Thread: Influences...

Hi everyone,

As part of my ongoing work around burlesque, I am hoping that some of you lovely ladies will spare a couple of minutes to list below who has influenced you in the world of Burlesque and how you found the wonderful world of Burlesque.

Thanks in advance,
Deb

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I discovered it because I work at a bar in Chester that recently hosted a Burlesque night (so the manager put all the boys working so all the girls could get dressed up and go along! lol) and was inspired by how beautiful all the performers were. Beautiful in a traditional sense, not like all this airbrushed, perma-tanned perfection you see in all the magazines. It was just a passing thought until a promoter asked me if I was a Burlesque dancer and said I should be because I had a good look for it, then I started thinking about it seriously.

Performers in particular that I remember were Miss Zara Ann, Miss Frankie Wilde, Anna Fur Laxis and Ruby Fortune because I thought they were really good and stood out - I liked that they had stories in thier performances rather than just shimmying to the music!

Hope that helps!
:hug:

well I am not a lady...but for me I have always loved the idea of a smokey jazz club with leather seats, the idea of beautful women in fabilous outfits with it! fantastic. I have discovered burlesque through the scene, not before finding the scene

who has influenced me:

Crimson Skye - I watch her with my jaw on the floor, she has a remarkable talent of being able to mix humour AND sex appeal at the same time, which is quite a feat. There is a real intelligence in her performing which is something I really admire in all performers. And she oozes so much confidence, I want to be like her when I 'grow up'.

Diva Hollywood - wow, what a lady. Again massive intelligence in how she puts together the whole routine, costume, music (and use of soundtrack to help tell the story) and big big humour. Real attention to detail. Fantastic over-the-top costumes (this is something I really aspire to, getting my costumes right, no compromises - I've seen lots of performers who have 'nice' costumes, but you can tell stars apart from the rest because of the attention to detail and them making sure the whole performance is larger than life. Wonderful story telling too, taking the audience on a journey. And all this and I haven't yet managed to see her perform live yet - this is just from watching grainy videos on youtube - so I can't wait to see her in real life.

Dirty Martini - again massive confidence and sex appeal, and a real role model about being confident in your skin for anyone like me who is on the larger size. Again she dresses the role of a star - she is larger than life in her costuming, jewellery, wigs. I could go on and on and on about her.

Scarlet Fever - who is also the reason I found burlesque. I'd sort of heard of Dita Von Teese and burlesque but didn't really know what it was....and then I watched the Faking It Christmas Special and just as burlesque has changed Scarlet's life, this did mine too. I wept watching Scarlet grow more confident and reconnect with her body, I identified with this person on the screen so much and said to my husband, if she can rebuild her life then so can I. I'm cyclothymic (the mildest form of bi-polar), a social phobic and have lived for most of my life with terrible self-esteem - I've hated myself and my body for years. This came to a head a few years ago when I was bullied out of a job I loved and basically my life fell apart. And then I found burlesque through Scarlet and Immodesty Blaize giving me hope on the Faking It show. And since I was lucky enough to actually be taught my first burlesque moves by Scarlet and Bella Besame on a beginner's course! I was so happy. Everything is now beginning to fall into place. I could go on and on about what's happened since and how I'm learning to love me for just being me, but that's another story, not to do with who influenced me or how I found burlesque

For me it’s definitely Dirty Martini. I love seeing quite a few performers, but never been as in awe as when I saw her perform. She oozes glamour and has a stage presence that’s just makes everyone sit up and pay attention.

In terms with women who have vastly influenced burlesque as a whole.

Mae West

Curvy funny lady, thrown off broadway for being to sexy.known for puns.

Fanny Brice

Challanged what a woman could a couldn't do on stage with ziegfield.

Gypsy Rose Lea

Braught decorum and glamour to the art of strip tease.

Bettie Page

Vastly iconic beauty, Southern Belle, Rockabily Idle.

Tempest Storm

Incredibly charasmatic performer and model who is the fairy god mother of nu-burlesque and haosts the miss exotic pagent.

Kittie Klaw
Flys the flag for british burlesque, has brought togeather hundreds of performers and seen the birth of many clubs, has educated thousands, and is star.

I think Marlene Dietrich is one of my big influences, she is a great actress and singer. I love "Der blaue Engel" where she is an absolute femme fatale.