Cola truck, five star smash La Soiree has rolled into London again this Christmas with a twinkling Spiegeltent full of sass, smut, surprise, and sensational skill. We spoke to…
In 1984 Dick Clark of American Bandstand asked a very young, very ambitious Madonna what her dreams were, to which she paused for a beat before replying in total seriousness: “To rule…
New York burlesque star Angie Pontani (Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of Burlesque 2008) is an inspirational woman I have always admired. As a fellow monster multi-tasker, I often have a WWAD…
To see Perle Noire is to be instantly dazzled. You can tell she’s a rock star simply by the way she enters the stage. She combines her natural talent with relentless hard…
While I had every intention of conducting a very earnest, professional and polite interview with Julie Atlas Muz, one half of the headlining husband (Mat Fraser) and wife team at the upcoming…
As burlesque has grown, so has its educational base. The teachers of burlesque make a distinct mark on the development of burlesque in their respective regions, and often help students not just…
Since our previous interviews in 2012, Dita Von Teese’s career has been a breathtaking trajectory of achievements and appearances, and I felt it was high time I checked in. We had a lot to…
Burlesque costume queen Viv Clicquot sat down with Burlesque TOP 50 No. 1 2015 Kitten LaRue and Lou Henry Hoover – aka Kitten ‘n’ Lou – for cocktails and costume chat… “So…
I am thrilled to present this special feature about sensational showgirl Claudine Van Den Bergh, who I had the pleasure of interviewing backstage at the legendary Moulin Rouge, Paris. After passing through a hidden door and…
In the second of three interviews, sensational British burlesque newcomer Cece Sinclair is interviewed by Ivy Wilde… Performing for just over 18 months, Cece Sinclair is taking the UK by storm. Moving…
Felicity Furore is the first of three outstanding newcomers to British burlesque we would like to introduce to the international community. Ivy Wilde interviewed her recently in London… 24 year old Felicity…
Superstar burlesque duo Trixie Little and The Evil Hate Monkey have long been darlings of the international circus and cabaret scene, producing world class magic on stage together for over a decade.…
As their spectacular 10th Anniversary Extravaganza approaches, Sydni Deveraux‘s interview with burlesque producer Doc Wasabassco continues. Read Part One here. Often our conversations around all of this turn to pay. I’ve been…
The Philosophy of a Doctor: Wasabassco Celebrates 10 Years in New York City by Sydni Deveraux For me it started three years ago when Doc Wasabassco flew me out to New York…
In a new series, Adele Wolf interviews our treasured burlesque legends, revealing more about their lives and careers. She kicks off the series by speaking to April March, ‘The First Lady of…
Opening a series on burlesque costume, legendary performer, author and instructor Jo Weldon interviews noted burlesque costumier Christina Manuge of Manuge Et Toi. I worked as a costumer for feature dancers in…
Australian burlesque performer and academic Lola The Vamp interviews Bella De Jac about the Australian Burlesque Museum and Australian Burlesque Association, with additional information provided about the special photographs accompanying the interview.…
Midnite Martini’s recent victory at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend has been praised and celebrated as a refreshing, encouraging, delightful surprise, and those of you who read her pre-pageant interview will…
When I planned my schedule for the New York Burlesque Festival 2013, one of the first priorities was to arrange my first proper conversation with festival co-producer and Miss Exotic World 2008,…
Hunky Stage Door Johnny Bazuka Joe has started interviewing fabulous burlesque performers and personalities he encounters on his travels to festivals and other shows, and now I can share them with you…
With their tenth anniversary celebration coming up this Saturday (March 8th – see details below), it’s the perfect moment to finally interview two of the most warm, intelligent and face-achingly hilarious women…
In a new series, neo genius Nasty Canasta interviews various burlesque figures and asks the following question: “If you were to be cast away on a desert island, which three striptease numbers,…
As they kick off a UK tour of their hit show Beauty and the Beast, and feature in a new burlesque documentary by Beth B, EXPOSED, I continue my Partnerships Series by…
My Partnerships Series continues with Frenchie Kiss and Jett Adore. This dynamic, creative and affectionate duo have won coveted awards at The Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, separately as members of groups…
Read Laurie Hagen Part One… The fascinating Laurie Hagen interview continues. At the end of Part One, we were discussing her early career… Laurie Hagen: I danced in musicals for a few…
Laurie Hagen is, hands down, one of the most multi-talented, endearing, dedicated and creative women I have ever met, with an inspiring story to tell. When I first saw Laurie Hagen perform,…
LouLou D’vil, a fabulous Finn who embodies the golden age of classic striptease, was crowned Miss Exotic World 2013, the Reigning Queen of Burlesque on Saturday, June 1st at the Burlesque Hall…
I am pleased to present an interview with the beautiful, charming and incredibly talented Melody Sweets. I finally got the chance to see Melody perform live in 2011, when I was invited…
Here is the final part of the Race and Burlesque: The Curious Case of the Performer of Colour interviews. Conducted by Chocolat the Extraordinaire. (Click on the performer names to visit their…
Here is Part Two of the full Race and Burlesque: The Curious Case of the Performer of Colour interviews. Conducted by Chocolat the Extraordinaire. (Click on the performer names to visit their…
Your response to last week’s special feature, Race and Burlesque: The Curious Case of the Performer of Colour, has been amazing, and you can now read the full interviews with the contributing…
Over the past five years, my regard for Polly Rae has progressed from awareness, to interest, to hesitation, to respect, to a growing friendship and affection. I first saw Polly and the…
When I planned out my Partnerships Series, this couple were always a priority for me. Spending time with Michelle and Franky is a joy, and their partnership is truly inspiring. Together they…
Trixie Little and The Evil Hate Monkey are an incredibly skilled, charming and dedicated burlesque super duo, and they have been entertaining us and contributing to the burlesque community for ten years.…
Introducing the first online interview in my new ‘Perfect Partnerships’ series. When I sat down to think about the burlesque partnerships that I wanted to examine and celebrate, two exceptional women were…
by Jessica Price In April I had the unparalleled pleasure of speaking with Dita Von Teese about her upcoming West Coast tour, her dazzling co-stars, the merits of dressage, and the peculiar…
In December 2011, Laura Herbert, after years of invaluable service, stepped down from her role as Acting Executive Director of the Burlesque Hall of Fame, and was succeeded by Curatorial Director, Dustin…
The Chicago Starlets – Michelle L’amour’s burlesque supergroup; a captivating chorus line of bright, beautiful women who each began by attending and advancing through the classes at Studio L’amour. They regularly perform…
I am pleased to present a long and interesting conversation with Roxi DLite; a lady that seemed to appear from nowhere a few years ago and joined the ranks of burlesque royalty…
London-based performer Kiki Kaboom is a trained actress, singer and burlesque dancer. Whilst she’s been on the burlesque circuit for only a couple of years, she’s worked that circuit with gusto, acquiring…
Dita is literally everywhere at the moment. On stages all over the world, on film, on screen, on menus, even on bottles! There are cocktails and desserts named after her, an interactive…
I am proud to present a brand new interview with Neo Burlesque icon Dirty Martini, the Number One Burlesque Performer of 2009 – as voted by thousands of you in the end-of-year…
Michelle L’amour is someone I find endlessly fascinating. She is warm and charming to speak to, with a delicious laugh and composed demeanour. But when she takes to the stage a sexual…
This week, I spoke to Dita about her recent and upcoming plans in ‘La Ville-Lumière’ – a city forever close to her heart… Dita performs ‘Lazy’, at The Crazy Horse Paris (©Antoine…
Part Two of the epic and exclusive interview with Kalani Kokonuts… (Click here to read Part One…) Kalani Performing… Kalani Kokonuts, by Mark Hollinger. H. This will probably embarrass you, but you…
A month ago, sitting beside Kalani in her tranquil, beautiful home, just days after the Burlesque Hall of Fame pageant, recording the following interview, I felt both priviliged and excited. Privileged, because…
I recall my first Tease-o-Rama experience, in SanFransisco. I still didn’t reach the 21 age limit in America and some extremely inventive tactics were employed to get me through the doors of…
Everyone has an opinion on Dita Von Teese, some of which are unapologetically judgemental or negative, but there are those who are big enough to admit, none the less, that if it…