New Burlesque

A new generation nostalgic for the spectacle and perceived glamour of the old times determined to bring burlesque back. This revival was pioneered independently in the mid 1990s by Billie Madley "Cinema" and Ami Goodheart's "Dutch Weismanns' Follies" revue in New York and Michelle Carr's "The Velvet Hammer Burlesque" troupe in Los Angeles. In addition, and throughout the country, many individual performers were incorporating aspects of burlesque in their acts. These productions, inspired by the likes of Sally Rand, Tempest Storm, Gypsy Rose Lee, Dixie Evans and Lily St. Cyr have themselves gone on to inspire a new generation of performers.

Today New Burlesque has taken many forms, but all have the common trait of honoring one or more of burlesque's previous incarnations, with acts including striptease, expensive costumes, bawdy humor, cabaret and more. There are modern burlesque performers and shows all over the world, and annual conventions such as Tease-O-Rama, New York Burlesque Festival, The Great Boston Burlesque Exposition, and the Miss Exotic World Pageant.

Today's Burlesque revival has found homes throughout the United States and the world, with the largest communities located on the East and West Coasts of the U.S. On the East Coast, New York City boasts the largest community (where select nightlife venues have been inspired by the trend—several notable troops and venues include The Slipper Room, Le Scandal Cabaret, Pinchbottom Burlesque, Starshine Burlesque, Wasabassco burlesque, and, during the summer, Coney Island's Burlesque at the Beach); in Greensboro, NC, burlesque revival performances by Foxy Moxy and her "Cabaret Risque" troupe have been incorporated into the Greensboro Fringe Theater Festival; in the Pacific Northwest, the Burlesque scene is centered in Seattle—home of Miss Indigo Blue, Miss Trixie Lane—The Queen of Shame, Miss Kitty Baby, Ravenna Black, Paula the Swedish Housewife, Vienna Le Rouge, The Atomic Bombshells, Burning Hearts, The Von Foxies, Glitzkrieg Burlesque, and Sinner Saint Burlesque, to name a few; in California, the largest communities reside in the San Francisco Bay Area, home of the largest monthly burlesque and variety show (the Hubba Hubba Revue), and Los Angeles.

There are also thriving Burlesque scenes in Canada, the UK, France (Rendez-Vous Van Paris) and Japan. SPAG Burlesque was voted best Detroit based burlesque show by Real Detroit Magazine in 2009. wiki