A Quickie with Delilah Jones!

Delilah Jones was born in Berlin, Germany at the stroke of midnight on a full moon in
1941. She began performing in 1959 and worked with Lili St Cyr at the El Rancho
in L.A, Sally Rand in 1965 in Hollywood, Tura Satana, and many other
luminaries. She toured North America for two dazzling decades and retired from
burlesque in 1980. Her knowledge of the different eras is extensive and her
perspective is wry and insightful, with a clear understanding of context, time,
and place. She is part of a lovely crew of Las Vegas local legends who make sure to
spend time together in the spirit of striptease sisterhood. She will be taking
the stage at the Burlesque Hall of Fame for the first time this year.

Are you performing at BHOF this year?

I’ll be performing on Friday!

What are some of your favorite things about the BHOF Weekender?

I love being with friends, all long time legends, under one roof.

Have you taught a class before? If so, what do you like about teaching?

I’ve never taught a class before, so this will be my first time! My class will
be on vintage 50’s style and how stripping changed with the newer generation,
once go-go came into style.

What do you hope students will get out of your class?

I hope students will walk away with different way of looking at
stripping.

Anything special they should wear or bring?

Definitely bring a dress, and also a boa or a cape!


You can register for Delilah's class at

http://bhofweekend.com/schedule-of-events/bhof-finishing-school/

>

If you cannot see the video below visit http://www.youtube.com/embed/1WnFI9x3TZo


Special thanks to Coco">https://www.facebook.com/coco.teamo.1">Coco Te
Amo
for administering the Finishing School interviews.

The Burlesque">http://www.burlesquehall.com">Burlesque Hall of Fame
Finishing School, featuring classes and presentation by Living Legends of Burlesque, was
founded by Paula the Swedish Housewife, Miss Indigo Blue, and Jo Weldon, and is
sponsored by Burlycon.

http://www.burlycon.org">Burlycon
.

>

A Quickie with Camille 2000--The Girl for Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Camille 2000 was the first burlesque queen to introduce Aggressive Art to burlesque with her tribute to Marquis De Sade. With the tagline “The Girl for Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,” she’s a performer no one can forget. She posed for elite photographers, travelled with trunks of costumes and props, and once had a Japanese television crew follow her, reality TV-style, long before that genre ever became popular. Her 20-year career includes acting roles in movies and television shows — alongside Burt Reynolds in B.L. Stryker, 13 episodes of Miami Vice, appeared in Porky’s II and Alan Carr’s remake of Where the Boys Are. Her emotionally powerful fan dance marked her return to the stage in 2011, and her S&M themed act with Tigger! made the audience roar at the BHoF Weekender in 2012.

 

Are you performing at BHOF this year? Which night? Do you want to give us a hint about what you'll be doing?

I am performing on Sunday night and will be doing a number with lighted nunchucks to Pat Benatar’s, “Love is a Battlefield”.

What are some of your favorite things about the BHOF Weekender?

Seeing everyone and then partying together.

 Have you taught a class before? If so, what do you like about teaching?

Yes, I have taught before! I love being in touch with the new Neo-Burlesque movement.

 

Camille performing at BHOF, 2011.

Photographer credit pending.

 

What do you hope students will get out of your class?

How to be confident! Also, to learn how to be a true burlesque queen, Camille 2,000 style!

Anything special they should wear or bring?

Nothing special to wear - just bring themselves!

 

You can register for Camille's class at

 

http://bhofweekend.com/schedule-of-events/bhof-finishing-school/

 

See Camille perform for the first time in 20 years:

 

If the embedded video above is not working you can view the clip at this URL: http://youtu.be/d3r_WC_RFlk

 

True to Jennie Lee's vision, the classes support both the BHOF collection and the legends themselves!

 

Special thanks to Coco Te Amo for administering the legend interviews for the classes.

 

 

Learn from Living Legends of Burlesque

Before there was The Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekender in Las Vegas, there was Exotic World on a goat farm in the desert in Helendale, California. There, performers such as Dirty Martini, Julie Atlas Muz, Tigger, Miss Indigo Blue, and Kitten Deville, who at that time had been doing burlesque professionally for just a few short years, performed alongside Living Legends of burlesque whose careers spanned the 1940s-1970s. The living legends inspired new performers with their fierceness, their skills, and their story-telling. The performers who learned from them show a special fire and a rare sense of accessible humor mixed with high expectations of entertainment ability that created the new era of burlesque, in which these performers travel the world headlining festivals, media gatherings, and art events. Whether you are new to burlesque or an instructor, the Burlesque Hall of Fame Finishing School offers you the opportunity to add this kind of character and depth to your work, and to add these instructors to your CV.


If you are having trouble seeing the video below, click here: http://youtu.be/blWbJeqRZJc

http://youtu.be/blWbJeqRZJc


For the sixth blockbuster year, the Burlesque Hall of Fame Finishing School offers rare, hands-on workshops with “Living Legends” of the art of Burlesque. Each of these instructors has her own unique perspective on the art, and shares directly from her own experience.

The BHOF finishing school recognizes that legends of burlesque have unique material to source. It is an opportunity for not just new students, but other instructors of burlesque, so add history, depth, and character to their understanding of the art form they love. Legends are rarely available, and unlike all other burlesque teachers in the world, they are a diminishing, rather than an increasing, resource. It is a unique opportunity to learn style, attitude, history, and sometimes even technique directly from the people who helped make the art of burlesque a part of our culture and artistic heritage.

http://bhofweekend.com/schedule-of-events/bhof-finishing-school/


Produced by the BurlyCon Burlesque Educational Convention, offerings are curated by Hall of Fame Co-Directors of Education, Jo “Boobs” Weldon(New York School of Burlesque) and Miss Indigo Blue (The Academy of Burlesque), and in the past have included workshops with such notable stars as Big Fannie Annie (2009), Candy “Baby” Carmello (2010), Dee Milo (2009), Joan Arline , Marinka (2008), Satan’s Angel (2010), Toni Elling (2009), the late Tura Satana (2008), and Wild Cherry (2008).


This year’s classes will again offer the perfect opportunity for devotees of the Art of Burlesque to expand their knowledge.


See class schedule and Living Legend instructors below!




FRIDAY, MAY 31


Chair Dance and the Elements of Tease
With Tiffany Carter
 11 am - Noon

 The chair is one of the most frequently used props in burlesque. Learn to be a tease on this classic burlesque prop from a living Legend! Please bring high heels, stockings, and form fitting clothing you can move in, such as yoga wear.


From Feathers to Leathers
With Camille 2000
 12:30pm - 1:30pm


 Join the outrageous and passionate Camille 2000 to learn how to use your natural personality to create a stage-worthy persona. She will discuss how to establish your character without becoming pigeon-holed, and how to be true to yourself in an increasingly competitive field.

Beginner Burlesque
With Judith Stein
 2:00pm - 3:00pm


 Judith Stein will teach you the in and outs of basic burlesque, along with tidbits about the etiquette and superstitions she learned backstage during her career. This class includes work on posture, presentation, glove removal and other peels. Students will need to bring: high heels, long gloves, and a button-down shirt.




SATURDAY, JUNE 1


Burlesque of the 1950s and 1960s
With Delilah Jones
 11 am - noon


 Learn about authentic Golden Age burlesque from a woman who was there! Delilah Jones will share the challenges and opportunities of creating a routine and establishing a name in that era. Whether your goal is to recreate the feel of the 1950s and 60s, add a bit of its flavor to your routines, or just be an informed fan of burlesque, this class offers a rare glimpse of her unique knowledge.

Latin Moves!
With Gina BonBon
 12:30pm - 1:30pm


 Get ready to move with heat and style! Learn how to incorporate Latin style into your performance from Gina BonBon, known for her skillful and vivid Latin dance techniques.

Parade, Pose, and Peel (featuring the Panel Skirt)
With Toni Elling
 2:00pm - 3:00pm


 Toni returns with her hit class on strutting the stage and handling panel skirts! Panel skirts are gaining new appreciation in the neo-burlesque movement for their ability to convey both grace and fire. Learn how to manipulate them with beauty and passion from a mistress of the form! If you have a panel skirt, bring it! Wear stretchy comfortable clothing and bring a pair of dance shoes.


FINISHING SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR PROFILES



Camille 2000

Camille 2000 was the first burlesque queen to introduce Aggressive Art to burlesque with her tribute to Marquis De Sade. With the tagline “The Girl for Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,” she’s a performer no one can forget. She posed for elite photographers, travelled with trunks of costumes and props, and once had a Japanese television crew follow her, reality TV-style, long before that genre ever became popular. Her 20-year career includes acting roles in movies and television shows — alongside Burt Reynolds in B.L. Stryker, 13 episodes of Miami Vice, appeared in Porky’s II and Alan Carr’s remake of Where the Boys Are. Her emotionally powerful fan dance marked her return to the stage in 2011, and her S&M themed act with Tigger! made the audience roar at the BHoF Weekender in 2012.



Delilah Jones

Delilah was born in Berlin, Germany at the stroke of midnight on a full moon in 1941. She began performing in 1959 and worked with Lili St Cyr at the El Rancho in L.A, Sally Rand in 1965 in Hollywood, Tura Satana, and many other luminaries. She toured North America for two dazzling decades and retired from burlesque in 1980. She will be returning to the stage this year at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Titans of Tease Reunion Showcase!



Gina BonBon

Gina was born in Cuba, and in 1965 she began her burlesque career dancing in the chorus line at the Latin Quarter Club in New York City. Soon after, she was featured on the burlesque circuit for Al Baker Jr., appearing in clubs and theaters all over the US, Canada, and Guam. She worked in Minsky’s Follies at the Playboy Club, and in Burlesque USA with Red Buttons and Robert Alda, and continued to work in television and theaters.


Judith Stein

Judith Stein is an acclaimed international performer. As Burlesque Hall of Fame’s only Canadian Legend of Burlesque, she is a proud supporter of the Canadian Association of Burlesque Entertainers, Vancouver Burlesque Festival, the Alberta Burlesque Alliance, and more! Ms. Judith Stein continues to perform and mentor, to the delight of audiences and students everywhere.



Tiffany Carter

Miss Nude Universe 1975, Tiffany Carter began her burlesque career at the infamous Pink Pussycat in Hollywood, California. An active, in-demand entertainer with Sparky Blaine’s American Showgirl agency, Tiffany toured the U.S., Canada, and Japan from the late 1960s through the 1980s. Tiffany has came out of burlesque retirement and become one of the most beloved and booked burlesque Legends within the international neo-burlesque community!



Toni Elling

Ms Toni Elling got her name from Duke Ellington, a close friend, when she began performing in the 1960s. She became known for her originality and her skillful strut. She worked throughout the US Northeast and in Japan. She created a huge stir with the way she walked across the stage upon her return at BHoF in 2006, and has brought her signature style to stages from Detroit to New York. Today she is known for teaching the Three P’s: Parade, Pose, and Peel.


 The BHOF finishing school recognizes that legends of burlesque have unique material to source. It is an opportunity for not just new students, but other instructors of burlesque, to add history, depth, and character to their understanding of the art form they love. Legends are rarely available, and unlike all other burlesque teachers in the world, they are a diminishing, rather than an increasing, resource. It is a unique opportunity to learn attitude, history, and technique directly from the people who created it.

http://bhofweekend.com/schedule-of-events/bhof-finishing-school/

Musicality and The Choreography of Events

I haven't had time to post much lately, but I just have to talk ever so briefly about a concept that comes up every time I teach.

"Musicality in dance then might be considered a measure or degree to which a dancer is receptive and creative in his translation or rendering of music through movement." --From Dance Advantage: Musicality in Dance.

In The Burlesque Handbook, I talk about the importance of musicality and timing. It's the art of making it look as if your movements and actions influenced the music, rather than the other way around.

One of my favorite film clips for performers to study musicality is The Skeleton Dance, a Silly Symphonies cartoon. In it the skeletons are timed so that not just their dancing but their actions take place according to the music. It appears as if the music is caused by their movements rather than the other way around.

When Billie Madley did a workshop at The New York School of Burlesque, she described "horns coming out of her ass"  in this routine. It's a perfect example of the performer making it look as if her body is responsible for all the action onstage!

Dance training is a definite asset for burlesque performers, as it helps them to understand and achieve musicality. However, in a burlesque routine, there is usually also a choreographed striptease in which events, such as a glove peel, corset opening, or gown drop also happens, so these events should be musical as well. Make it look as if your hips make the drums beat, as if the long tone of the horn is being drawn out by the tension in your stocking peel, as if it's the raising of your eyebrows that makes the piano pause. This also applies to comedy events--try timing the opening of a bottle into a musical moment that makes it sound as if the top coming off made the harp trill happen, as if the opening of a book created dramatic tympany, as if your pausing to give the audience a look of surprise caused a change in musical tempo. Even if you don't have dance training,  you can find moments in your choreography of events to "make music happen."

Here's a clip of Peekaboo Pointe and Gal Friday making it look as if ALL the music is coming out of their asses:

Blogger has been doing some odd stuff to my video posts, so if you can't see the clip, here's the URL: http://www.youtube.com/embed/Wmy829bczys

If you have comments or favorite moments of musicality in burlesque, please post them here!

Seasoned Performer to New Performer Etiquette--New Article at Pincurl Mag!

Above: Photo of Jo Weldon by Dallas Pinup.

When I first started working in strip joints in 1980, there were still what we now call “Legends of Burlesque” working in the clubs, usually as costumers or house mothers. And they HATED us. They had worked in the 40s-70s and they’d had minks and limousines and choreographers and champagne and feather boas and had all been engaged to Frank Sinatra. We were whores in spandex who were destroying the art form with our full nudity and jukeboxes and lack of artistry. I certainly wasn’t inclined to think of them as mentors. Realistically, they didn’t have much to offer in terms of helping me make more money–their era, which in some cases was only ten years past, had a different format. If I had done what they did I wouldn’t have gotten the results they got. Also, I didn’t care to be trained to end up stuck in a strip club I detested. I did, however, adore them for their stories. And their incredible hair and nails. And I really wanted to get paid to prance around in a beaded gown and play with ostrich fans and boas, although it took me another 12 years to figure out how to make that happen.

Remembering how they alienated us, I’d like to share a few of my thoughts on how the established performers of 2013 might relate to the new blood. Even if you disagree, I hope it gives you food for thought.

1) Remember that things are supposed to change. If burlesque looked the same as it did fifteen years ago, that would be weird. And if you were doing the exact same thing you were doing fifteen years ago you’d be bored out of your skull.

2) Give them a reason to care what you think. If you think that they’re destroying the art form, why should they care? Are they having fun making new friends and earning money doing what they love and delighting audiences with their aesthetic? Are you considering paying to get into their shows? WHY should they care what you think?


There's lots more at Pincurl Magazine!

21st Century Burlesque Top 50 Poll Results!

If you'd like to see what some of the most recognized performers in our community do, check out the Top 50 Burlesque online poll on 21st Century Burlesque. There are lots of links to articles and videos for inspiration and research!

http://21stcenturyburlesque.com/

Inspiration Post: The Muppets

It's time to play the music
It's time to light the lights
It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight.

It's time to put on makeup
It's time to dress up right
It's time to raise the curtain on the Muppet Show tonight.

source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/themuppetshowlyrics.html

When I saw The Muppet Show as a kid, all I wanted to do was be a part of the backstage life. My understanding of showbiz personalitty archetypes and the community they could create came from watching the interactions between creatures made of felt, ping pong ball eyes, and ostrich trim.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dDljd_7Yq0



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgbNymZ7vqY

Also, I love skits and parodies, and when the Muppets do it, it's almost too good to be true. Basically, every second of the above video makes me have to pee.

There are a lot of valuable tips for performers from the Muppets. Below, a reminder to check the lyrics of your song for actual content, not just the title:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV4F46N21PA

Inspiration Post: Miss Indigo Blue

From Indigo's Facebook:

Just found my 2007 intention statement:
My intention is to: fulfill my divine purpose to exemplify embodied femininity; empower and support people to transform themselves and live their own passions; positively impact peoples' feelings about their bodies and their sexuality; experience satisfaction, pleasure and amusement while living tri-continentally; produce funny, meaningful, political, and entertaining art.

I just stole this without her permission because if I ask her, it'll take forever. You know how you can get things done in two seconds with strangers, but it takes forever to do it with a friend? So you know.

Indigo was the Headmistress and Founder of the Seattle Academy of Burlesque shortly before I opened the School of Burlesque, and no one has been a bigger influence on my approach to and mission for NYSB. While working on the development of a program of education for The Burlesque Hall of Fame, she suggested we develop an education weekender, and Burlycon was born.

These inspiration posts are short because, actually, I'm supposed to be finishing a book proposal for a commercial mass-market gift book right now, and I have to be responsible about that fun but demanding project. I hope the posts inspire you to think about your inspirations!

Inspiration Post: World Famous *BOB*

World Famous Bob, a photo by Jo Weldon on Flickr.

World Famous *BOB* teaches Ultimate Self Confidence at The New York School of Burlesque, as well as Loving The Body You're In with Legs Malone. She's full of pith and vinegar, and recently she posted this awesome message on Facebook, and I'm pleased to share it here as well. Enjoy!


New to Burlesque? Wanna be? My advice follows:
Right away my advice for anyone starting in Burlesque is:
1. Know the history- research Burlesque and the women that came before you. The only way we can create the future of anything in a responsible way is by honoring its past.
2. Don't be jealous or competitive- if you are truly original then there is no competition! (sigh* what a relief!)
3. Lead by example- be the person you would want to share a backstage with- be the performer you would want to see- and always respect that others may have a different approach to it all.
4. Take lessons- whether it's acting, dance, butoh, or ballet- you're only as good as the time you put in.
5. The second it's not what you want to do anymore stop.
6. Do not expect to make a living doing it- it is VERY popular and there are only so many seats on the tour bus. It does not mean that you will not- just don't go into thinking you will. Most full time professional performers, myself included, do A LOT of artistic things to pay the bills. Catherine D'Lish, Dirty DirtyMartini Martini, Dita Von Tease, Julie Atlas Muz are a few of the talented but also lucky ones that do just Burlesque for the most part. Costumes, classes, and travel cost $.
7. Follow your heart.
8. Respect women and cheer them on- including yourself- Diva's are lonely people.
9. I will leave you with my personal onstage mantra:
"Wig on,
Chin up,
Heels High,
Move Forward!"-World Famous *BOB*
That is what I say when I have a job to do and need super hero powers to do it. I teach at The New York School of Burlesque and would love to see you in class.
Until Then- Love & Poodles,
World Famous *BOB*

Inspiration: Yoko Ono

When I think about some of my inspirations, I often think that they're not very visible in my work. Sometimes what informs a given number remains in it as an energy rather than an emulation of a style or technique. However, it's also true that a great deal of my work has actually been seen by very few people or by nonburlesque audiences. I have a history of numbers I no longer do, or I perform one-offs in shows that aren't photographed or filmed. While my more traditional numbers--which represent some of my most passionate expression of my belief in striptease as a standalone art form--are the ones I perform most frequently and are the most documented, I've done tons of performances and readings that look nothing like that.



Yoko Ono, artist, activist, icon, and iconoclast, is probably one of the least visible influences in my  burlesque work, though she's always there in my idea of the radical female who doesn't hesitate to make a statement in the nude.

http://imaginepeace.com/archives/17743

Above:Yoko Ono in hotpants.


http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x3dsvy">

/>http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3dsvy_yoko-ono-cut-piece_shortfilms" target="_blank">YOKO ONO CUT PIECE by http://www.dailymotion.com/TECHNOLOGOS" target="_blank">TECHNOLOGOS
Above: Yoko Ono's Cut Piece. When I was a feature dancer I did a fetish number that ended with fire, but before I handled fire I had audience members cut off me a red body stocking, piece by piece. I didn't sit passively, I addressed the audience members and guided them, but it was directly inspired by Cut Piece.

I'm also constantly inspired by her open emotions, which she exposes without guile whether her heart is bursting with love or fear. I went to see her in concert three years ago, and she danced and sang and told wonderful stories and had guest artists sing some of her songs. It was even more exciting because some of my other inspirations were performing with her, but I would have gone to see her alone.



Above: Bette Midler sings Yes, I'm Your Angel



Above: Justin Bond Sings What a Bastard the World Is

I have a lot of Yoko Ono inspired pieces in my mind--I could probably do a one-woman girl-on-girl show of me doing all my Yoko-thievery, if I could change between acts quickly enough to keep the audience awake.

One of my favorite of Yoko's works involved her having people climb up a ladder with a magnifying glass to read a word on the ceiling. The word was YES. I'd like to be at the top of a ladder, grinning like Humpty Dumpty, and have people climb up with a speculum and tweezers, and have each of them pull a piece of paper out of my vagina, on which would be the word YES.

Yoko is controversial in a lot of ways, but my appreciation of her work is simple. If you're thinking, "What the hell, really, YOKO ONO?" her Wiki article is a great place to start to get to know her. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoko_Ono