What is a Burlesque Show?
When you think of “burlesque,” you might think of glamorous, theatrical performances, or maybe the movie Burlesque immediately comes into mind. However, there is so much more to this art — and its fascinating history — than people may know. For those who have found themselves wondering, “What is a Burlesque Show?” we are here to enlighten you about the art of burlesque, with the help of private burlesque dancer Sassie LeFay (@sassielefay), who has been pursuing burlesque professionally in New York City for two years.
“Stripping and self-expression are the two things I would define burlesque as,” she said.
As you would find it in most modern shows, burlesque involves some form of stripping. Sassie explained it best: “Clothing articles have to come off or else you’re just doing a dance.” Burlesque dancers fuse theater and stripping, often interacting closely with the audience to create an entertaining and humorous performance.
Humor and satire often play a critical role in burlesque acts. The word “burlesque” itself refers to a comically exaggerated parody of something, a definition that is reflected in the way a burlesque dancer lightheartedly waves their glove in a crowd member’s face or dramatically pours champagne into their mouth. A reminder to the patrons of the burlesque show to not take anything too seriously!
Burlesque performers often wear glamorous outfits, but what you might not know is that these outfits are often assembled by hand by the performer themself – with each rhinestone meticulously placed on the dress. Professional burlesque dancers are often self-made, designing their own costumes, choreographing their own acts, and editing their own music.
Sassie said that “burlesque as a dance style is one thing,” referring to the portrayal in the movie Burlesque, “but the art of burlesque is very self-made,” including a distinctive persona and identity.
Burlesque has always been innovative and unconventional. The first American burlesque shows were in New York City in the 19th century, when a woman wearing tights was considered scandalous.
“It was the stripping of its time,” Sassie added. Burlesque dancers would often perform as part of a series of other acts, like comedy or magic. Burlesque as striptease came into its own around the 1920s and 30s, with rising stars like Sally Rand, who created the fan dance, and Josephine Baker, who was famous for her banana skirt.
With burlesque becoming more popular, women began to compete with each other, finding ways to one-up each other and making their strip acts more unique. However, at the same time, the art faced more backlash, as many performers got arrested for public nudity. While the industry declined in the 1970s, the 1990s saw a resurgence in burlesque dancing, and now there is a thriving burlesque community in New York City.
“If you want to see up-and-coming, unique, and queer theater and burlesque, New York is the place to do it,” Sassie said.
As part of the Seek Vaudeville Series, we are bringing new life to these kinds of variety shows which often include some sort of burlesque performance. Check out our events page for more details and to buy tickets to our next show!
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