Contributors
Holli-Mae Johnson
Founder/Editor
Burlesque Hall of Fame / Miss Exotic World Judge, 2011
“Holli-Mae not only has a tremendous enthusiasm for all things burlesque – she is one of the most active movers-and-shakers of the global burlesque community. She is a true burlesq-pert…”
Catherine D’Lish
Holli-Mae Johnson is the founder and editor of 21st Century Burlesque Magazine, a pioneering publication created seven years ago to unite, document and celebrate the global burlesque community. Holli is actively involved in the burlesque community on a day to day basis and is privately consulted by performers and producers at every level for promotion, critique, recommendations and encouragement. As a documenter and critic, she has seen countless burlesque and variety performances from across the world and provides an intimate perspective and insight into the lives and careers of burlesque’s greatest pioneers, performers and personalities.
Regular and Repeat Contributors
Sydni Deveraux
Classic striptease artist, producer, instructor and jazz singer Sydni Deveraux hails from Seattle, Washington. With beautiful exotic features, and at a statuesque and very leggy 6’2″, she is one of the tallest established performers the business.
As an instructor and blogger, Sydni teaches a multitude of classes all over the world at festivals, BurlyCon, as well as teaching privately. You can find her musing publicly at Living In A Glitter Wonderland – answering performer’s tough questions and discussing a range of topics pertaining to the art form and its inhabitants. Her writing has been featured by 21st Century Burlesque, The Berlesker, and read by thousands of people worldwide.
Lola Frost
Rock’N’Roll Flapper, Burlesque Performer, Bad Ass Dance Instructor, Ninja, Make Out Artist, Sass Master, Rebel with a Cause. Co-Director of The Vancouver Burlesque Centre and member of Sweet Soul Burlesque.
Lola’s thoughtful and eloquent articles have attracted a whole new wave of fans on 21st Century Burlesque. Stay tuned for more.
Penny Starr Jr.
After spending three years making the documentary, ‘The Velvet Hammer Burlesque’, it was no wonder that Penny decided to pick up the mantle held by her grandmother, Philadelphia burlesque dancer, Penny Starr. Or, as Penny Starr Jr. puts it, ”You can only live with the circus for so long before you want to join!”(She and Penny, Sr. have performed the first and only grandmother/granddaughterstriptease act.) One year later, in 2004, Penny Starr, Jr. became First Runner-Up at the annual Miss Exotic World (Burlesque Hall of Fame) burlesque pageant.
She has performed and/or instructed at a number of legendary venues, shows and festivals, including the Va Va Voom Room, Starshine Burlesque, Margaret Cho’s ‘The Sensuous Woman’, the Slipper Room NYC, Tease-o-Rama, BHoF, BurlyCon and the New York Burlesque Festival.
A centerfold and columnist, Penny has also consulted on such shows as Chuck (including a cameo as a bachelor party stripper), ‘Castle’, and has recently taught tassel twirling to the cast of ‘Water for Elephants’.
Frenchie Kiss
“Frenchie Kiss is the Temptress of Twirl. She is the Burlesque Hall of Fame winner of ‘Best Duo 2012’ with Jett Adore, and winner of ‘Best Group 2010’ with The Chicago Starlets. Frenchie has performed all over Chicago at such hot spots as the Park West, Music Box Theatre, Mayne Stage and the Everleigh Social Club.
Frenchie’s other appearances include Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2008 (competing for ‘Best Debut’), Tease-O-Rama, Superstars of Burlesque, the Minneapolis Burlesque Festival, the Toronto Burlesque Festival, the Best of Midwest Burlesk Festival, and at the House of Blues in New Orleans, Houston and Dallas. Frenchie Kiss teaches Basic Burlesque and twirling workshops at Studio L’amour.”
Frenchie’s burlesque diaries are a highly entertaining addition to 21st Century Burlesque Magazine.
Ginger Valentine
Ginger Valentine is known for blending her classical training with raucous bump-and-grind. She is the 2011 ‘Queen of Burlesque’ at the New Orleans Burlesque Festival, the 2010 ‘Best Tease’ at the Texas Burlesque Festival, and was voted No. 12 in the Burlesque TOP 50 2012.
Ginger is co-producer and director of the Ruby Revue, which performs regularly in Dallas and in Houston, and she helps to produce the Dallas Burlesque Festival. She also appears frequently at Bustout Burlesque in New Orleans. She is an instructor at the Ruby Room Studio in Dallas where she teaches burlesque and ballet classes.
In 2012, Kitty West, the original Evangeline the Oyster Girl, passed down her legendary act to Ginger Valentine. Kitty West made the act famous in the forties and fifties on Bourbon Street. Now Ginger continues the legacy, performing this magical act in Bustout Burlesque in New Orleans.
Ginger continues to put her passion and experiences into words for 21st Century Burlesque Magazine.
Khandie Khisses
With an infectious energy, exuberant presence and die-hard fanbase; Khandie Khisses muses on modern-day obstacles for the would-be starlet, with humour and candour.
She’s an unstoppable tornado whose talents far exceed her burlesque skills. She is already an accomplished DJ, MC and model, but more recently completed her first major film role.
If Khandie has an opinion on something (and she always does) you are sure as hell gonna hear about it! Khandie continues to engage with her frank and entertaining dialogue.
Beatrix von Bourbon
Beatrix began performing burlesque in 2006, and is a clear and intelligent writer with unlimited opinions and observations. Beatrix began performing burlesque in 2006 and has been voted one of the top 50 burlesque artists worldwide for three years running in the 21CB Burlesque TOP 50.
In Spring 2012 Beatrix appeared on Britain’s Got Talent, entertaining the judges and earning herself a place in the live semi-finals.
Besides performing several times a week at venues such as Cafe De Paris and Crazy Bear in London, she teaches burlesque courses on behalf of Burlesque Baby and blogs for Erotica UK. Outside of the UK, she is one of three resident judges at the annual Berlin Burlesque Contest, held every July.