Are there any Asian burlesque dancers out there?
Margaret Cho, who wrote the foreword to my book, is Asian.
I've worked with several performers from Japan, including Sexy Davinci, a boylesque performer who wowed everybody at last year's New York Burlesque Festival. I first met Erochica Bamboo, The Tokyo Tornado, at the Sex Workers' Film Festival in 2001, which occured in San Francisco at the same time that the first TeaseORama convention was happening in New Orleans. She became Miss Exotic World in 2003
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Miss_Exotic_World_Pageant_participants_and_winners
I've also worked a lot with Murasaki Babydoll
http://www.murasakibabydoll.com/
Just yesterday this article came out about Asian burlesque performers:
http://www.nwasianweekly.com/2010/04/%e2%80%98glamorous-elegant-timeless-revolutionary%e2%80%99/
Here's a video of Calamity Chang, who now runs Dim Sum Burlesque, performing in my student showcase last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UC8YL9Q35U
Comments
She actually turned me on to the book called "Forbidden City" about Asian burlesque star from the past. It's an amazing book.
There's a fair few around the world, though some do have to keep on the downlow due to family pressures (my parents think I'm running a brothel -_-'').
BGB - Don't forget us! WE'RE HERE!
Smooches & Sparkles,
Chicava HoneyChild
They famously perform nightly in such acts as 'The Chinese Fan Dance,' featuring Noel Toy, 'Shanghai Lil,' which is a multi-media performance with the entire cast featuring Frank Bray, Johnny Sideways, Shanghai Lil, and the 1939 movie Footlight Parade, Nanjing Xi Lu Shopping skit, blindfolded pole dancing, and the original Mao meets burlesque 'Robber' act. They also perform in all the chorus line production numbers and have become stand out performers and stars amongst local and international crowds.
Thanks for asking, apologies that life caused a delay in responding.
Our next show, Reminisce - First Beats, First Loves will be June 26 @ the Bowery Poetry Club. Its a hip hop extravaganza!
Our theatrical show for the year is called Culture Classics and it goes up Oct 22 & 23 @ the Kumble Theater in Brooklyn.
Culture Classics will be a UN of Burlesque that deals with the stereotype, and the sacred, celebration and struggle in the midst of sensual expression. Using fishnets to net together a world of women's stories Culture Classics is a fusion gumbo of world movement and storytelling.
BGB is committed to cultivating diversity, inclusion and strong production value in burlesque. The Neo-Burlesque movement has been re-birthed from the 19th & 20th century cultural landscape that was segregated, separate and unequal. I feel that is very important to continue healing these fissures in our society as artists and as women. And for all that loftiness there's infinite room for us to be as sexy, radical and thought-provoking as we choose to be.
I know that you, Jo, and School of Burlesque are committed to the beauty of the art as well as the reclamation of self worth and self expression of all the ladies that come through your door. I feel you are a titan of a business woman and respect you very deeply.
Working together Goddesses of every hue, ethnicity and orientation will continue to emerge.
bliss,
Chicava HoneyChild