Welcome to the second instalment of the series Burlesque Makeup for Brown Skin, by me – Red Tongued Raven. This is a stage makeup burlesque look that is achievable in one hour…
Guides and Tutorials
Hi! My name is Red Tongued Raven. I’m so thrilled to partner with 21st Century Burlesque Magazine to bring you my burlesque makeup tutorial for brown skin. When I first started doing…
After a year full of tiresome adaptations, I want to stop and share what I’ve learned teaching burlesque online at Arabesque Burlesque. Despite a ton of free resources online and a partner…
As the global burlesque scene tries to survive and adapt in this unprecedented and uncertain time, one Black-owned business is keeping the sparkle and showbiz alive. Founded in 2015 by burlesque performer…
From Lydia Thompson’s scandalous hosiery and Tempest Storm’s net bras, to Dita and D’Lish unlacing corsets, and Michelle L’amour’s panther claw merkin, burlesque performers throughout history have played an important role in…
Christina Manuge is one of the most in demand costume wizards in burlesque. So who better to deliver 10 DIY costume tips for burlesque performers? Read on for the full down-low.
Burlesque Festivals! They are the structure behind our scene, the canvas against which we can most fully display our artistry. They give us stages big enough for our most elaborate props, our…
A history of burlesque fan dancing, from traditions and techniques to dazzling innovations.
Hello readers. My name is La Viola Vixen, an Australian burlesque performer based in Berlin. I am writing this from the perspective of an individual who represents the majority of the burlesque…
Behold! The Burlesque Costume Closet of your Dreams! Dinah Might is known for the immaculate condition of her high-end costumes. She acquired two of Catherine D’lish’s original, iconic costumes in an ebay…
If you’re a burlesque dancer, Lort knows you’ve encountered all sorts of feedback on your acts/self as a performer. From the gushing super fans, the ‘but-what-do-your-parents-thinkers’, to the compli-sulters (my word for…
In 2017, Burlesque TOP 50 big-hitter Bella Blue challenges you to swear on your pasties the following commitments to yourself:
Electra Mourning recounts an unforgettable learning experience at the Austin Academy of Burlesque in August, where she attended Costuming Tips and Tricks with burlesque legend Bic Carrol. I was extremely nervous…
Classic burlesque striptease, when done well, captivates and excites me as much as it did over ten years ago when I arrived on the scene. And yet a number of people approach…
As burlesque artists, we rarely do it all on our own. We still have photographers to make us look good, designers to make our shows stand out, costume designers to help us…
In a new series on 21st Century Burlesque Magazine, fabulous costumer, blogger and performer Viv Clicquot shares valuable tips and tricks, continuing with Tricks With Tights! (P.S. Looking for some stunning lingerie…
Hula Hooper extraordinaire Helen Orford shares her beautiful bargain costume creation! For the past few months I’ve been getting lots of requests for a 1920’s/Great Gatsby themed act, and for the most…
In a new series on 21st Century Burlesque Magazine, fabulous costumer, blogger and performer Viv Clicquot shares valuable tips and tricks, continuing with tackling those pesky rhinestones! So this is a…
In a new series on 21st Century Burlesque Magazine, fabulous costumer blogger and performer Viv Clicquot shares valuable tips and tricks, starting today with showstopping shoes! Hiya! So today’s post is about…
Princess Farhana, a guest of honour at BurlyCon 2014, has performed, taught, researched and written about belly dance and burlesque since 1990. Now, 21st Century Burlesque Magazine can bring you the best…
Martina Naccari – aka Tina Topago – who has worked with Italian burlesque agency Voodoo De Luxe since 2013, shares her tips for becoming a sought after stage kitten… I wasn’t born…
The burlesque community is driven and exuberant. We push ourselves to bring our fabulous visions to life. We entertain audiences well into the wee hours of the morning at bars, theatres and…
As we kick off a New Year – and wait for the Burlesque TOP 50 results – here is a chance to catch up on some essential burlesque reading. Here are your…
Following Dangrrr Doll’s piece earlier this week on The Cost of Burlesque, Jo Weldon presents The Value of Burlesque… Learning that you must GIVE value as well as HAVE value will help…
12 Tips on Supporting Friends in Burlesque Competitions, by Jo Weldon. In the world of burlesque, ballyhoo is part of the fun. Taglines and titles pique the audience’s curiousity and make for…
I have been doing burlesque for almost eight years now. That, by no means, makes me some sort of expert. I feel like I am always learning something with every corner I…
Princess Farhana, a guest of honour at BurlyCon 2014, has performed, taught, researched and written about belly dance and burlesque since 1990. Now, 21st Century Burlesque Magazine can bring you the best…
In a new series on 21st Century Burlesque Magazine, Burly Baker Jenni Fleur Silver guides you through burlesque essentials, reaching out to some of our brightest burlesque stars for their expertise and…
How many of us book those last minute gigs and the idea of sending a contract beforehand just seems too much hassle? Or how many of us actually chase for the signed…
Burlesque songstress Miss Polly Rae, star of West End hit The Hurly Burly Show and Between the Sheets, shares her tips for keeping an audience tantalised and titillated. You can watch Polly…
The fabulous Penny Starr Jr. is back with a piece on why you should go to burlesque festivals, and how to survive the post-fest glitter crash… If you haven’t been to a…
What to Expect at a Typical Burlesque Show, By Dr. Lucky. I’ve been deeply ensconced in burlesque for a while, and I’m constantly reminded that not everyone is privy to my insular…
I am a neo-burlesque artist, drag king and freakshow artist. I am sometimes known for my frantic antics on stage, but mostly for my love for distorting myself. I am often asked…
Ivy Wilde examines the effect of social media on the profile of burlesque and asks if Facebook and Burlesque are always compatible and used appropriately… Social media has been a huge contributing…
Miss Exotic World 2005 and viral video sensation Michelle L’amour delivers her booty beauty tips, and you can now order Booty Lab, her fabulous new instructional DVD, below. As my tagline says,…
Ah, the F word. There’s a lot of mystery around the amount performers charge for their services. It is often a taboo subject; I have had people whisper to me how much…
Nasty Canasta invites you to undertake an End of Year Burlesque Self-Assessment… 2013 Year-End Performance Review: Self-Evaluation (With thanks to the several naff business-form-online sites that provided inspiration and/or wording.) This Self…
New York burlesque performer Dangrrr Doll shares her thoughts on burlesque festivals and how to make them enjoyable and worthwhile for performers… Over the course of the past year or two, I’ve…
In my new Burlesque Beauty series, performers discuss their favourite beauty products, beauty regimes, indulgences and philosophy. Kitten De Ville opened the series, and next up is Absinthe burlesque star Melody Sweets……
Is there any part of the USA yet left untouched by the magic of the dollar store? Be it the national Dollar Tree chain, the Crazy Dollar Daze! aisle of your local…
The burlesque scene is bigger than ever and during your time performing you’re likely to come across lots of different types of people. Many performers find they make lifelong friendships backstage but…
Ten of My Favourite Things About Tassel Twirling: A Thought for Every Year I’ve Been Teaching it. 1. It’s fun to watch. It says, “Look at me! I’m having fun with my…
Liberty Sweet, a founding member of British burlesque troupe The Folly Mixtures, shares her tips for maintaining harmony on the road, in rehearsals, in business, and on stage. 1. Democracy If you’re…
Burlesque festival season is upon us, and the sheer number of events happening across the globe these days is staggering — check out this fantastic resource of international festivals compiled by Ri…
Hi Sydni, I lost thirty pounds in the last year and a half or so, and went from a size 12 to a size 8. Unfortunately, a lot of it came from…
After getting so much positive response from my #BQfitTips that I post Monday-Friday mornings on my Twitter (@SydniDeveraux) and Facebook, I’ve been asked to do a more comprehensive bit on what I’ve…
Being in a tight economy can really take a hit on a budget showgirl or boy. Below are some money saving tips and some harsh economic truths. REPERTOIRE If you have a…
As we all know, burlesque is very much a DIY community. Part of what draws some of us to burlesque as an art form is the ability to play dress up; to…
You know the joke, right? Q: What’s the difference between a burlesque dancer and a stripper? A: A stripper makes money. Of all the things in the world, why do Burlesque? Sometimes,…
Full details below… Covering everything from music selection, onstage persona and presence, to dancing in heels and some good old bump ‘n’ grind, this is a rare opportunity not to be missed!…
Burlesque dancers all fall into ruts. We get booked consistently, put on a good local show, but we don’t get challenged. And then we see that out of town burlesque dancer, or go to…
There’s so much information out there that it’s impossible to ever reach a point where you’ve read, seen and heard everything there is to know about burlesque. By keeping engaged with your art, you keep your ideas moving, you keep your inspiration fresh and you keep your passion alive. By sharing your research you also help to inspire others to do the same, to keep learning, growing and becoming a better performer.
I’ve been creating burlesque costumes by customising off-the-rack pieces for approximately four years. The hot-fix rhinestone applicator was one of the first tools of the trade I discovered via the burlesque community.…
Many performers find that during their burlesque career, they are specifically asked to perform a fan dance. With the proliferation of fan dances on the circuit, it’s common to feel a pressure…
I recently received the following question from a performer based in the Midlands, UK: “How do you make the jump from middle of the bill to top of the bill, it seems…
The combination of the popularity of burlesque, the financial crisis and the growing popularity of variety events means that the competition for burlesque jobs is tougher than ever. Emailing event promoters to…
Introducing our Burlesque Correspondent, Beatrix von Bourbon, with the first in a series of guides and articles… Although that niggling voice in the back of your mind tells you that you really…