Burlesque Proper Vision
Carmel Kittell
Cue the jazz bands and bring out the tassels! If you have found this, then you must be looking for some serious razzle-dazzle. Nestled in the heart of bohemian expression, New Orleans emerges as a pivotal center where music, art, movement, performance, and glamour collide in a whirlwind of creativity.
With its roots deeply intertwined with French influences, New Orleans pulsates with the energy reminiscent of the legendary Moulin Rouge of Paris. It's not surprising to envision that the spirit of Parisian spectacle trickled down the Mississippi crescent, infusing the city with an unmistakable aura of intrigue and decadence.
From intimate cabarets to grand theaters, New Orleans offers a myriad of venues where the art of the tease comes to life in all its dazzling splendor. These shows, featuring a fusion of local talent and acclaimed performers from around the globe, promise an unforgettable experience where sensuality meets sophistication.
For those seeking to immerse themselves in the enchanting realm of burlesque, New Orleans beckons with open arms. Here, amidst the vivacious energy of the Crescent City, audiences have the opportunity to brush elbows with some of the most iconic national and international title holders within the burlesque community.
Meet the Vivacious Miss Audacious, the Technicolor Tease of New Orleans, whose productions tantalize audiences locally, nationally, and even internationally. With a smile that could light up the night sky, this mega-babe guides you to some of the most iconic burlesque shows in the city. With her immense talent, she offers numerous opportunities to witness dazzling stage sirens in action.
Experience the monthly Psychedelic Speakeasy, an immersive journey into surreal burlesque and performance art bursting with vibrant colors and outrageous acts. For those craving a slower pace, Night Moves: Burlesque You Can Savor offers sumptuous monthly evenings featuring slow-burn numbers and award-winning entertainers. But don't dare miss the monthly KAPOW: Burlesque With A Bang!, where a high-energy rotating cast, with a splash of drag, sends shockwaves through your system. And for an elusive treat happening about three times a year, indulge in the Vivacious Burlesque Experience at the Joy Theater. Don't miss out! Visit www.audaciousnola.com for more information and tickets to these unforgettable spectacles.
Mark your calendars for the first Saturday of every month, where a night of live jazz awaits, featuring the vocal vixen herself, Angie Z! Prepare for an evening brimming with intoxicating stage icons, courtesy of Angie Z's impeccable production skills, ensuring your night becomes an unforgettable memory. Elevate your experience with VIP treatment, offering reserved seating and champagne cocktails, guaranteeing a night of pure indulgence. Rediscover why New Orleans stands as the birthplace of Jazz and a shining beacon on the burlesque map! Secure your tickets now for an extraordinary evening ahead! Get your tickets here.
Inferno Burlesque is an all-inclusive cast of performers ranging from Neo Burlesque, Nerdlesque, Boylesque, Draglesque, and more! Produced by Mz Juno, you can find these artists sizzling on the House of Blues stage nestled in the French Quarter. For tickets and more head here.
Enter the electrifying world of Jeez Loueez, the award-winning performer hailed as The Honey Badger of Burlesque! A captivating blend of drama, comedy, and undeniable stage presence, Jeez has enthralled audiences across the globe, earning numerous crowns for her diverse talents. Don't miss The Jeez Loueez Variety Hour starring the incomparable Jeez Loueez, with a rotating schedule at The Allways Lounge and Cabaret. Prepare to be spellbound as Jeez weaves tales of love, life's adventures, stripping in unconventional places, government scandals, surviving crime, and more. The journey promises not only a burlesque extravaganza but also live vocals and comedy that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Get ready for an unforgettable experience! Tickets Here!
Located within the Chapel Club of Hotel Saint Vincent, Worship: A Monthly Burlesque Experience is an intimate and immersive show with performances full of mischief, surprise, and decadent delight! This lineup features both locally celebrated stage vixens and traveling acts from all over the globe! Doors to this show are at 7 p.m. with a prompt show start time of 8 p.m. Due to the intimate scale of this venue, it is suggested to both get your tickets ahead of time and claim your seat early! For more info, visit here.
Bella Blue is a vibrant and essential figure in the electrifying Burlesque scene that makes New Orleans shine as a true haven for this captivating art form. Prepare to be dazzled by Bella Blue's presence at two extraordinary burlesque brunch shows in town!
Join the Legs & Eggs Burlesque Brunch at 3rd Block Depot Kitchen + Bar, where you can savor a delectable two-course package and indulge in bottomless bellinis while Bella Blue enchants you with her spellbinding performance. It's the perfect way to start your day with a scrumptious breakfast feast and a side of pure seductive magic.
If you're in the mood for a delightful pop-up experience during the fall through the end of the holiday season, make sure to catch Bella on select Saturdays from October 14-December 23 at Palm & Pine for the exhilarating Bottoms Up Brunch, where she'll showcase her brilliance through her mesmerizing pole burlesque performances! Get ready for a tantalizing experience, complete with a mouthwatering two-course prix fixe menu priced at just $45 per seat.
Get ready for an explosion of funky live music and sizzling burlesque every second Sunday of the month, courtesy of Synamin Vixen! Join them as Synamin Vixen and a rotating cast of performers set the stage on fire, leaving you sizzling in your seats. Consider this your invitation to The Cookout, where the vibes are hot, the music is groovy, and the burlesque is nothing short of spectacular! Visit www.synaminvixen.com for more information and tickets.
Le Vampyre Cabaret is a deviously campy and deliciously sexy theatre show hosted by Madame Tsarina Hellfire and Stanley Roy, with a rotating cast of bloodthirsty beauties. You can enjoy the art of the tease, live music, and storytelling monthly at The Allways Lounge and Cabaret in The Twilight Room with doors opening at 10:30 p.m. Tickets Here!
And with that, you might find yourself interested in learning more about the art form. So, this is a great moment to suggest dipping your toes into the waters with one of our local stage producers and all-around sweetheart, Trixie Minx.
Colton Clifford (He/They) is a visual artist, illustrator, stage performer, and content creator at New Orleans & Company for @visitneworleans. They find great bliss in the celebration of the people, culture, artistry, food, and sounds that make visiting New Orleans the most unforgettable experience in the world.
I forgot that I wrote this piece - the only one to ever just get completely ignored by the commissioning editor, so I figured it would be fun to share it here. I got a lot done on my trip to Las Vegas in 2015.
For those of us raised on glitter, neon, and the American dream, the word \u201Cshowgirls\u201D conjures up some very specific images: namely, Elizabeth Berkley\u2019s dancing and scheming in the 1995 Paul Verhoeven camp classic of the same name, a beautiful piece of cinematic trash that introduced us to \u201CNoni,\u201D a striver from \u201Cdifferent places!\u201D (add the exclamation point, have her throw some French fries at you) and her ambition to the best damm dancer on the Strip.
To be honest, thanks to Showgirls, when I sat down in the lobby of The Flamingo Hotel with Nicki, a 31-year-old dancer for X Burlesque, it was surprising to talk to a charming, friendly, regular girl, in comparison to over-the-top Las Vegas of my mind, the lurid Verhoeven visions of overreacting and very intense dancing that had shimmied in my head for years.
A thirty-one-year old dancer for The Flamingo\u2019s X Burlesque show, Nicki had been working for eleven years. She started as a ten year old in ballet and jazz dance classes, by her own words, \u201Cgrew up in dance competitions,\u201D and started working as a professional dancer by twenty. She dropped the phrase \u201Cbody awareness\u201D in casual conversation, which I found fascinating. Out on the strip, X Burlesque is one of the friendliest shows, throwing a weekly burlesque class called X Burlesque University that offers to \u201Cbring out the burlesque in you\u201D by learning how to do makeup like a showgirl and some entry-level choreography.
\u201CExpensive makeup is not better,\u201D Nicki said, the minute we met, shouting out Wet and Wild as a quality brand for very little money. (Although when she does indulge, she loves MAC. Anyone I know who has to do \u201Ctheatrical\u201D makeup always loves MAC. But according to Nicki, you don\u2019t need to buy MAC.). She was moderately prepared for that night\u2019s show, with a face full of foundation and full eye makeup, from eyelashes to liner. She had a little bit of glitter on her cheekbones, but it was moderate. \u201CSome shows want you to add a lot of glitter,\u201D she said. The makeup demands of X Burlesque are in response to the space. It\u2019s a small theater, which is up close and personal with the dancers. Her hair was shiny and set, and she pointed out that it was a weave immediately.
Nicki\u2019s been with X Burlesque for three years, and her makeup process for this show is simple. \u201CThe light washes you out, so you want it to be almost tacky in person,\u201D she said. \u201CYou\u2019re accentuating features rather than making it look natural.\u201D Other shows on the Strip, like Cirque Du Soleil\u2019s various big-budget productions, emphasize the contouring, so that everyone looks alternately chiseled or like a clown. X Burlesque is about the friendly, pretty, glamorous girl.
When it comes to tricks that you can steal from professional dancers, it\u2019s all about the fake eyelashes. Nicki orders fake eyelash sets online from China: \u201CYou can get ten sets for one dollar.\u201D What\u2019s great about fake eyelashes is that, first, they give you a wide array of options. Put the glue on and let it sit for one minute. Make sure that the lash is bent properly. You can have lashes that give you a cat-eye look, longer on the outside, shorter on the inside, a Betty Boop look with different lengths, or you can DIY it and cut them up so long lashes frame your face. \u201CIt makes your eyes look bigger,\u201D Nicki said. It\u2019s easy and cheap. I teased her, a little bit, with the fact that this advice is very applicable to looking like Zooey Deschanel on a regular basis.
I didn\u2019t have much time with Nicki \u2013 the show was about to begin, people had lined up through the lobby and the casino machines and the bar, called \u201CBugsy\u2019s bar\u201D since The Flamingo was developed by Bugsy Siegel himself, the gangster who made Las Vegas into what it is today. Some friends of hers walked by and said hi, as they were about to go to the show. It was a Wednesday night, but \u201Cevery day is Friday,\u201D she said, \u201Cin our business.\u201D Staying in shape and staying pretty was a requirement of the job. \u201CWe whiten our teeth. We go to the gym. We go tanning. We can write it off on our taxes.\u201D I thanked her for her time and she ran off, ready to dance that night.