Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

Mother’s Day Burlesque Brunch A Salute To The Mothers Of Burlesque Featuring Legendary Burlesque Queens DIXIE EVANS TONI ELLING DEE MILO Performances by ANGIE PONTANI JO BOOBS MSTICKLE PERLE NOIRE DR. LUCKY THE WORLD FAMOUS *BOB* RUBY VALENTINE DJ MOMOTARO May 9,2010 Show starts @ 1:30PM Doors open @ 12:30PM Tickets and More Information The World Famous *BOB* and Jo Weldon of The New York School of Burlesque will co-host this landmark event featuring The Mother’s of Burlesque, Dixie Evans, Dee Milo and Toni Elling. The event will feature a question and answer panel with these legendary Burlesque Queens, select performance and tribute numbers by Angie Pontani, Mstickle, Jo Boobs, Perle Noire, Dr Lucky, The World Famous *BOB*, Ruby Valentine and DJ Momotaro. This is the first time in over a quarter of a century that these legends of burlesque are being showcased in New York City. This is truly a one of a kind event, not to be missed. THE CAST: DIXIE EVANS - Nob...

I saw a burlesque show produced by the Pontani Sisters and hosted by Murray Hill at the Slipper Room in 2002, when the current burlesque scene was just a sparkle in all our eyes. Now it's a worldwide phenomenon producing some of the most spectacular performers burlesque has ever known, and Murray and Angie brought together a group of those fabulous performers in New York City, where burlesque striptease once flourished, was outlawed, and has bloomed all over again. The Queens of Burlesque show on March 11 was held at Le Poisson Rouge, a gorgeous red and black venue with great sightlines. Featuring Murray and Angie as well as Immodesty Blaize , Dirty Martini , Michelle L’amour , Julie Atlas Muz , Miss Indigo Blue , Perle Noire and Catherine D’Lish , it was properly touted as the burlesque show not to miss. All of the performers were award-winners in the Exotic World/Burlesque Hall of Fame pageants, and they proved that these awards go to the most glamourous, charismatic, dedicated...

Laura Herbert took these photos, and I love them so much I just snagged them all. The fan dance rehearsal. Leighton Meester with my cleavage. Hey, I didn't compose the shot! My roomie, Julie Atlas Muz, doing things to me on worldwide television. The fringy costumes in this scene are original Pontani Sisters Costumes, courtesy of Angie Pontani. Angie and Julie. Click here to watch the full episode online. We love the way it turned out! Blowing kisses to Tony Wharmby and all the Gossip Girl cast and crew. Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

I spent the past month moving, but I'm back! I've been posting articles and photos of burlesque for almost a decade now and I was going through some serious withdrawal these several weeks. There is a great article and video from New York 1 right here: The Pontani Sisters Bring Burlesque Back The world of burlesque is booming. NY1's Stephanie Simon filed the following report on the revival of this unique genre of performing arts. Variety shows, like the one at Corio in SoHo, are reviving the brazen, bawdy world of burlesque. One of the many popular neo-burlesque shows that have popped up in the city in recent years is Angie Pontani and the Pontani sisters in "This is Burlesque."... Pontani originally wanted to be an actress, but thought it just was not glamorous enough for her. "I was like, well I don't to be an actress because they don't get to wear head dresses and like rhinestone costumes, so that was unfulfilling for me," she said. Re...

Blaze Starr on a sofa, smmmmmmmmokin'! I've always been inspired by Angie Pontani's timing, dance ability, and sense of mischief, and I was thrilled when she began adding solo striptease performances back into her shows. One of the first numbers I saw her do as a striptease was her tribute to Blaze Starr . I love Blaze's story (the movie is fun, yes, but it's her autobiography that really blows me away). If you've ever seen Angie do the wild number with the bongo drum, that's it! Above: Angie Pontani, with Helen and Tara, Channeling Blaze Starr. Photo by Me. Angie had this to say when I asked her about the tribute number: "Blaze has always been one of my favorite stars of the golden era of burlesque. In addition to the unbridled carnality that comes across in even the most faded black and white, her life story is equally dramatic. Her affair with Governor Earl Long, her outrageous performances including the use of live panthers, the smok...