Jo Weldon's New York School of Burlesque

Lola Star designed and made this adorable compact with the New York School of Burlesque! You can get this design on a mug, magnet, shot glass, t-shirt, or tote bag as well. Check out her other gorgeous designs, with lots of fabulous tributes to Coney Island! Lola Star's Online Shop

I've been conducting a series of interviews with Dick Zigun, and I'm going to give you just a taste of what we've been discussing. If you're a fan of New York burlesque, you might find the timeline interesting; if you're not a fan, you may at least finally understand why New York Burlesque is so far from being simply recreationist. Above: Dick leading the 2002 Mermaid Parade. Photo by me. Dick attended Bennington and earned his MFA from Yale. I won't go into his entire biography here, but a sense of his academic background is useful when considering what he does now as the Artistic Director of Coney Island USA, which he formed as a not-for-profit in 1980. The organization has since then been successfully executing their stated mission: "The purpose of Coney Island USA is to defend the honor of American popular art forms through innovative exhibitions and performances. The distinct mission of Coney Island USA is to operate a multi-arts center offering ...

Above: Me at the Mermaid Parade this past weekend, bringing in the New York School of Burlesque School of Fish. The Mermaid Parade is not strictly a burlesque event, but it's definitely an event cherished by the New York burlesque community. Like Wigstock , it's been a meeting ground for performance artists, drag queens, and people who just love dress-up ( or undress-up) since the 1980s, and, like Wigstock, has fostered a sense of community based on the joy of costuming and playfulness. When I moved to New York permanently in the 90s after years of traveling back and forth between NY and Atlanta, I immediately became devoted to these annual events. It's almost like a family reunion for me! Above: Mermaid Parade, 2006. Tigger, Erochica Bamboo, Laura Herbert, Taylor Mac, Me, Dirty Martini, Francesca. The Burlesque Revival Association in the 2002 Mermaid Parade. Bambi the Mermaid and Bunny Love at Ruby's after the 2002 Mermaid Parade. The Mermaid Parade is produ...

I rarely post notices, but this is important, not just for burlesque (which would not exist in New York as it now does if it weren't for the shows in Coney Island ), but for so much more that matters to New Yorkers concerned with standards of community, historicity, and ethical building and land development. The following comes to me via Lola Staar : The Time to SAVE CONEY ISLAND is NOW!! Please attend this Public Scoping Hearing, June 24th, 6PM Please voice your opinion about the City's Plan to redevelop Coney Island at this Public Scoping Hearing! WHEN: Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 6pm WHERE: Lincoln High School 2800 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn, NY WHY: This is your opportunity to officially voice your opinion, on public record, and Change the Future of Coney Island. Please review the City's Plan and attend this hearing, prepared to testify and make a statement about this Plan and how you feel Coney Island should be redeveloped!! The City's new plan almos...

Click the image to see tons of amazing photos from last year's Gala! Come out and celebrate the 2008 season with us, as we kick off the summer with a big blowout at the Angel Orensanz Foundation. There's an Open Bar, and The Brooklyn Bombshells will teach you some swing dance moves so you can dance to to the stylings of our band: Lady Luck and the Suicide Kings. There's going to be a Photo Booth, Carnival Games of Chance, a Silent Auction, and performers including: the cast of the 2008 Coney Island Circus Sideshow; Miss Coney Island Serpentina, Diamond Donny, Heather Holiday, Angelica, Scott Baker, Nick Knack, Burlesque at the Beach's Bambi the Mermaid and The Great Fredini, Julie Atlas Muz, Tigger, Saturn, The Pontani Sisters, The Peach Tartes, Dirty Martini, Hula Harvest, World Famous *BOB*, Little Brooklyn, Brian Fisherman, Chris McDaniels, as well as Swing Dancing Sirens- The Brooklyn Bombshells, Shelly Watson, the inimitable Reverend Billy, Little Jimmy, Jo Bo...

While working on the cleanup for gstringsforever.com, I found a few links still alive to older articles about neo-burlesque. Enjoy! ' "We have been getting all types at the shows," Baldwin says proudly. "We get young people, hipsters, people who know nothing about burlesque, and others who've had their interest piqued. The best is when we get these ninety-year old people who actually remember burlesque from the first time around. We had this one old guy sitting in the front row, catcalling the girls. He had a great time. When they come up to us afterward and say we really had it down, that is very cool." ' Above: Michelle Baldwin at the New York Burlesque Festival. Article in The Denver Westword , June 22, 2000 'Neo-burlesque comes out of two tendencies: One is the American Gothic stream, the stomping ground of David Lynch movies, S-&-M punk band the Cramps or drag queen Divine; the other is pop culture's ongoing affair with nosta...