All week I've been promising you a Round Up of the lovely ladies of burlesque, and finally, here they are!
The first and biggest shout-out goes to one of my favorite performers in the neo-burlesque world, the lovely and talented Michelle L'amour. Her balloon routine and fan dance are probably my favorite routines I've ever seen. For your enjoyment, here they are (links only, as the vids are not work safe):
- Les Balloons (Serge Gainsbourg tune!!!)
- Your Biggest Fan
Miss L'amour is the latest in a long line of showgirls who practice "the art of the tease". As I've said before, the art of the tease is not simply the act of taking off one's clothes-- it involves a lot more artistry than that. To quote one of my favorite shows "Anyone can take their clothes off, but to do it in front of a thousand people, well, that really takes something."
This isn't a new art, by any means. Salome did it with the Dance of the Seven Veils, and more recently the burlesque queens of the early film era had the art locked and loaded. Acts like Lily St.Cyr, Tempest Storm, Sandra Storm, and Cherry Knight lit up the silver screen with acts ranging from artistic to downright lewd. Then there's also the fan and bubble dancer Sally Rand (I don't care if she was a "class act", she still made people think she was dancing nude-- that's the art of the tease all right.) This "Chinese Joy Dance" video makes no pretense-- she's working it out pasties and all as a member of the famed Follies Bergere. Enjoy these lovely ladies, and have a happy weekend!
