6.5.11

The Queens of Burlesque

WILD FLOWER
wild_flower Lili St. Cyr 1958.jpg
montreal-d-antan.jpg
stripper.jpg
Margie Hart.jpg
Lola the Vamp.jpg
DSC_5770_e.jpg
DSC_5730_e.jpg
DSC_5722_e.jpg
DSC_5645_e.jpg
Jennie Lee.jpg
Tempest Storm.jpg
burlesque inspired-1.jpg
Ding Dong Hat.jpg
johnpaulbichard.jpg
lucie2.jpg
infinite_jest_01.jpg
infinite_jest_05.jpg
infinite_jest_06.jpg
infinite_jest_07.jpg
infinite_jest_09.jpg
infinite_jest_19.jpg
infinite_jest_20.jpg
infinite_jest_21.jpg
infinite_jest_28.jpg
flirty_dancing_21.jpg
Femmes Fatales
Nobody really knows where the word burlesque came from — some claim its roots are the Italian and Spanish words “burla”, which mean “hoax” and “deception” respectively. We’ve also seen burla translated as “jest.” Whatever its etymological roots, the art of burlesque began in Victorian England as a type of musical variety show that satirized highbrow art forms such as opera, ballet, and costumed drama. On American soil, burlesque took similar shape, but also began to incorporate semi-clad dancers. Soon, these sexually suggestive dances became the focus of the performances, and the word burlesque became a synonym for striptease. Stars such as Sally Rand, Amy Fong and Dixie Evans became celebrity practitioners of the art. The dancers generally didn’t strip totally nude on stage, but a few, like Bettie Page, did take it all off in short burlesque films. Above is a shot of Betty Blue Eyes Howard, and below we have more assorted burlesque photos featuring some of the biggest stars of yesteryear’s striptease firmament. Of special note are Betty Rowland dancing in panel 12, and being escorted into court to face obscenity charges in panel 13, Bettie Page from one of her nude shorts in panel 20, Lilly Christine in panel 21, Lili St. Cyr in panel 22, two shots from one of Nazi Germany’s legendarily decadent mid-1930s burlesque shows in panels 23 and 24, a shot from a 1945 Tokyo burlesque show staged for American GIs in panel 25, and finally Tempest Storm in the last panel. We hope these images take the edge off those Monday blahs.

Sem comentários:

Enviar um comentário