Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

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...

Catherine D'Lish with the world's biggest burlesque fans! Photo by Wendy Warren Catherine is teaching her fan dance class at The New Orleans Burlesque Festival! http://www.neworleansburlesquefest.com/Activities.html

Catherine D'Lish is selling some of her amazing costumes! Shop, or merely suffer with longing

NOTE--you may receive this post twice, there were formatting issues with the first one! It's my birthday, so I got myself an interview with Catherine D'Lish. As I've mentioned previously, I'm crrrrrrazy about Ms. D'Lish. Above: Catherine, photographed by Sean McCall. How did you get interested in burlesque? Well, I was born with a dirty mind, I’m pretty sure! When I was very young, I spent plenty of time holed up in the garage, enjoying my daddy’s Playboy magazines. There were stacks of them- hours of fun! While growing up, I was fascinated with all things sexual. Long before I finished elementary school I had already had an excellent education, thanks to my mothers collection of “The Joy of Sex” and those types of books. I saw great photographs and references to strippers, stripping and also the Crazy Horse. All of that was particularly interesting to me. Once in a while, we would drive by a strip club that originally opened in the sixties, “Les Girl...

Kelly DiNardo just posted this video of Catherine D'Lish in her blog , and I'd never seen this clip before. As a rule I wouldn't copy post the same video, but in this case I just have to say, Play it again! Catherine D'Lish and the Royal Crown Revue Now you know why everyone who's ever seen Ms. D'Lish perform gets a little dreamy-eyed at the mere mention of her name. I mean!!! Posted by Jo Weldon, Headmistress of The New York School of Burlesque , for burlesquedaily.blogspot.com .

Catherine D'Lish at Tease-O-Rama, absolutely devastating. Catherine's Website (which has more photos by me in its gallery.