Thread: Nudity levels ...

Hi guys,

An article that was posted here recently got me thinking - I think it was Razzledazzlekeef who posted it but don't quote me on it, but it was the article written by the journalist who was persuaded to enter the male Tournament of Tease. Specifically it was the part in which Fred Bear asked him if he was going to go all the way, because 'they do love a bit of cock'! That implied to me that full nudity is quite common in the Tournament. But I'm guessing that full female nudity isn't. Why is this? Is it because naked women are somehow seen as more sexual? Male stripping seems to have more emphasis on the comical - so are naked men seen as funny and therefore more socially acceptable?

I've been going through a weird time at the minute where I'm really analysing my body image (some of you may have noticed) and this really set me to thinking. What would happen if a female burlesquer went fully nude? Would it be acceptable to the wider scene? Would it cross a line and take the act into a different genre? Would that performer be seen differently? Performers - how would you react if a fellow onstage lady went all the way? Audience members - how would you react to fully naked ladies onstage? For example, if Sally Rand danced the first fan dance fully nude, why do I feel the need to wear pasties and g-string 80 years later? If I danced a fully nude fan dance, what would the reaction be?

Answers on a postcard please ...

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I love the naked body. Male and female. I wouldn't take offence to seeing it on stage though obviously it would have to be very very carefully done- I think it could look nice with fans. Just the very quick glimpse as the fans move. It would still retain that element of tease.

I think that's the problem- there is nothing left to the imagination. No tease. It just doesn't seem to have the same effect.

Ok, two completely opposing viewpoints there. It's a tricky one.

When I did my Bond act at the tournament of Tease they said it was a shame that I had not removed my pants before I had pulled my diamonds out. I just laughed at them.
Its funny nudity does not bother me in the slightest when I was in New York plenty of the performers went all the way male and female and I was surprised how covered up us english ladies are in comparison. Maybe its a British thing. I don't think the ladies I saw in the States where doing something that was not burlesque I just don't think it would go down as well here.
Diva x

I've seen a couple of burlesque acts where girls have gone fully nude. Either for the whole act or they've started nude and got dressed during the piece.

I have no problem with male or female nudity (in fact, most of my photography focuses on nudes) and i'm totally fine with it on stage but I do feel that if a girl is going to do a burlesque routine where she strips to fully nude; she better have a hell of a gimmick to make sure it doesn't get branded as "just a stripper".

Originally, a fan dance (or balloon act) was performed nude - the pasties and merkin are a fairly new addition to the act. There would be no "reveal" just a few minutes of exquisite tease and a cheeky wink on exit.

Hmmm... full nudity...

... I'm not sure. I feel that less is more on the Burlesque front. A woman in sexy underwear and pasties seems to have an effect on me that seeing a woman in skin city on stage oing burlesque doesn't.

As a guy I've been to nights with strippers and I have to say that the dynamic of the acts and the audience is totally different.

I feel that if full nudity becomes part of the UK Burlesque scene then a portion of the regular audience would leave. The offset would be an increase in the number of Nuts/Zoo lads in attendence, is that a good thing?

I think I agree with Rufus, the object of burlesque is entertainment, therefore the premise that full nudity is enough to base a full act around is quite frankly underselling the value of the performer in question. If the nudity is done in a profound, shocking or funny way and fits in with the act I have no problem with it, but it shouldn't ever be the object. It's the way the performer undresses that makes a good striptease, not what she uncovers... xx

I have nothing against anyone who totally gets their kit off - but for me, leaving something to my imagination is far sexier. For me the tease element is lost if you can see everything in a performance - how do you top that in your next one?

I hadn't really thought about this one before, but I do love nudes in art and photography - I have more difficulty with jiggly bits I suppose lol.

I do think it's something about the performance as was said earlier - I think if the nudity is done with skill and grace then that's a different story from a pure strip (and there's nothing wrong with the latter, it's just my personal preference that I like the former). And the British scene is very different to the US one - I was quite shocked (and I don't shock easily to see Jo Boobs Christmas routine (what you do when Father Christmas gives you a lump of coal).

Perhaps I'm a closet prude

Tangent alert!!

I don't know why - but this thread reminded me of this quote:

"When you've seen a nude infant doing a backward somersault you know why clothing exists" - the god that is Stephen Fry

I have problem with nudism at all. Not sure about being completely nude in a Burlesque performance though. I agree with Gehenna in this case and probably full nudity would attract the wrong people. However if it is just a glimpse and not the full blown look at me it could be nice. Or if it's bodypainted so the performer is a piece of art in the end.

Originally Posted by Cat Aclysmic

I think I agree with Rufus, the object of burlesque is entertainment, therefore the premise that full nudity is enough to base a full act around is quite frankly underselling the value of the performer in question. If the nudity is done in a profound, shocking or funny way and fits in with the act I have no problem with it, but it shouldn't ever be the object. It's the way the performer undresses that makes a good striptease, not what she uncovers... xx

I think Cat and Rufus have put it really well, it has to be done with style elegance and attitude.
Diva x