About Us
What Is Burlesque?
Burlesque is a humorous theatrical entertainment involving parody and grotesque exaggeration. Prior to Burlesque becoming associated with the striptease. It was a form of musical theatre and comedy often in a broad, risqué style.
History of Burlesque
Burlesque has strong origins in vaudville, music hall and Moulin Rouge style entertainment. In the United States particularly burlesque became a popular blend of comedy, performance, strip tease and 'adult entertainment'. Burlesque then became a term to describe a more adult reveue or vaudville show which encompassed a range of performances including comedy skits, chorus girl lines, acrobatics and displays of strength. However the striptease acts were what it was often most remembered for.
Prominent performers like Bettie Paige, Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm, Lili St Cyr and Sally Rand really popularised this element of burlesque - bringing their glamour, wit, cheekiness and skill into adult shows.
With the advent of the free love and peace movements of the 1960s burlesque seemed to disappear from the public radar, save for a few small revivals most notably in France and Germany.
The Burlesque Revival
Thanks to a committed strand of performers who sought to bring burlesque back to the public domain in the 1990s, it is clear burlesque is back and better than ever. Performers like Dita Von Teese, Immodesty Blaize have really set the burlesque world ablaize and brought their glamour, sex appeal, wit and charm to the international arena. On a local level performers like Lola the Vamp and Hi Ball Burlesque have really made an impact and brought burlesque to a captive audience in Australia.
Burlesque in Tasmania
Tasmania has been slow to embrace the burlesque scene, but it is clear there is a real interest and revival occuring. For a small and fairly isolated State we have a number of emerging burlesque artists and groups that perform regularly in various parts of Tasmania. We are also witnessing growing interest in pole dance and pole art with people seeing the skill, strength and artistic ability this art form has to offer.
Burlesque Tasmania hopes to bring you up to date information on local performers here in the Apple Isle but with particular emphasis on keeping track of the latest events.
If you would like more information or wish to be featured on Burlesque Tasmania's website please contact us at burlesquetasmania@gmail.com
Featured artists on this website are not limited to sole burlesque performers. We support burlesque in all its artistic forms - from classic burlesque through to pole dance, cabaret, dance and circus artists, fringe fashion and more.